Gunjin Shogi: Rules and How to Play
Gunjin Shogi is a 20-minute game for 2 where you can't see your opponent's pieces. Deploy face down; when pieces meet, the referee keeps the stronger. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Setup
- 2 players. On your own, play against the computer.
- The 31-piece army: General and Lieutenant General 1 each; Major General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, First Lieutenant and Second Lieutenant 2 each; 2 airplanes, 3 tanks, 2 cavalry, 3 engineers, 1 spy, 3 mines and 1 flag. (A 23-piece army is available in the settings.)
- Fill every square of your camp with one piece, face down. Tap two pieces to swap them. Mines and the flag may not stand on a gate (a front-row square joined to a bridge).
- The game starts when both players press Ready.
How to play
- Take turns moving one piece. You cannot move onto your own piece.
- Officers and the spy move 1 square forward, back or sideways. Tanks and cavalry move 1 square in those directions, or 2 straight forward if the square between is empty.
- Engineers move any distance forward, back or sideways without jumping. Airplanes move any distance forward or back, jumping over pieces, and can enter the enemy camp from any column; sideways they move 1.
- Mines and the flag never move.
- Except for airplanes, pieces enter the enemy camp by crossing the bridges at the gates.
- Moving onto an enemy piece starts a battle. The loser is removed according to the battle table; two pieces of the same kind are both removed. Your opponent only learns who won.
Winning and scoring
- Move a General, Lieutenant General, Major General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel or Major into the enemy headquarters and you win at once.
- You also win when your opponent has no piece (no move) left that can move. If neither side can move, the game is a draw.
- 100 moves in a row without a battle is a draw.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army sizeArmy sizeGates are the front-row squares joined to the bridges between the camps; everything except airplanes enters the enemy camp through them. The 31-piece army has four gates and diagonal crossings, so there are more lines of attack. The 23-piece army has two gates and a smaller camp, so battles come sooner and the game is shorter. | The 31-piece army (8×4 camps, X-shaped gates) or the quicker 23-piece army (6×4 camps, straight gates). | 31 pieces | Can be changed |
| Tanks beat engineersTanks beat engineersEngineers move any distance forward, back or sideways and beat mines and the spy, so they scout. Tanks are strong pieces that can move 2 squares forward. On: tanks beat engineers too. Off: engineers beat tanks, so an engineer can stop a tank. | In the battle tables of the sets sold from the Meiji to the Showa era, tanks beat engineers. Turn this off to have engineers beat tanks, as some later sets do. | On | Can be changed |
| Mines stayMines stayMines never move, and only airplanes and engineers can take them. Off (the default): any other piece that hits a mine falls together with it, so each mine works once. On: only the attacking piece is removed and the mine stays, so the same square stays a trap and defence gets stronger. | Only the piece that hits a mine is removed; the mine stays on the board, so mines are harder to find. | Off (both removed) | Can be changed |
| Lose with the GeneralLose with the GeneralNormally you win by moving a Major or higher into the enemy headquarters, or by leaving your opponent unable to move. On: you also lose the moment your General is removed (beaten by the spy, falling with a mine, and so on); if both Generals fall together, the game is a draw. You have to keep your General safer. | You lose as soon as your General is removed. | Off | Can be changed |
| Swap first player on rematch | Play again switches who moves first. | On | Can be changed |
Terms
- Battle table
- Who beats whom. The core order is General > Lieutenant General > Major General > Colonel > Lieutenant Colonel > Major > Captain > First Lieutenant > Second Lieutenant. On the English pieces they read GEN, LTG, MG, COL, LTC, MAJ, CPT, 1LT and 2LT.
- Airplane
- Beats everything except the three generals, including mines.
- Tank
- Beats everything except generals, airplanes and mines (a mine takes it down with it), engineers included.
- Engineer
- Beats mines and the spy. It moves any distance, so it hunts mines.
- Cavalry
- Beats only the spy and engineers.
- Spy
- Beats only the General, and loses to everything else.
- Mine
- Only airplanes and engineers can take it; anything else falls together with it. It never moves.
- Flag
- As strong as the friendly piece right behind it. With nothing (or an enemy) behind it, or on the back row, it loses to everything. It never moves.
- Headquarters
- The two-square space in the middle of your back row. It holds a single piece.
- Gate
- A front-row square at the foot of a bridge. The 31-piece board has two X-shaped bridges, crossing straight or diagonally.
FAQ
What beats the General?
Only the Spy. Two Generals fall together, and so do a General and a mine.
How do I clear a mine?
Hit it with an airplane or an engineer. Anything else falls together with the mine.
How strong is the flag?
As strong as the friendly piece right behind it. With an empty square behind, or on the back row, it loses to anything.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-19 · Run by Qdan, Inc.