| The Chu Shogi Library (<chulib@colina.demon.co.uk>) | ||
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If one player's King (or Crown Prince) is in danger of being captured on the next move, then that player is said to be in check. If the player does not have both a King and a Crown Prince, then (s)he is forced to move out of check (or (s)he will lose the game next move). Such a forcing move can be used to exchange Lions, for instance.
If one player's King (or Crown Prince, but note that if (s)he has both pieces on the board, then (s)he cannot be checkmated) is in danger of being captured on the next move, and that player does not have a move that will remedy this situation, then that player is said to be in checkmate.
Chess players should note that checkmate does not strictly end the game ‐ removing the King (or Crown Prince) from the board by capturing it is the proper way to finish the game. In practice, the game ends with checkmate.
See Also: Check.
If one player's King (or Crown Prince) has no legal move other than to move in to check, and no other piece has a legal move, then that player is said to be in stalemate. This situation is a win for the other player, as moving in to check is legal in Chu Shogi.
See Also: Check.
A High Lion is a Lion occupying a central square on the sixth rank.
Such a Lion exerts great influence over much of the board, and is greatly to be desired during the opening, and early middle game. Usually only Black in even games (or White in handicap games) gets the chance to play a High Lion.
A Low Lion is a Lion occupying a central square on the fifth rank.
See Also: High Lion.
The Copper, Silver and Gold Generals, the Ferocious Leopard, the Blind Tiger and the Drunk Elephant are collectively known as Minor Pieces, as they can only move one square at a time. The Pawn and Go-Between are not important enough to be classified as minor pieces. Their promoted forms are generally not in consideration when the term is being used.
The King and the Crown prince are too important to be considered as Minor Pieces.
The term Step Mover can also be used.
See Also: Step Mover.
Any piece (other than the Pawn and Go-Between) that can only move one square at a time. This includes the King, the Crown Prince, the Tokin and the promoted Go-Between.
See Also: Tokin, Minor Piece.
The promoted Pawn is known as the Tokin. (This is the Japanese term for the piece in Modern Shogi, but it has become standard in English usage, even with Chu Shogi).