Must-Capture Shogi
Also known as: Toru Itte Shogi
Must-capture shogi is shogi for 2 players, about 10 minutes, where you must take an enemy piece whenever you can. Pieces move as in shogi. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Play with friendsJust send the invite link. No sign-up for them either
Find an opponent onlineComing soon (October)
Must-Capture Shogi in 30 seconds
- Set upThe same board, pieces and starting position as shogi.
- Take turnsOne move each. Moves, promotion and drops are as in shogi.
- Must captureIf any of your pieces can take an enemy piece, you must play one of those captures (you cannot drop instead). By default, when you are in check you may answer it without capturing.
- WinCheckmate, or leave your opponent with no legal move.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 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 | 2026-09-25 |
How to play Must-Capture 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.
- Black moves first and the players alternate. When you play again, Black and White swap (you can turn this off).
How to play
- On your turn, move one piece on the board or drop one piece from your hand. Moves, promotion and drops are exactly as in shogi.
- If moving a piece onto an enemy piece is available to you at all, you must play one of those captures. When two or more are available, you choose which piece captures, and which way (promoting or not).
- Only when no capture is available may you play a non-capturing move — a plain move or a drop. The exception is when your own king is in check: then you may also meet the check without capturing (a setting makes captures take priority even in check).
- You may not leave your king open to capture. Two pawns on a file, dropping a pawn to give mate and pieces with no further move are illegal, as in shogi.
Winning
- Checkmate wins, as in shogi, and so does leaving your opponent with 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.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| King captures firstKing captures firstIn Toru-itte Shogi, whenever you can capture an enemy piece you must capture something. With this setting on, if your king can capture, you must capture with the king, so offering a piece to lure the king out becomes a tactic. | When your king can capture, you must capture with the king. With “May flee from check” on, you may answer a check without capturing with the king. | Off | Yes |
| May flee from checkMay flee from checkOn (the default): when you are in check you are free of the capture duty, so you may move the king away or block as in regular shogi. Off: even in check, if some capture gets you out of check, you must play a capture. | When you are in check, you may play any legal move, not only a capture. | On | Yes |
| 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 10 minutes. Forced trades tend to end the game sooner than ordinary shogi.
Do I need to know shogi?
The pieces move just as in shogi. The tutorial walks you through the must-capture rule.
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.