Dobutsu Shogi

Let's catch the lion!

Configuration

Background

Dobutsu Shogi is a game based on shogi, a Japanase board game similar to chess. Dobutsu Shogi ("Animal Shogi") is a version of shogi made primarily for children with simplified rules in 2008 by women's professional shogi player Madoka Kitao. It is played on a 3x4 board and with pieces showing animal designs instead of Chinese characters.

How to Play

The players take turns moving one of their pieces. Each piece (chick, elephant, giraffe, or lion) has a different set of directions in which it can move. If a player's piece lands on one an opponent's piece, it is removed from the board and placed into the player's hand. On a subsequent turn, the player may use up that turn to place this piece on any empty space.

If a chick advances to the furthest row, it becomes a chicken and gains additional movement directions. This does not count, however, if the chick is placed there directly from the player's hand. If a chicken is captured, it reverts back to a chick.

There are two ways to win:

• By "catching," or capturing the opponent's lion
• By "trying," or moving one's own lion to the final rank, so long as it is not in check

Additionally, a game ends in a draw if the players make the same moves for three consecutive turns.