
- BGG rank
- BGG #182
- BGG rating
- 7.8
War Chest
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2018

1300
Rules assistance for Chu Shogi
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Chu Shogi is a board game released in 1300 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement.
Chu Shogi is a Japanese cousin of FIDE Chess and ancestor of Modern Shogi. Each player controls 46 pieces, and play is on a 12×12 board. The object is to capture your opponent's King (and Crown Prince, if they have promoted their Drunk Elephant). Unlike Modern Shogi, this game is played without drops. The game is much larger than Chess and Shogi. The pieces consist of such interesting pieces as the Drunk Elephant, Phoenix, Kylin, Free Boar, Flying Ox, and many other colorfully-named pieces including the incredibly powerful Lion.
Chu Shogi supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Chu Shogi is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Chu Shogi for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Chu Shogi has a complexity rating of 4.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Chu Shogi belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Chu Shogi as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.