Shogi vs AI
Play Shogi (Japanese Chess) free in your browser. No download and no sign-up: full rules including promotion and the famous drop rule — captured pieces switch sides and come back into play — against four AI levels, a friend on one screen, or an online room you share by link.
Shogi, often called Japanese Chess, is one of the great chess-family games and arguably the deepest, because of one rule found in no Western variant: pieces you capture do not leave the game — they join your hand and can later be dropped back onto the board as your own. That single idea makes Shogi enormously dynamic; there are almost no truly dead positions, comebacks are common, and material never simply disappears. Two players move flat, wedge-shaped pieces on a 9x9 board, all the same colour, pointing toward the enemy to show who owns them.
Why Play Shogi Here
Everything runs right in your browser. There is no app to install and no account to create — open the page, the pieces are set, and you close the tab when you are done. It plays the same on a phone, a tablet or a desktop, and your session record is stored locally.
You can play solo against the computer at four strengths — from a gentle Easy up to a tactical Master engine that searches captures, drops and promotions ahead — pass-and-play with a friend on one screen, or open an online room and invite someone with a single link. Legal moves are shown as dots, your captured pieces sit in a hand tray ready to drop, a promotion prompt appears when you reach the enemy zone, the king flashes when in check, and undo, hint and full replay help you learn.
How the Pieces Move
The King moves one square in any direction. The Rook slides any distance orthogonally and the Bishop any distance diagonally — the only two long-range sliders. The Gold General moves one square in any direction except the back diagonals; the Silver General moves one square straight forward or to any of the four diagonals.
The Knight is unusual: it jumps only two squares forward and one to the side, never backward or sideways. The Lance slides straight forward any distance, and the Pawn moves and captures one square straight forward. Every piece except the Gold and the King can promote.
Promotion, Capturing and Drops
The three rows farthest from you are the promotion zone. When a piece moves into, within or out of that zone you may promote it: pawns, lances, knights and silvers all become Gold; the Bishop becomes a Horse (bishop plus king steps) and the Rook becomes a Dragon (rook plus king steps). Pawns, lances and knights that reach the last rank must promote, since they would otherwise have no move.
When you capture an enemy piece it goes into your hand. Instead of a normal move you may drop a hand piece, unpromoted, onto any empty square — turning a defender into an attacker. Two restrictions matter: you cannot have two unpromoted pawns on the same file (nifu), and you may not drop a pawn that gives immediate checkmate (uchifuzume).
Strategy for Beginners
Build a castle. Spend your early moves tucking the King into a corner behind a wall of generals — formations like Mino or Yagura — instead of attacking right away. A safe king buys you the time to attack with everything else.
Treat pieces in hand as live ammunition. A single rook or a few pawns in reserve can break open a castle with a sudden drop. Keep your Rook active, use the Bishop's long diagonal, and remember that because captures come back, trading is rarely 'free' — the piece you give up may return to attack you.
Tips to Improve Faster
- Castle your king early — safety first, attack second.
- Hold pieces in hand; a well-timed drop wins games.
- Avoid nifu: don't try to drop a pawn onto a file that already has your unpromoted pawn.
- Promote your rook and bishop into a Dragon and Horse whenever it's safe.
- Watch enemy drops — empty squares near your king are never truly safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shogi the same as Japanese Chess?
Yes. Shogi is the Japanese name for Japanese Chess, played on a 9x9 board with promotion and the unique rule that captured pieces can be dropped back into play.
What does the drop rule mean?
When you capture a piece it joins your hand. On a later turn, instead of moving, you can place that piece on an empty square as your own — this is a drop.
How do pieces promote?
Moving into, within or out of the three rows nearest the enemy lets a piece promote. Pawns, lances, knights and silvers become Gold; rooks become Dragons and bishops become Horses.
Can I play Shogi against the computer?
Yes. Choose Solo vs AI and pick easy, medium, hard or Master. The Master engine looks several moves ahead including captures, drops and promotions.
How do I win?
Checkmate the enemy King, or leave your opponent with no legal move. A player who cannot move loses the game.
