/usr/share/games/shogivar/Wa.rul is in shogivar-data 1.55b-1.
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==============
Wa Shogi is first mentioned in literature in the late seventeenth century.
The pieces are all named after birds or animals, and the names are very
whimsical (even by Shogi variant standards).
Other than the initial board setup and moves of the pieces, little definite
is known about the game. It is assumed that in most respects the rules were
identical to Shogi, but it is unclear whether or not the game was played
with 'drops'.
In this program players have the option of playing with or without drops.
There are believed to be many more tactical ploys and ways of mating in
Wa Shogi than in modern Shogi, and many mating problems were composed,
but sadly none seem to have survived.
THE GAME
==========
Wa Shogi is played on a board of 11 x 11 squares and each player has 27
pieces.
As in all Shogi games, the pieces are flat and wedge-shaped and are not
distinguished by colour. Although the pieces are of uniform colour the
first player is still conventionally referred to as 'Black' and the second
player as 'White'. Ownership of the pieces is indicated by the direction
in which they face, with a player's pieces always pointing towards the
opponent.
The players make alternate moves, with the object being to capture the
opposing 'Crane-King'. When the 'Crane-King' is about to be captured next
move and no legal move can be made to prevent the capture, the piece is
said to be 'Checkmated'.
On each turn a player must move one piece according to its power of
movement to a vacant square on the board, or to a square occupied by an
enemy piece (in which case the enemy piece is captured and removed). If
Wa Shogi is being played with 'Drops' the player may instead of making a
move on the board, re-enter a previously captured piece on almost any
vacant square.
THE PIECES
===========
The Piece Help screen provides the names, notation symbols, promotion
details, and powers of movement for all of the pieces in the game.
[The Piece Help screen can be reached by clicking on the 'Pieces' button]
JUMPING PIECES
================
The 'Treacherous Fox' and 'Heavenly Horse' are the only pieces in Wa
Shogi that have the power to jump over occupied squares. The 'Treacherous
Fox' may jump to the second square in any of the directions indicated by
red circles on the Piece Help diagram. The 'Heavenly Horse' can jump in the
same way as a Knight in Western Chess, but only in the forward and reverse
directions.
The 'Cloud-Eagle' can move to the second or third squares on the forward
diagonals only if the intervening squares are vacant. The 'Liberated Horse'
can move to the second square in the reverse direction only if the first
square is unoccupied. The 'Cloud-Eagle' and 'Liberated Horse' are therefore
not Jumping pieces.
PROMOTION
===========
Each player has a Promotion Zone consisting of the three ranks (rows of
squares) furthest away from him. All pieces except the 'Crane-King',
'Cloud-Eagle' and 'Treacherous Fox' have a promoted rank and can promote
on entering, moving within, or leaving the Promotion Zone. The promoted
ranks of the Wa Shogi pieces are shown on the Piece Help screens.
Promotion is not compulsory unless the piece would be unable to make a
further legal move in its unpromoted state. The 'Sparrow Pawn' and 'Oxcart'
must therefore promote on reaching the last rank (that furthest from the
player).
As in all the games in the Shogi family, in Wa Shogi sets the promoted rank
is shown on the reverse side of the piece, and the piece is turned over on
promotion to reveal the new rank.
CAPTURES
==========
If Wa Shogi is being played with 'drops', a piece that is captured is
removed from the board and held by the capturing player. The held piece
(which is said to be 'in hand') may subsequently be 'dropped' back into
play on the side of the player who made the capture.
All promoted pieces revert to their unpromoted ranks when captured.
If the game is being played without 'drops', captured pieces are removed
totally from play.
DROPS
=======
If the 'drop' option is used, a player may elect to 'drop' a piece held in
hand back into play instead of making a move on the board.
In general, a piece held in hand may be re-entered on any vacant square,
subject to the following restrictions:
a) A piece may not be dropped on a square from which it has no further
legal move. (ie: a 'Sparrow Pawn' or 'Oxcart' can not be dropped on
the last rank).
b) A 'Sparrow Pawn' can not be dropped in any file (column of squares)
already containing an unpromoted 'Sparrow Pawn' of the same side.
c) A 'Sparrow Pawn' can not be re-entered directly in front of the
opposing 'Crane-King' so as to give instant 'Checkmate'.
A piece dropped inside the player's Promotion Zone is not promoted until
after it has made a further move on the board.
HANDICAP PLAY
===============
Handicaps are often given when players of unequal strength play Shogi in
Japan. The reason that handicap play is common is that the handicap system
in Shogi works far better than that used in Western Chess. Wa Shogi also
lends itself to handicap play (especially if played with 'drops').
In a handicap game a player offers a handicap of one or more pieces to an
opponent of less strength. For Shogi in Japan, there is a comprehensive
system of determining the appropriate handicap according to the respective
rankings of the players.
The player offering the handicap plays 'White' and his opponent (as 'Black')
removes the handicap pieces as the first move of the game. In handicap play
'White' therefore makes the first move on the board.
Pieces removed as a handicap are totally removed from play and are not
held in-hand by 'Black'.
NOTATION
==========
The following notation system is used for recording Wa Shogi games in this
program.
The files are designated by numbers (1 to 11), and the ranks by letters
(a to k). The files are numbered from right to left (in the Japanese
fashion), and the ranks from top to bottom (from Black's point of view).
The top right square is therefore 1a.
A move is described by giving:
a) the designation of the piece (eg: SP for 'Sparrow Pawn'); this
designation is preceded by a '+' if it is at its promoted rank,
b) followed by the method of moving;
'-' for a simple move on the board,
'x' for a capture,
'*' for a drop,
c) then the destination square is recorded,
d) finally if the piece promoted on that turn, this is recorded by adding
'+' after the move, or if promotion was possible but was refused, the
symbol '=' is added.
If more than one piece of the same type can reach the destination square
then the starting square is also given after the piece designation to
avoid confusion.
A 'Sparrow Pawn' moving from 5d to 5c (which was occupied by an enemy
piece) and not promoting is therefore recorded as SPx5c=.
NOTE: This system is the official notation system of 'The Shogi
Association'.
DISPLAYING LEGAL MOVES
=========================
If the 'Show Move' option is selected from the Moves Menu, clicking the left
mouse button on a piece on the board or 'in hand' during play will show all
the legal moves of that piece:
- All legal moves (including 'drops') to vacant squares are represented
as White Circles,
- Legal captures are shown as Red Circles. "
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