Shogi Kuzushi
Shogi Kuzushi is a 10-minute game for 2–4 players played with shogi pieces. Pull pieces off a pile one at a time; if another piece makes a sound, your turn ends. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Shogi Kuzushi in 30 seconds
- Set upHeap the 40 pieces of a shogi set in the middle of the board. The pile is different every game.
- Take turnsOn your turn, press one piece and pull it all the way off the board.
- FailIf impacts, drops or scrapes push the noise meter past the limit, the pull fails and the turn passes. Small sounds are safe. Letting go before it is off the board is not a fail: you keep pulling the same piece while your time lasts. If not, you keep it and may pull again.
- WinWhen the pile is gone, whoever has the most pieces wins (settings: piece values, or taking a king).
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–4 players |
| Play time | About 10 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 | 2026-10-01 |
How to play Shogi Kuzushi 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 2–4 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Two to four players. Playing alone, you face the computer.
- The 40 pieces of a shogi set (King, Jeweled king, 2 Rooks, 2 Bishops, 4 Golds, 4 Silvers, 4 Knights, 4 Lances, 18 Pawns) start heaped in the middle of the board. The pile is different every game, and pieces overlap.
- The first player is chosen at random, then play follows seat order. From the second game, the next seat goes first (this can be changed in settings).
How to play
- On your turn, select a piece in the pile, set the fan range, stop the arrow, then drag it off the board.
- You can't slide a piece toward the center of the board.
- If the piece gets off the board without any other piece making a sound, you keep it and may pull again (a setting can pass the turn after each pull).
- If pieces collide, drop or scrape and the noise meter passes the limit, the pull fails and the turn passes. Sliding your own piece on the board doesn't count, and very small impacts, drops and quiet scrapes are safe.
- Letting go midway is not a fail: the piece stays where it stopped and you keep pulling the same piece on the same turn (you can't switch pieces). The clock keeps running, and if time runs out, the turn passes.
- A piece with another piece resting on it usually fails, because the piece on top shifts and makes a noise.
- A pull can't be taken back.
Winning
- The game ends when the pile is gone. By default, whoever has the most pieces wins.
- Equal piece counts are a draw. With Points, equal scores are broken by piece count; if that is equal too, it is a draw.
- Settings let you use piece values, or the local rule where whoever takes a King or Jeweled king wins on the spot.
- If no one can take any piece in any direction, the selected scoring rule decides the result.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep pulling after a takeKeep pulling after a takeWhen on, a player who takes a piece without any other piece making a sound keeps pulling until a pull fails. Several pieces can go in one turn, so comebacks are more likely. When off, the turn passes after each pull whether it succeeds or not. | After taking a piece, the same player keeps pulling until a pull fails. When off, the turn passes after every pull. | On | Can be changed |
| How to winHow to winPoints adds up the value of each piece taken (King 10 down to Pawn 1). Pieces counts only how many pieces were taken. The local rule Take a king ends the game as soon as someone takes the King or the Jeweled king, and that player wins. | How the winner is decided when the pile is gone. | Pieces | Can be changed |
| Time limitTime limitThe first pull of your turn uses the time chosen here (15, 30 or 60 seconds) for choosing, aiming and pushing. After you take a piece and keep pulling, every later pull gets 2/3 of that (10, 20 or 40 seconds). If you let go partway and keep the same piece, the clock does not reset. When it runs out, nothing is taken and the turn passes. | Time from choosing a piece to finishing the push. When you take a piece and keep pulling, it is 2/3 of this (20 seconds for 30). When it runs out, nothing is taken and the turn passes. | 30 seconds | Can be changed |
| Rotate who goes first | From the second game, the first player moves to the next seat. | On | Can be changed |
Related features: Shogi Variants and Rule Differences
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FAQ
How many players?
Two to four. Playing alone, use Play vs computer.
How long does a game take?
About 10 minutes. Each turn has 30 seconds by default (changeable in the settings), including selection, aiming and pushing. After a take, each further pull gets 2/3 of that (20 seconds for 30). When time runs out, the piece stops and the turn passes.
How is a fail decided?
A pull fails when collisions between pieces or drops onto the board make a loud enough sound. The click of knocking and the scrape of rubbing add up on the noise meter, and passing the limit is a fail. The piece that made the noise shakes and is marked, and the turn passes. Your own piece sliding on the board doesn't count, and very small impacts, drops and quiet scrapes are safe. Letting go before the piece is off the board is not a fail: it stays where it stopped and you keep pulling the same piece on the same turn (the clock is not reset).
What is a face-down piece?
A piece showing a red character: 龍 is the rook, 馬 the bishop, 全 the silver, 圭 the knight, 杏 the lance, と the pawn. It scores the same as the front. King, jeweled king and gold have a blank back.
I don't see 3D.
On devices that can't show 3D, the board switches to a 2D view from above automatically. Use View at the bottom left of the board to switch between 3D and 2D. The choice is kept on this device.
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 2026-10-01 · Run by Qdan, Inc.