I know there are several members who play 囲碁 but are there any shogi players on these forums?

It's not only a fun game but also a good incentive to learn more Japanese as there are very few translated books on the subject.

Moi

Many a rainy day I spent playing 将棋 when I was a kiddo. I haven't really gotten to play it at all since I moved to California though, since everyone just plays chess. Playing it online isn't as fun, because you don't have the dramatic wooden CLICK after every move

The good 将棋盤 make a great sound, but they are expensive

Online may not be as fun, but it's the ability to play online that helped many become experts if not professional at 囲碁, 将棋 and chess.

Aijin, you could try to do what I did with 囲碁 sometimes, play online but do the moves on a real board at the same time.

Online shougi nerds are so annoying to play with, they move in like 2 seconds (Yahoo games)

Online games are dangerous. I used to play speed chess online everyday and four hours would pass without my even noticing it. I had to just force myself to quit cold turkey before I wasted any more time away.

Here's an interesting piece on learning chess by playing computers: http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2010/01/c...uition.php

Can't say the same for Go.... yet. (http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/cracking-go)

Was watching the news last night while doing some reps and apparently some 17 year old girl beat a grand champion at shogi.

Shogi is on my list of cultural games to learn one day, along with mahjong, go and hanafuda. I have no intention of trying to get to a high level though. I'm already an othello meijin.

Jarvik7 Wrote:I'm already an othello meijin.

I don't think that's true.

"Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit and lost without deserving."

- Iago, scene iii

I do think so.

"Wheeze the juice!"
-Encino Man, konbini scene

Jarvik7 Wrote:Was watching the news last night while doing some reps and apparently some 17 year old girl beat a grand champion at shogi.

Yes, Kana Satomi (里見香奈), 17, took the women meijin-rank title (女流名人位) in 3 wins straight.

bodhisamaya Wrote:Online games are dangerous. I used to play speed chess online everyday and four hours would pass without my even noticing it. I had to just force myself to quit cold turkey before I wasted any more time away.

Whether that's a waste of time is a matter of perspective. If one is happy doing that and not dangerously neglecting other important things, I don't see the problem. Personally I find it very difficult to play many games in a row, I get tired from the concentration and want to do something else after a while, so it's not an issue.

Jarvik7 Wrote:I do think so.

"Wheeze the juice!"
-Encino Man, konbini scene

Like you could get good at Othello. All you've ever cared about is nugs, chillin', and grindage.

Codexus Wrote:

bodhisamaya Wrote:Online games are dangerous. I used to play speed chess online everyday and four hours would pass without my even noticing it. I had to just force myself to quit cold turkey before I wasted any more time away.

Whether that's a waste of time is a matter of perspective. If one is happy doing that and not dangerously neglecting other important things, I don't see the problem. Personally I find it very difficult to play many games in a row, I get tired from the concentration and want to do something else after a while, so it's not an issue.

If it is just an hour diversion every day to break up other mental activities then it is of no harm. Four hours straight every day was a problem when the only benefit that came from it was becoming better at a game. Not that I have anything against games. When I am living in Hawaii, I have a once a week chess marathon with my Tibetan Lama where we play, drink sake and debate philosophy until we pass out on the floor.