Cylinder Shogi
Cylinder shogi is shogi for 2, about 20 minutes, where file 1 and file 9 are joined, so lines cross the edge. Everything else is ordinary shogi. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Cylinder Shogi in 30 seconds
- Set upThe same board, pieces and starting position as shogi.
- The boardFile 1 and file 9 are joined into a cylinder.
- Take turnsOne move each. Moves, promotion and drops are as in shogi.
- WinCheckmate the enemy king.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 20 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-25 |
How to play Cylinder Shogi online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Use a 9×9 shogi board and the usual 40 pieces, set up as in shogi.
- Black moves first and the players alternate. When you play again, Black and White swap (you can turn this off).
How to play
- On your turn, move one piece on the board or drop one piece from your hand. Moves, promotion and drops are exactly as in shogi.
- Treat the board as a cylinder rolled along its files. Any move whose file changes wraps around: past file 1 comes file 9, and past file 9 comes file 1. This includes a rook's rank line, a bishop's diagonal, and a knight's jump. The board's top and bottom edges (ranks) do not wrap.
- A check along a rank can sometimes not be blocked at all: block one side and the attacker may still reach your king by going around the far side.
- Two pawns on a file, pieces with no further move, and mating with a dropped pawn are all illegal, as in shogi. You may not leave your king open to capture.
Winning
- You win by checkmating the enemy king.
- You also win if your opponent has no legal move.
- If the same position appears four times the game is a draw and is replayed. Repeated checks lose for the checking side.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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FAQ
How many players?
Two. Playing alone, you can take on the computer.
How is it different from shogi?
Only the joined edges (file 1 and file 9) are different. Moves, promotion, drops and the win condition are all ordinary shogi.
If I already play shogi, can I pick this up?
Yes. There is exactly one new thing to learn: the board's edge is joined.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Board)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.