Chu Shogi: Rules and How to Play
Chu shogi is a 2-player, 12×12 shogi with 46 pieces each and about 60 minutes of play. The lion moves twice per turn, captured pieces leave the game, and taking the king wins. Free in your browser.
Objective
Chu shogi is played on a 12×12 board; you win by capturing your opponent's king (and prince, if a drunk elephant has promoted). It is a large, older relative of modern shogi, played since the Muromachi period. The rules here follow the Japan Chu Shogi Association.
Setup
- Each side sets 46 pieces of 21 kinds: king, drunk elephant, gold, silver and copper generals, ferocious leopard, blind tiger, kirin, phoenix, lance, reverse chariot, bishop, vertical mover, side mover, rook, dragon horse, dragon king, lion, queen, pawn and go-between.
- The far four ranks are the promotion zone. There are no pieces in hand.
How to play
- On your turn, move one piece. Moving onto an enemy piece captures it; captured pieces leave the game and are never dropped.
- The lion makes two king steps in one turn. It can jump straight to any square two away, capture a neighbour and return (igui), capture two pieces, or stay put and pass. The horned falcon has this power straight ahead, the soaring eagle diagonally forward.
- A piece may promote when it enters the zone from outside, or when it captures while in (or leaving) the zone. A piece that entered without promoting must capture, or leave and re-enter, before it can promote. Pawns and lances may also promote on reaching the last rank. Promotion is optional. The king, queen and lion never promote.
- Lion trades have rules. A lion may always take an adjacent lion, but may not take a lion two squares away if that lion is protected (a piece whose line opens once the lion is taken counts too) — unless it also takes a piece in between that is not a pawn or go-between. Right after your lion was taken by a non-lion, you may not take a protected enemy lion (counterstrike).
- You may not play a move that repeats a position for the fourth time, unless you are in check.
Winning and scoring
- Capture the enemy king (and prince, if there is one) to win. You need not answer check, but losing your last king loses.
- If you leave your opponent with only a king (or prince), you win after their next move — unless that move also leaves you with only a king, which is a draw. If all you have left besides the king are unpromoted pawns or go-betweens, you must promote one first. Dead pawns and lances stuck on the far rank do not count.
- A player with no legal move loses. You may resign.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion rulePromotion rulePromotion flips a piece in the enemy zone (the far four ranks) into a stronger piece. Under the Association's rule you may promote only when entering the zone from outside, or when capturing inside or on the way out of it; enter without promoting and you must wait for the next chance. Like shogi lets you promote on any move into, within or out of the zone, so timing matters less. | Under the Association's rule, a piece that entered the zone without promoting cannot promote until it captures or re-enters. Choose Like shogi to allow promotion on any move into, within or out of the zone. | Association | Yes |
| Lion tradingLion tradingThe lion moves twice per turn and is the strongest piece, so trading lions has special rules. A lion is "protected" when another piece of its owner covers its square, so it could be recaptured. A protected lion two squares away cannot be taken by a lion, and right after your lion is taken by a non-lion you may not take a protected enemy lion (counterstrike). Off is the easiest choice for newcomers. | Whether to use the lion-trading rules (a lion two squares away cannot be taken by a lion if it is protected; right after your lion is taken by a non-lion, you may not take a protected enemy lion — counterstrike). Off turns all of this off, so distant lions and lions right after a counterstrike may be taken freely (as in dai shogi by default). Protected lions only (the Association's rule) applies counterstrike only when the enemy lion you would take is protected; Always (the Edo-period rule) applies it whether or not that lion is protected. | Protected lions only | Yes |
| Bare king winsBare king winsA bare king means only the king (and prince) is left with no working pieces. On: leave your opponent bare and, if their next move does not leave you bare too, you win (both bare is a draw). Off: play continues until every king and prince is taken or a side has no move, so endgames last longer. | Leave your opponent with only a king or prince, and you win if they are still bare after their next move (the Association's rule; if you have only unpromoted pawns or go-betweens left, one must promote first). Turn off to play on until a king is taken or a side has no move. | On | Yes |
| Show legal squares | Mark the squares a selected piece can reach. | On | Yes |
| Swap who starts | Swap who plays Black after each game. | On | Yes |
| Move limit | Draw the game once this many moves have been played. For tables that want to cut a long game short. | None | Yes |
Terms
- Lion
- The strongest piece: it moves twice per turn. A promoted kirin is a lion too.
- Igui
- The lion captures a neighbouring piece and returns to its square.
- Pass
- A lion-type piece steps out and back, ending the turn without moving.
- Prince
- A promoted drunk elephant. It moves like the king and counts as a second king.
- Counterstrike
- Right after your lion is taken by a non-lion, you may not take a protected enemy lion.
FAQ
Can I drop captured pieces?
No. Chu shogi has no drops; captured pieces leave the game.
Must I answer check?
It is not illegal to ignore it, but you lose when your last king is taken. With a prince on the board, both must fall.
Why can't my lion take their lion?
Lion-trading rules: a lion two squares away that is protected cannot be taken by a lion. Any other piece may take it.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.