'The object of the game is to the check-mate/capture the opponent's White Whale. Captured pieces are reused as in shogi. Pawns are 'Calves', which move exactly like Shogi pawns, but have a variety of different promotions; specifically, each pawn promotes to the type of piece immediately behind it in the initial setup.' -RWS.
The Killer Whale, Promoted Black Right Whale (The False Killer Whale), and the Promoted Nothern Bottlenose Whale (The Beluga Whale) all have lion power from Chu-Shogi in certain directions; specifically, they can capture an adjacent piece and either return to their original space or move on and capture the 2nd piece, or a 3rd in the case of the False Killer Whale.
These pieces along with the faster movers like the Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, and the Harbor Porpoise, will be the brunt of usual attacks. After capturing opposition pieces that promote to superstar pieces (such as the promoted Sperm Whale which becomes a double moving chess-Queen like Blue Whale), just drop these pre-superstars in the enemy promotion zone, move them, and watch them shine!.
'Around the same time [1981] as I designed Whale Shogi, I also created a really complicated 11x11 'Great Whale Shogi', inspired by Wa Shogi. Each of the 28 pieces per side is different and has a different promotion; and even the pawns are unique calves that promote to the type of whale found in their file.'-RWS. This is that game, happily brought to you by Douglas Silfen 2007. |