Hasami Shogi
Hasami Shogi is a board game for 2 players that takes about 10 minutes. Every piece is a pawn; trap enemy pieces between two of yours, and the first to capture five wins. Free. In-browser. No account.
Play over time
Hasami Shogi in 30 seconds
- Set upEach player fills the rank nearest them with nine pawns on the 9×9 board. Black moves first, then players alternate.
- Take turnsA piece slides any distance along its row or its column, over empty squares only. Nothing may be jumped over.
- CaptureMove a piece to close a trap with another of yours along a row or column to capture enemy pieces. A piece that moves between two enemy pieces stays on the board for that move. A corner piece is captured by holding both squares beside it.
- WinCapture five enemy pieces and you win. A player with no move left also loses.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 10 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | Yes |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-14 |
How to play Hasami 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
- Two players. You need a 9×9 board and nine pawns each.
- Fill the rank nearest you with all nine of your pawns. Your opponent does the same on the far rank.
- Whoever sat down first plays Black and moves first. Players then alternate, one move each.
How to play
- Choose one of your pieces and slide it straight along its row or its column, as far as you like over empty squares. Pieces never move diagonally.
- A piece stops in front of anything in its way. You may not jump over a piece, yours or your opponent's, and you may not land on one.
- If the piece you moved and another of your pieces now hold an enemy piece between them along a row or a column, that piece is captured. An empty square or one of your own pieces breaks the line of enemy pieces you can capture.
- A whole line of enemy pieces is captured at once, however many. If one move traps pieces in two directions, every one of them is captured.
- A corner has only two orthogonal neighbours, so it cannot be trapped in a line. Hold both squares beside a corner and the piece there is captured.
- Moving your own piece into a gap between two enemy pieces is safe: capture happens only for the player who just moved.
- You may not pass. On your turn you must move.
Winning
- Capture five of your opponent's pieces and you win.
- A player with no legal move at all loses at once, and either player may give up.
- If the same position appears four times, the game is drawn by repetition and is played again.
- House rules can change the goal: win by a lead of three captures, or by capturing every enemy piece.
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 |
| How to winHow to winCapture five: you win the moment you have captured five enemy pieces, no matter how many you have lost. Lead by three: you win once you have captured three more than your opponent, so losses can be won back and defence matters too. Capture them all: play on until all nine enemy pieces are gone — the longest game. | What ends the game in a win. | Capture five | 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 |
Related features: Shogi Variants and Rule Differences / Place, Surround or Connect: Strategy Board Games Compared
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FAQ
How many players?
Two. One plays Black, the other White.
How long is a game?
About 10 minutes. There is no clock.
Can I practise alone?
Yes. Press Play vs CPU to play the computer, at either Easy or Normal.
How is it different from shogi?
Every piece is a pawn and every piece slides straight along a row or a column. Nothing promotes, and captured pieces never come back. The whole game is about trapping.
Can a game be drawn?
Yes. A fourfold repetition is a draw and you play the game again. Tables that set a move limit also draw at that number of moves.
Can I change the pieces?
Yes. The Pieces button above the board switches between kanji pieces and plain symbols. The choice stays on this device.
Can I play at school or work (unblocked)?
Yes. Hasami Shogi runs entirely in your browser, with nothing to download or install, so it works on most school and work networks that block app stores or game downloads. If your network blocks the whole site, ask an administrator to allow boardgamejoin.com.
Is there a 2 player mode?
Yes — Hasami Shogi is played by exactly 2 people.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Press “Play vs CPU” on the Hasami Shogi page to start right away against a computer opponent — no waiting for other players.
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 I play online with friends far away?
Yes. Start a party and send its invite link. Friends can join in their browsers without signing up.
Is there an app?
This is a free app that runs in your browser. No installation is needed.
Can we play without being online at the same time?
Yes. Choose “Turn-based (told each turn)” and you can make one move whenever you like. We tell you when it is your turn. A Party ends automatically, with no winner or loser, after 45 days without a move.
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 2026-09-14 · Run by Qdan, Inc.