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by Stephan Michels
Shogi (or Japanese Chess) has the same roots as classical chess but there are crucial differences. In Shogi you can use the pieces you captured from your opponent to strengthen your own army. This often leads to furious endgame battles in which both sides try to mate the enemy king at all costs.
Beginning...
...and end
In Lippstadt, Germany, 21 shogi enthusiasts met from 19th to 20th March to play in the German and the Open German Championship. Some of the participants were experienced players with a Dan ranking, others were beginners, who had only recently discovered their passion for the game. Players came from Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden.
The German Championship was played in k.o. mode, with a time limit of 45 minutes for the whole game. When a player had used these 45 minutes he had a maximum of 40 seconds for each of his all following moves.
The playing venue at the Lippe river
View from the playing venue
Daniel Prill became German Champion 2016 after winning the final against Jochen Drechsler, German Champion 2015. Places three and four went to Bernd Sprenger and Ingo Köhler.
Daniel Prill also won the open tournament - ahead of Thomas Heshe and Jochen Drechsler.
Impressions from the tournament
The endgame is reached and a decision is close
Shogi gets more and more popular in Germany and in Europe and the internet offers interested players a chance to practice the game, e.g. on the 81Dojo server, at the moment the only server in English. It also offers a number of Shogi variations.
Highlights for European shogi players are the European Championship and the World Open Shogi Championship, which will be played in August in Amsterdam, and which is open for all.
About the author:
Stephan Michels runs the website www.shogi24.com which offers information from international shogi events. He is also author of the book Shogi – Schach der Samurai: Einführung in das faszinierende japanische Schach (Shogi - Chess of the Samurai: Introduction to the fascinating game of Japanese Chess).
