Masonic shogi
# Masonic shogi

Masonic shogi is a shogi variant invented by George R. Dekle Sr. in 1987. The game is played on a modified shogi board whereby alternating ranks are indented to the right—resembling masonry brickwork. The moves of pieces are adapted to the new geometry; in other respects the game is the same as shogi.

Masonic shogi was included in World Game Review No. 10 edited by Michael Keller.

## Board characteristics

Indentation of alternating ranks results in cants (oblique files) approximately 30 degrees from the vertical and diagonals approximately 30 degrees from the horizontal, the same as hexagon-based chessboards when cell vertices face the players. (For example, rooks have six directions of movement. Masonic bishops, however, are limited to the four diagonal directions to the sides.)

## Game rules

All normal shogi rules apply, including initial setup (see diagram), drops, promotion, and so on. The pieces, however, have specially defined moves.

### Piece moves

The diagrams show how the unpromoted pieces move. As in shogi, a dragon king (promoted rook) moves as a rook or as a king. A dragon horse (promoted bishop) moves as a bishop or a king.

