Flanking Shogi
Flanking shogi is a shogi variant for 2 players, about 15 minutes: two moves a turn, and you take pieces by trapping them between two of yours. Trap the king to win. Free, no sign-up.
Flanking Shogi in 30 seconds
- Set upThe same board, pieces and starting position as shogi.
- Take turnsTwo moves each turn. Pieces move as in shogi.
- CaptureFlank enemy pieces across or down to take them into your hand.
- WinTrap the enemy king.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 15 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 Flanking 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.
- When you play again, Black and White swap (you can turn this off).
How to play
- Each player makes two moves a turn — the same piece twice or two different pieces.
- Moves, promotion, two pawns on a file and pieces with no further move are as in shogi, but you may not move onto an enemy piece; there is no capture by displacement.
- When the piece you move and another of yours trap enemy pieces between them in a straight line across or down, those pieces are captured — a whole row at once. A piece in a corner is captured by occupying both squares beside it.
- Captured pieces go to your hand and can be dropped, but a drop never captures. A piece that moves between two enemies is not captured.
Winning
- You win the moment you trap the enemy king. There is no check or checkmate.
- 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.
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 |
Recommendations
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FAQ
How many players?
Two. Playing alone, you can take on the computer.
How long is a game?
About 15 minutes. With two moves a turn, positions change quickly.
How is it different from hasami shogi?
Hasami shogi moves pawns only, like rooks. Flanking shogi uses rooks, bishops, knights and the rest with their shogi moves, and captured pieces can be dropped.
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.