PLAYER GUIDE
Learn to play shogi
Every captured piece gets a second act.
Sente starts on a 9×9 board. Captured pieces return to your hand and may be dropped back onto the board.
Promotion and drops
Promotion is offered when a move touches the final three ranks. It is compulsory when the unpromoted piece would be unable to move again. Select a held piece to choose a legal drop square.
Forbidden drops and finish
Do not drop a second unpromoted pawn on the same file, an immobile piece, or a pawn delivering immediate mate. Fourfold repetition draws unless one side perpetually checks. The entering-king declaration uses the 27-point profile: Sente needs 28, Gote 27.