SHOGI EQUIPMENT & PUBLICATIONS

Reference Description of items

BOXED SHOGI SET

MS3 Full-sized magnetic Shogi set with a folding metal- faced, plastic board.
Pieces each contain a small magnet. Ideal for use in any restricted space
such as: train, plane, cafe etc. A very popular set.

SHOGI SETS IN TUBES

BS1/ S1 (H) Basic Shogi set with a pliable vinyl board marked with file numbers and
rank letters to assist in the recording of game-scores etc. Comes with
Shogi Association pieces in a yellowish wood-effect plastic with initial
ranks stamped in black and the promoted ranks in red. BS1 (H) - As BS1
above, but with pieces stamped black/black.

RS1 As BS1 above but with basic Japanese plastic pieces in a yellowish colour
stamped black/red.

WS1 As BS1 above but with specially designed Shogi Association westernised
pieces, which are stamped with a system of arrows and letters to indicate
movement and names. This special set will enable the beginner quickly
to grasp the essentials of Shogi and graduation to a normal Japanese set
can be made later. This set has proved to be most popular and has
established its worth in schools and in many other teaching situations.

VS3 Board as in BS1 above but this set comes with lightweight off-white
Japanese plastic pieces stamped black/black.

VS5 As VS3 but with the highest quality Japanese off-white, thicker and much
heavier plastic pieces with an ivory appearance. Stamped black/black.
The top class vinyl set.

YSBS1 Four-handed Shogi set comprising a standard blue vinyl board and the
necessary pieces from the BS1 set above. Contains comprehensive eight-
page rule leaflet.
POCKET SHOGI SETS

MS1 Magnetic Shogi set which is truly pocketable being only 95 x 195mm
when folded. Smooth metal paying surface and with each piece
containing a tiny magnet. Pieces are kept inside the board when folded.

MST Tiny pocket set measuring only 70 x 120mm. Pieces are housed
individually in the squares of the board and are stamped with embossed
names in black/red. The board is enclosed in a snap-shut box with a
Perspex see-through top, so that any position can be set up and
maintained without fear of the pieces moving.

GS1 International Graphic Shogi set. The pieces are white plastic and are
stamped with a neat design in black/red to indicate their moves. A truly
international set since letters are not used to show names, nor is there
any Japanese calligraphy. The set is, therefore, totally language
independent. This set only comes regrettably with a paper board but the
pieces can be made to look most impressive by using a vinyl board.

SHOGI VARIANTS

Apart from Middle Shogi, we are the only suppliers in the world for the major Shogi
variants. Leaflets on how to play each game as well as playing equipment is detailed
below ALL Shogi variants come with Shogi Association yellowish wood-effect pieces
stamped black/red (except CS4 below). Current stocks are with a pliable vinyl board
in a stone colour (unbacked) and marked with file numbers and rank letters to aid
notation. Blue vinyl boards (backed) are new stock and will be supplied should boards
be purchased separately, to order or when the current stone colour boards are out of
stock.

CS3 Middle Shogi set with a pliable vinyl board marked with file numbers
and rank letters to aid notation. With Shogi Association yellowish, wood-
effect pieces stamped black/red. The board is 12 x 12 squares and comes
with a total of 92 pieces. Middle Shogi is, without doubt, one of the very
finest chess games in the world. The great Oyama was quite convinced
that playing this game would improve one's normal Shogi strength.
Highly recommended.
TOS Tori Shogi set. Board 7 x 7 and with a total of 32 pieces. This fine game is
said to have been invented in 1799 by Ohashi Soei, who named all the
pieces after birds. This is the only Shogi variant played with drops. It really
is a mystery that such a fine little game should have died out in Japan.
The amount of sheer combinative play that a mere 7 x 7 board can afford
is truly amazing. Everyone who plays Tori Shogi falls in love with it!

WS Wa Shogi set. 11 x 11 board with a total of 54 pieces. This game, known

by at least early Edo times, has pieces whose names are exclusively birds
or animals. A slow and deliberate game for the dedicated player. A
fascinating game but with a limited number of ranging pieces. It has been
speculated, with good reason, that the game was intended to be played
with drops. Try it both ways.

DS Dai Shogi set. 15 x 15 board and with a total of 130 pieces. This variant is
one-step up from Middle Shogi, but is quite different in feel owing to the
much larger board. The two games are not thought to be connected. This
variant is a real test of one's ability to play the larger games, strategically.
Will be enthusiastically played by devotees, a quite superb game.

TJS Tenjiku Shogi set. 16 x 16 board and with a total of 156 pieces. Based on
Middle Shogi, Tenjiku truly is the most exotic of all the variants. It boasts
many weird and wonderfully powerful pieces and the game maintains its
excitement from start to finish. Aptly named "Exotic Shogi" in the West,
it really does live up to its name. A must for all dedicated Shogi variant
players.

DDS Dai-Dai Shogi set. 17 x 17 board and with a total of 192 pieces. Dai-Dai
Shogi is quite a large variant and has as many as 64 different types of
piece. Owing to the large board, a slow and deliberate style of play is
called for here. Hook Movers in this variant add considerably to the
excitement of the play. A very intricate and complex game and a
challenge.

MDDS Maka-Dai-Dai Shogi set. 19 x 19 board and with a total of 192 pieces.
Large variant but most symmetrical in the initial set-up. In this game,
even the King promotes! Hook Movers are to be found, this time,
immediately behind the Pawns. The game is said to have been invented
by Buddhist Monks and there was even a chant as an "aide mémoire" to
the initial set-up!
TS Tai Shogi set. 25 x 25 board and with a total of 354 pieces. This is, without
any doubt, the biggest chess game in the world and is an almost
unlimited challenge to the real Shogi fanatic. Just to set up the pieces in
the initial position will take the uninitiated at least two hours! The board
alone measures some 920 x 980mm. Tai Shogi is the ultimate game, to
describe this game a "BIG" would be rather an under-statement.

YSBS Yonin Shogi Set. (Four-handed Shogi) 9 x 9 with BS1 pieces stamped
black/red and comprising a normal vinyl board together with the
necessary pieces based on the BS1 set. This game only invented in 1995
has been extremely well received in Japan and has been taken up by
professionals. The score of the first professional game is included in the
comprehensive rule leaflet enclosed with the set.

KSB/KSR Kyoto Shogi pieces only (x10) comprising two of each K; L-+P; B-S; G-N &
R-P. Stamped Black/Black .

MICS/POP Micro/Poppy Shogi pieces only (x 10) comprising two of each K; B-+P; G-
R; B-L; P-N. Stamped Black/Red.

BI-LINGUAL BOOKS* By Aono Teruichi (English Translations John Fairbairn.)

Both the books mentioned below are now long out of print, but we can offer
both titles in scanned PDF format. *Please note these books were scanned over
10 years ago and the quality of some pages may be a little faint or distorted in
places.

GSO Guide to Shogi Openings (211pp) - This book covers only a small
fraction of the wealth of opening strategy, but takes the reader
through, systematically, with thorough explanations as to exactly
why certain moves are being made. A solid primer on openings.

BMBS Better Moves for Better Shogi (312pp) - This book is almost
certainly the best book ever written about Shogi! It teaches one
how to think about the various aspects and moves and covers a
series of lectures given by Aono on NHK Television. There is also
an extensive glossary of Japanese terms with full English
translation. This book is certainly a wonderful teaching aid to help
you reach the high-dan levels of play.
SHOGI PUBLICATIONS

SFB Shogi for beginners – (166pp) by John Fairbairn. THE standard reference
work in English on the game of Shogi. This excellent and accurate book
contains very much more than the basics, although the early chapters
assume no prior knowledge. Shogi for Beginners is a MUST for all serious
students of the game. This book is highly recommended all over the
world as the "Shogi Players' Bible". 166 pages, in paperback, with
numerous diagrams.

SMAG Shogi Magazine - The official magazine of The Shogi Association, ran from
January 1976 until November 1987. The complete run of these
professionally produced Shogi magazines contains an absolute wealth of
information on every possible aspect of the game. They cover everything
of note ever written in English about the game of Shogi. It is now more
than twenty years since SHOGI was last produced and this now only
available as a scanned digital download.

MSM Middle Shogi Manual Second Edition (March 2002) This second edition
of the Middle Shogi Manual has been brought completely up to date and
contains some extra items in the strategy chapter. The various
supplements have now been incorporated into the one document and all
the hitherto discovered errors have been corrected.

TSV Ten Shogi Variants (131pp) As a companion volume to the Middle

Shogi Manual, Ten Shogi Variants covers the initial arrays, rules
and moves of the pieces for the following Shogi variants:- Tori
[7x7], Wa [11x11], Heian-Dai [13x13], Dai [15x15],Tenjiku [16x16],
Dai-Dai [17x17], Maka-Dai-Dai [19x19],Tai [25x25], Tai-Kyoku
[36x36] And Yonin Shogi [9x9] (The Modern Four-Handed Game)

VARILUX For the ultimate enthusiast – a basic shogi set, plus all the nine variants,
books, magazines and the variants guide. A perfect gift for someone
special.

G.F. Hodges: Tel: +44 (0)1234 211286 - E-mail: George.hodges@talk21.com