💡📝Gary Gifford wrote on Mon, Jul 31, 2006 09:20 PM UTC:
Andy, thank you for stating your good reasons as to why you prefer the
rule
where promoted pawns revert back to pawns when captured. {Which is not
the
rule I used}.
I can appreciate your preference and the reasons for it. I like that
aspect myself when playing Shogi. But I very much disliked it for a
Chess/Shogi variant I played. With Shogi the turning tiles are always
simple to grasp, i.e., it is always easy for me to instantly see and be
constantly aware of the dual nature of a promoted piece. And not just
promoted pawns, but the other promoted pieces too. But with Chess-like
pieces I tend to mentally solidify promoted pieces... but perhaps that
mind trick is rare. Any way, what I like for promoted pawns in Shogi I
truly dislike for the Chess/Shogi combo. But that is me... I may be
heavily out-numbered in this feeling...
As it is now, I believe the game encourages very thoughtful promotions.
To take the counter side of your argument, one could say for the
pawn-revert concept, 'Well, I'll just promote this pawn to a rook. Who
cares if it is captured? He will only get a pawn.' But the other way,
one must care... and care very deeply. Yes, it will be a bit harder to
attack. But your opponent has the same burden.
There is of course, nothing to stop players from playing the game as you
describe, in which promoted pawns revert back to pawns when captured.
On a different note, but related to your first comment about weak pieces:
the main idea of drops in this game is to off-set the limitations of the
weaker pieces, Ferz, Wazir, to some extent the Elephant and War Machine.
Thank you again for your excellent comment and insights.
Andy, thank you for stating your good reasons as to why you prefer the rule where promoted pawns revert back to pawns when captured. {Which is not the rule I used}.
I can appreciate your preference and the reasons for it. I like that aspect myself when playing Shogi. But I very much disliked it for a Chess/Shogi variant I played. With Shogi the turning tiles are always simple to grasp, i.e., it is always easy for me to instantly see and be constantly aware of the dual nature of a promoted piece. And not just promoted pawns, but the other promoted pieces too. But with Chess-like pieces I tend to mentally solidify promoted pieces... but perhaps that mind trick is rare. Any way, what I like for promoted pawns in Shogi I truly dislike for the Chess/Shogi combo. But that is me... I may be heavily out-numbered in this feeling...
As it is now, I believe the game encourages very thoughtful promotions. To take the counter side of your argument, one could say for the pawn-revert concept, 'Well, I'll just promote this pawn to a rook. Who cares if it is captured? He will only get a pawn.' But the other way, one must care... and care very deeply. Yes, it will be a bit harder to attack. But your opponent has the same burden.
There is of course, nothing to stop players from playing the game as you describe, in which promoted pawns revert back to pawns when captured.
On a different note, but related to your first comment about weak pieces: the main idea of drops in this game is to off-set the limitations of the weaker pieces, Ferz, Wazir, to some extent the Elephant and War Machine.
Thank you again for your excellent comment and insights.
Best regards,
Gary