Four-Player Shogi rules: four players around one board

Four-Player Shogi modes

• Random match (ランダムマッチ): play with people gathered online (if not enough players join within 30 seconds, CPUs take the empty seats)
• Room match (ルーム対戦): play friends using a room ID or a friend invite. Choose free-for-all (個人戦) or pairs (ペア戦), and you can add CPUs
• Play against the CPU (CPU対戦): play three CPUs. Choose free-for-all or pairs (2 vs 2, teamed with the CPU across from you), at three strengths: weak, normal and strong

Basic rules of Four-Player Shogi

• Each of the four players sits at one side of the board and sets up 10 pieces: a king, 2 golds, 2 silvers, a bishop, a rook and 3 pawns. Pieces advance toward the player across from you and move the same as in standard shogi.
• Turns go one move at a time, starting with the player on the near side and passing to the right (counterclockwise).
• Captured pieces become pieces in hand and can be dropped on empty squares. Nifu and dropping a pawn where it could never move are forbidden.
• The three ranks on the opposite side are the enemy camp; you can promote when moving into, out of or within it.
• There are no check or checkmate rules; a player whose king is captured is out. The player who captured the king takes all of the eliminated player's pieces, both on the board and in hand.
• In free-for-all, the one player whose king survives to the end wins. In pairs, the two players facing each other are partners, and the team that captures both kings of the other team wins.
• If the game reaches 600 moves, the places are decided by the points of the pieces each player has left.

How to play on Asobi Lounge

• Tap one of your pieces to show where it can move, then tap the destination. To drop a piece in hand, select it from your own piece stand.
• Your pieces face toward you, and four border colors show whose piece is whose. If a piece is aiming at your king, a mark appears on the board.
• Online, each move has a 45-second time limit. If a player leaves during a game, a CPU takes over their seat.

Differences from two-player shogi

• You do not have to escape when your king is in check. But if you leave it, the next player may capture your king and you are out.
• Capturing a king gives you all of the eliminated player's pieces, both on the board and in hand. A single king capture can nearly double your pieces at once.
• Your turn comes only once every four moves. Before you move, think about what the other three players will do before your next turn.

Tips

• If you focus your attack on one player from the opening, the other two can easily strike you from behind.
• Capturing a king gives you all of that player's pieces, so everyone goes after a weakened king. Build up your king's defenses early.
• If you collect pieces while the other two are fighting, you can turn the game around all at once in the endgame.
• In pairs, also use the marks on the board to check whether your partner's king is under attack, and consider moves that help defend it.

Frequently asked questions

Don't I have to escape from check?

This game has no check rule, so if you leave your king exposed without noticing, it will be captured and you will be out. While your king is targeted, a mark appears on the board.

Can I play alone?

Against the CPU you can play three CPUs. Online, CPUs also fill any empty seats.

What happens if someone leaves during a game?

Online, a CPU takes over the seat of the player who left, and the game goes on.

Is Four-Player Shogi free to play?

Yes, it costs nothing. Games against the CPU and solo modes work right away without signing in. Online play (random matches and private rooms) and saving stats or leaderboard scores require signing in with a Google account. To play with a friend, your friend also needs to create an account and register as your friend.

More board games

• Gunjin Shogi
• Honeycomb
• Checkers
• Mancala
• Backgammon
• Tic-Tac-Toe