‘Shogi’ showdown will introduce isles to Japanese game

In this corner: two-time defending champion Toshi­yuki Mori­uchi, known for his classic, all-around style.

His opponent: the upstart Tetsuro Ito­dani, whose high-powered tactics have been powered by high tech.

It might not be the global spectacle of a Fischer-Spassky chess showdown, but Thursday’s opening match of the Ryu-oh (Dragon King) Championship in Wai­kiki is expected to enthrall followers in Japan and a growing international fan base.

The two contestants will be battling it out in "shogi" — also known as the generals’ game. The chesslike game is one of Japan’s most popular competitive board games, with an estimated 8 million players competing in clubs and shogi parlors.

"There are more than 100 shogi professionals in Japan, and top pros make about $1 million a year," said Yosuke Tanio, a 43-year-old native of Kobe, Japan, who now lives in Hono­lulu.

The first game of the championship will be held at the Hale­ku­lani Hotel before shifting to Japan for the rest of the best-of-seven series. The contest, which carries a $420,000 purse, was created by the Japan Shogi Association and the Yomi­uri Shimbun, a Japa­nese newspaper credited with the largest daily circulation in the world, at about 10 million. To promote shogi, they occasionally hold a tournament game outside of Japan; it last occurred in the U.S. in San Francisco in 2006.

Shogi is played on a board marked out in squares — nine by nine, rather than chess’s eight by eight — with pieces made of small wooden tablets imprinted with the name of the piece. Like chess, the objective is to capture the opponent’s king.

There might not be much action in shogi other than the distinctive clicking sound of a piece being placed with authority on the board, but there are vast complexities. For example, during the course of the game, a piece can be "promoted," allowing it to move in new directions, like a Dungeons & Dragons character gaining new powers.

The biggest difference between chess and shogi, according to Tanio, is that in shogi a captured piece can be brought back into play against its former owner. This tactic is believed to refer to the historical practice of a warrior turning an enemy into a supporter. The turned piece can be placed on any open space on the board, creating the potential for an immediate change of fortune if a player’s king is left unprotected.

"Things can change very quickly," said Tanio.

Tanio, a marketing consultant who has lived here for 12 years, learned to play the game as a child but lost interest in it when Nintendo video games swept Japan. He took it up again about six years ago at the prompting of a business partner and now plays regularly with a small group of friends, often appearing at Japa­nese cultural events to promote the game.

He has met many professional shogi players and was impressed by their intelligence and humility.

"I was fascinated by those professionals — how smart they are, how polite they are," he said. "They’re trained not just for shoji. They’re trained by their mentors and masters how to behave and how to become a better person."

How that plays out in the Dragon King championship remains to be seen. Mori­uchi, 42, is an eight-time grandmaster known for his calculated, orthodox style. His opponent, Ito­dani, 25, honed his skills on the Internet, often playing several games at one time. He is considered an aggressive player who relies on instinct.

The competitors will play in a guest room at the Hale­ku­lani, with the proceedings broadcast to another room — and on to Japan. Expert commentators will analyze tactics and explain possible strategies. Tanio said members of the local chapter of the Japan Shogi Association might be able to provide translation.

There also will be two workshops on shogi during the week for those who want to learn more about the game.