Description

Chu Seireigi (中精霊棋 chu seireigi, "middle spirit's game") is a large Shogi variant that was conceived as a variant of Chu Shogi that is playable with drops.

Find out more on the dedicated page on chessvariant website.

Rules

Chu Seireigi

Chu Seireigi combines elements of Chu Shogi with the ruleset of modern Shogi. It also has the benefit of not needing any special trading rules or locust moves.

Board

The board is a 12x12

Initial setup

Pieces actions and properties

Gold general: moves and captures to adjacent squares in any orthogonal or the forward diagonal direction.

Silver general: moves and captures to adjacent squares in any diagonal or the forward orthogonal direction.

Pawn : The Pawn: moves and captures to the square directly in front of it.

Rook : as in chess.

Bishop : as in chess.

King : as in chess.

Knight : The Knight has the two forward-most moves of the Chess knight.

Lance : The Lance moves as a Rook but only forward in the same file, never sideways or backward.

Running rabbit

Flying swallow

Copper general

Strong bear

Great elephant

Running wolf

Great leopard

Lion Hawk

Ram's-head soldier : moves as a Bishop but only forward, never backward.

Kirin : as in chu shogi.

Phoenix : as in chu shogi.

Queen : as in chess.

Promotion-exclusive Pieces

Heavenly horse is the promotion of the Knight

Free tiger is the promotion of the Lance

Flying ox is the promotion of the Great leopard

Free boar is the promotion of the Running wolf

Whale is the promotion of the Strong bear

Prancing stag is the promotion of the Running rabbit

Teaching king is the promotion of the Great elephant

Treacherous fox is the promotion of the Ram's-head soldier

Golden bird is the promotion of the Flying swallow

Pawn promotes to Tokin, which move like a Gold general.

Rook and Bishop gain king move upon promotion to Dragon king and Dragon horse, respectively.

Promotions

Pawn -> Tokin = Gold general -> Great elephant -> Teaching king

Copper general -> Great leopard -> Flying ox

Silver general -> Running wolf -> Free boar

Kirin -> Bishop -> Dragon horse

Phoenix -> Rook -> Dragon king

Strong bear -> Whale

Lance -> Free tiger

Ram's-head soldier -> Treacherous fox

Running rabbit -> Prancing stag

Knight -> Heavenly horse

Flying swallow -> Golden bird

The promotion zone is the farthest four ranks of the board, and a piece may promote if part of its move touches the zone. Promotion is optional unless no subsequent move is possible otherwise. So a Pawn, Lance, Ram's-head soldier, or Running rabbit must promote on the last row, and a Knight or Flying swallow must promote on the last two rows.

The King, Queen, and Lion Hawk do not promote, nor can already promoted pieces promote further.

Drops

Captured pieces become prisoners and lose their promotion, guarded on your right. You can use your turn to put them back into play. A player can either move one of his pieces or drop a prisoner back into play on his behalf.

A Pawn can’t be dropped on a column with an unpromoted Pawn of the same color.

A Pawn can’t make an immediate checkmate when dropped. It is allowed for other pieces.

A piece can’t be dropped where no subsequent move is possible, so a Pawn, Lance, Ram's-head soldier, or Running rabbit cannot be dropped on the last row, and a Knight or Flying swallow cannot be dropped on the last two rows.

Available skins

2D skins are available for all, 3D skins need WebGL so please use Chrome or Firefox.

Credits

Jocly implementation

• Rules and descriptions : A. M. DeWitt
• Development : H.G.Muller (TalkChess) / F. Houdebert