Lion King Shogi: Rules and How to Play
Lion king shogi is a handicap game for 2 players, about 10 minutes: one side has only a king and pawns, but its king moves like the chu shogi lion. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Objective
Lion king shogi is a handicap game in which a side whose king has become a lion king faces a side with the usual 20 pieces; the first to checkmate the enemy king wins.
Setup
- The lion side (starting at the bottom, moving first) sets up only its king and nine pawns, on their usual squares. The challenger sets up the usual 20 pieces.
- When you play again, the sides swap (you can turn this off).
How to play
- The lion side's king is a lion king. It can move to any of the 24 squares within two, leaping over anything in between.
- After a one-square step the lion king may step one more square in the same turn, or stop there. It can take an adjacent piece and step back home (igui), or take two pieces in a row. After step 1, if your king is not in check and your opponent has no legal move, your turn ends there and you win.
- It may also step out and back home without taking anything (a pass). On the board, a lion king that stepped back shows a ↺ mark.
- A lion king in check may pass through an attacked square on its first step, as long as its second step gets it out. It cannot stop after the first step while still in check.
- Every other move, promotion, drops, two pawns on a file, pawn-drop mate and pieces with no further move are as in shogi.
Winning and scoring
- 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion side's piecesLion side's piecesShishi-ō Shogi is a handicap game where the stronger player's king becomes a lion king. It can leap to any square within two, and after a one-square step it may step once more in the same turn. In the ten-piece handicap the lion side keeps the king and 9 pawns; in the nineteen-piece handicap only the king, a bigger handicap with no pawn wall. The lion side moves first. | Choose what the lion side sets up besides the king. The nineteen-piece handicap is the king alone. | Ten-piece | Yes |
| Rook and bishop for the challenger | The challenger starts with a rook and a bishop in hand — a handicap for when the lion king feels too strong. | Off | Yes |
| Show legal squares | Mark the squares a selected piece can reach. | On | Yes |
| Swap who startsSwap who startsHere the first player is the lion side, so with this on the lion king passes to the other player each time you play again. If one player is clearly stronger and should always take the lion side, turn it off. | 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 king
- The lion side's king. It moves like the chu shogi lion: to any square within two, and twice when it steps one square.
- Igui
- Taking an adjacent piece with the lion king and stepping straight back — possible even when the piece is defended.
- Lion side and challenger
- In a handicap game, the side that removes pieces is the upper side; here it is the lion side and moves first.
FAQ
How many times can the lion king move?
Only after a one-square step may it step once more in the same turn. A two-square leap ends the turn. After step 1, if your king is not in check and your opponent has no legal move, your turn ends there and you win.
Who plays the lion?
The side that moves first (starting at the bottom) is the lion side. The sides swap after each game (you can turn this off).
How do I stop after one step?
Tap the lion king again to end your turn where it stands.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.