The rules to Shogi, or Japanese Chess, are simple.

1) Two players, Black and White, alternate turns. Black moves first
unless a handicap is given, and then White moves first. Pieces given
as a handicap are removed from play.

2) The object of the game is to checkmate the enemy King. When a King
cannot avoid being captured on the next turn it is checkmated.

3) Each turn, a player may either move a piece to an empty square,
move a piece to a square occupied by an enemy piece and capture it,
or put down (drop) an already captured piece onto an empty square.

4) If a piece moves to or from any one of the last three rows, it may
promote. Kings and Gold Generals do not promote. Promoted Rooks and
Bishops may move like a King instead of their regular move. All other
pieces move like Gold Generals when promoted.\
