english

Abstract

PiyoShogi is a complete app for playing and studying shōgi on smartphones and tablets. In addition to games against an engine or another player, it offers advanced settings, a results archive, detailed game analysis, evaluation graphs, and variation study. The ability to save and export kifu makes it a useful tool both for playing and for technical improvement.

 english

PiyoShogi

PiyoShogi is an extremely interesting and versatile application. It allows users to play against an engine built into the application itself, but also, in the absence of a physical game set, to play against a human opponent. Among the many features are game analysis, exercises, and the possibility of keeping an archive of the kifu of games played. The following overview presents the main functions of the application.

The first screen shows the main commands for accessing the many sections of the application.

When the application starts, a screen with the newly installed updates may appear.

Before starting to play, it is important to configure the application. The version shown here is for iPhone/iPad and therefore supports English. On Android, the translation from Japanese does not appear to be enabled. The gear-shaped icon provides access to the settings.

It is possible to configure sounds, piece graphics, and other aspects of the game, as well as more important functions, such as the level of hints and post-game analysis. A non-negligible aspect is the engine’s resistance to resignation: it is possible to set stubborn, standard, or easy resistance. Depending on the choice, the engine will admit defeat only after checkmate, or it will stop earlier as soon as it realizes the inevitability of defeat.

Later on, while using the application, the Game Results section may prove useful, with played games always archived and various statistics, including the playing styles adopted.

In the game screens, accessible via the Game Start button, it is possible to choose whether to play player vs engine, watch engine vs engine, or play player vs player.

The engine can be set starting from level 1, comparable to a human 15 kyū. It is possible to set the game time, random draw, the use of rating or friendly mode, handicap, and, in rated games, the expected gain or loss of points can be estimated immediately. This is shown on the last line, with the variations displayed next to stars and a teardrop, or drop. The variations are proportional to the rating difference between player and engine.

The yellow chick is the player, while the engine changes color according to level. It should be remembered that Black indicates sente and White indicates gote, but any random draw changes the initial setup of the screen.

For training, it is possible to force the engine to use specific openings or castles.

On the first game screen, the player is shown at the bottom, regardless of being sente or gote. On the left, one can see the player’s and the opponent’s data, while on the right the time used appears. The Black and White buttons highlight whose turn it is. During the game, it is possible to request a hint or withdraw a move, depending on the general settings. Withdrawing a move is a useful safeguard when playing in one’s free time, perhaps on public transport, with the risk of making a wrong “tap” due to unexpected movement or bumps.

At the end of the game, the Game Result overlay schematically shows the points won or lost and the number of hints used or moves withdrawn. With the new updates, withdrawn moves remain recorded, even if they were made in good faith for the reasons already mentioned.

It is then possible to choose Record Analysis for a single player or for both players. At the end of the analysis, a screen shows the main data of the game, with some statistical evaluations of the moves: bad, questionable, good, “book-like,” and best. There is also an evaluation of the opening, middlegame, endgame, and the game as a whole.

The graph is particularly interesting. The display scale is not fixed, but it still shows advantage and disadvantage with a blue line. Triangles can be seen: if they point upward they refer to sente, if they point downward they refer to gote. Red, yellow, and green indicate move quality: bad, questionable, and good.

Other square graphic elements can be seen on the graph: the gray square, above or below the red or yellow triangle, indicates, based on its distance from the triangle, how much was lost compared with the correct move. The purple square indicates a withdrawn move, but of course it does not specify whether the withdrawal was due to reconsideration or a simple physical input error.

Game analysis allows the player to scroll through the kifu, read the corrections provided by PiyoShogi, and study variations. The player makes an alternative move and PiyoShogi suggests the response with a green arrow, with a possible indication of whether or not promotion is necessary when available.

PiyoShogi is a truly powerful and versatile application, both for play and for study.