Notation Shogi

a shogi game record

there 2 commons systems used notate piece movements in shogi game records. 1 used in japanese language texts while second created western players george hodges , glyndon townhill in english language. other systems used notate shogi board positions.

in western piece movement notation, format piece initial followed type of movement , file , rank piece moved to. piece initials k (king), r (rook), b (bishop), g (gold), s (silver), n (knight), l (lance), , p (pawn). simple movement indicated -, captures x, , piece drops *. files indicated numerals 1–9 ranks 1–9. thus, rx24 indicates rook captures on 24 . promoted pieces notated + prefixed piece initial (e.g. +rx24). piece promotion indicated + (e.g. s-21+) while unpromotion indicated = (e.g. s-21=). piece ambiguity resolved notating square piece moving (e.g. n65-53+ means knight 65 moves 53 , promotes ).

the japanese notation system uses japanese characters pieces , promotion indication , uses japanese numerals instead of letters ranks. movement type aside drops not indicated, , conventions resolving ambiguity quite different western system. examples, western rx24 2四飛 in japanese notation, +rx24 2四龍, s-21+ 2一銀成, s-21= 2一銀不成, , n65-53+ either 5三桂左成 or 5三桂右成 depending on whether knight moved left or right.

although not strictly part of notational calculus games, game results indicated in japanese newspapers, websites, etc. wins indicated white circle , losses indicated black circle.