Chu Seireigi combines elements of Chu Shogi with the ruleset of modern Shogi. It also has the benefit of not needing any special trading rules or locust moves.
The board is a 12x12
Gold general: moves and captures to adjacent squares in any orthogonal or the forward diagonal direction.
Silver general: moves and captures to adjacent squares in any diagonal or the forward orthogonal direction.
Pawn : The Pawn: moves and captures to the square directly in front of it.
Rook : as in chess.
Bishop : as in chess.
King : as in chess.
Knight : The Knight has the two forward-most moves of the Chess knight.
Lance : The Lance moves as a Rook but only forward in the same file, never sideways or backward.
Running rabbit
Flying swallow
Copper general
Strong bear
Great elephant
Running wolf
Great leopard
Lion Hawk
Ram's-head soldier : moves as a Bishop but only forward, never backward.
Kirin : as in chu shogi.
Phoenix : as in chu shogi.
Queen : as in chess.
Heavenly horse is the promotion of the Knight
Free tiger is the promotion of the Lance
Flying ox is the promotion of the Great leopard
Free boar is the promotion of the Running wolf
Whale is the promotion of the Strong bear
Prancing stag is the promotion of the Running rabbit
Teaching king is the promotion of the Great elephant
Treacherous fox is the promotion of the Ram's-head soldier
Golden bird is the promotion of the Flying swallow
Pawn promotes to Tokin, which move like a Gold general.
Rook and Bishop gain king move upon promotion to Dragon king and Dragon horse, respectively.
Pawn -> Tokin = Gold general -> Great elephant -> Teaching king
Copper general -> Great leopard -> Flying ox
Silver general -> Running wolf -> Free boar
Kirin -> Bishop -> Dragon horse
Phoenix -> Rook -> Dragon king
Strong bear -> Whale
Lance -> Free tiger
Ram's-head soldier -> Treacherous fox
Running rabbit -> Prancing stag
Knight -> Heavenly horse
Flying swallow -> Golden bird
The promotion zone is the farthest four ranks of the board, and a piece may promote if part of its move touches the zone. Promotion is optional unless no subsequent move is possible otherwise. So a Pawn, Lance, Ram's-head soldier, or Running rabbit must promote on the last row, and a Knight or Flying swallow must promote on the last two rows.
The King, Queen, and Lion Hawk do not promote, nor can already promoted pieces promote further.
Captured pieces become prisoners and lose their promotion, guarded on your right. You can use your turn to put them back into play. A player can either move one of his pieces or drop a prisoner back into play on his behalf.
A Pawn can’t be dropped on a column with an unpromoted Pawn of the same color.
A Pawn can’t make an immediate checkmate when dropped. It is allowed for other pieces.
A piece can’t be dropped where no subsequent move is possible, so a Pawn, Lance, Ram's-head soldier, or Running rabbit cannot be dropped on the last row, and a Knight or Flying swallow cannot be dropped on the last two rows.
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