I've released Mate in One — Shogi Puzzles, a free browser game for anyone curious about shogi, or Japanese chess. No download or shogi experience is needed. You can play in English or Japanese.
Find checkmate in one move
Each puzzle asks you to checkmate the opponent's king with a single move. There are 200 puzzles across three board sizes:
- 3×3: 70 puzzles
- 5×5: 70 puzzles
- 9×9: 60 puzzles
New to shogi? Start with the 13-puzzle beginner course to learn how pieces move, how to drop captured pieces, and how promotion works. You can use letter labels instead of kanji, turn on movement guides, or ask for a hint about which piece to move.
If you make a wrong move, the game shows the opponent's response on the board so you can see why it isn't checkmate.
Play at your own pace, or try the timer
There's also a 30-second challenge. Solving puzzles earns EXP to unlock board, piece, and background designs. Your progress and settings are saved in your browser.
I made this game to give more people outside Japan a way to try shogi. Start with a small board and a few pieces, and see how you like it.
