This book explains the rules of Tsume Shogi (a type of chess problem) and regular Shogi, featuring problems for 1-move mates (30 questions), 3-move mates (18 questions), and 5-move mates (18 questions).

Supervised by: Yoshiharu Habu
Size: B6 format, Number of pages: 192
ISBN: 978-4-262-10151-4

[Table of Contents]
Prologue: What is Tsume Shogi?

What kind of game is Tsume Shogi?
What is the difference between regular Shogi and Tsume Shogi?
Rules of regular Shogi: Arrangement of pieces and starting position
Rules of regular Shogi: How to move pieces
King (Osho), Rook (Ryuo), Bishop (Ryuma), Gold General, Silver General (Promoted Silver), Knight (Promoted Knight), Lance (Promoted Lance), Pawn (Tokin)
Rules of regular Shogi: Remembering lines, ranks, squares, and symbols
Rules of regular Shogi: How to proceed with the game
Rules of regular Shogi: Remembering captures and promotions
Rules of regular Shogi: Things you must not do (prohibited moves)

What does it mean to be "checkmated"?
Tsume Shogi rules: The attacking side delivers continuous checks
Tsume Shogi rules: All remaining pieces belong to the defending side
Tsume Shogi rules: The attacking side approaches in the shortest possible moves
Tsume Shogi rules: The defending side escapes in the longest possible moves
Tsume Shogi rules: No unnecessary interferences

Chapter 1: Challenge 1-Move Mats
How to solve 1-move mates?
1-move mates: Problems 1 to 30

Chapter 2: Challenge 3-Move Mats
How to solve 3-move mates?
3-move mates: Problems 1 to 18

Chapter 3: Challenge 5-Move Mats
How to solve 5-move mates?
5-move mates: Problems 1 to 18

[Message]
"I've heard of Tsume Shogi, but I don't really understand the rules."
"Is Tsume Shogi different from regular Shogi? What does 'mate' mean?"
I often hear such questions from children and beginners. Indeed, there are specific rules for Tsume Shogi, which can be a bit confusing. Some may feel that it seems difficult, and therefore have not tried it yet. To address this, I have created a new Tsume Shogi book.
In this book, we will first explain the basic rules of regular Shogi before diving into Tsume Shogi. Based on that, we clarify the unique rules of Tsume Shogi in an easy-to-understand way. Since Tsume Shogi is built on the foundation of regular Shogi, the basic rules like how pieces move are similar, but there are also differences. Therefore, I encourage you to learn the distinctions between regular Shogi and Tsume Shogi thoroughly in this book, as it is the first step toward enjoying the game of Tsume Shogi.
Next, once you have memorized the unique rules of Tsume Shogi, let's immediately challenge yourself with the problems! This book includes 1-move, 3-move, and 5-move problems, each varying in difficulty.
Another important point to convey is that practicing Tsume Shogi can greatly enhance your regular Shogi skills. There are two reasons for this.
First, you'll become better at checkmating the opponent's king. Tsume Shogi is a puzzle game focused solely on "mates." Hence, the more problems you solve, the more techniques you'll acquire for checkmating the king. This "checkmating ability" becomes a crucial weapon in the endgame of regular Shogi.
Second, your reading skills will improve. Reading skills refer to the ability to correctly anticipate future developments, such as, "If I play this, then the opponent will play that, and I will respond like this." It is very important to read the opponent's moves in regular Shogi. Tsume Shogi is perfectly suited as practice for reading moves.
Of course, the enjoyment of Tsume Shogi also lies in the challenge of solving it. The sense of achievement and joy when you finally solve a problem that seemed difficult to crack is a feeling hard to experience in other games. I hope that through this book, you come to understand the joy of Tsume Shogi.

Shogi player: Yoshiharu Habu