The Shortest Possible Game of Shogi

Shogi is Japanese chess, a variant of chess played on a 9×9 board. It has flat pieces that when captured can join the opponent's pieces on the board, and the pieces can be promoted as well as the pawns. For more information about Shogi see this Wikipedia article.

What is the shortest possible game of Shogi ending in checkmate? I have not found the answer on the World-Wide Web. Kenichi Futamura has sent me the shortest game I know of. If you find a shorter game, please write!

For other shortest games, see the November 2012 issue of Erich Friedman's Math Magic.

Starting position:

1. P7g-7f.

2. G6a-7b.

3. B8hx3c+.

4. G4a-4b.

5. +B3cx4b.

6. K5a-6a.

7. G*5b mate.

In this game Sente's moves admit no variation, but Gote's first two moves may be played in either order.

Last revised 2016-02-28.

Col. George Sicherman [ HOME | MAIL ]