Tenjiku Shogi is played on a board of 16 x 16 squares and each player has 78 pieces (including 16 pawns).

THE PIECES

                                                          JUMPING PIECES

There are a number of pieces in Tenjiku Shogi that have the power to jump over occupied squares. 

The 'Kylin', 'Phoenix' and 'Free Eagle' may all jump to the second square in the directions indicated by red circles (ie: the 'Kylin' and 'Free Eagle' can jump to the second square in any orthogonal direction, and the 'Phoenix' may jump to the second square when moving diagonally). The 'Free Eagle' may also move any number of unobstructed squares in any orthogonal or diagonal direction.  

The 'Knight' has the same move as its Western Chess counterpart (1 square ahead, followed by 1 square diagonally ahead) but is limited to making this move in the forwards direction (toward the opponent).

The 'Lion' and the 'Horned Falcon' and 'Soaring Eagle' may use their 'Lion' powers to jump over adjacent pieces.

The 'Heavenly Tetrarchs' is another piece that may jump occupied squares. The peculiar move of this piece is described separately. 

In addition, Tenjiku has several 'Range Jumping' pieces that may jump over multiple squares when making a capture.

                                                            THE LION

The 'Lion' is one of the unusual pieces in Tenjiku Shogi, having a move which is unlike any piece in Western Chess.

If the 8 squares immediately adjacent to the 'Lion' are called the 'A' squares (shown as Dark Blue Circles on the Piece Movement Diagrams), and the 16 squares two away from the piece are called the 'B' squares (represented as Light Blue Circles), then the 'Lion' may do any one of the following things in a single turn:

    -  Move directly to any 'A' or 'B' square, jumping an intervening square if necessary;

    -  Capture a piece on an 'A' square and continue moving one more square in any direction from the point of capture, making another capture if the 2nd square is also occupied by an enemy piece.

    -  Capture a piece on any 'A' square without moving (this is known as 'igui' and counts as a turn).

    -  Move to an adjacent square and return to the starting square (effectively passing the turn).

In Tenjiku Shogi there are no restrictions on the capture of Lions (as there are in Chu Shogi).

The 'Horned Falcon' and 'Soaring Eagle' also have 'Lion' power, but only in the directions indicated by Blue Circles on the Piece Movement Diagram. 

                                                         THE LION HAWK

The 'Lion Hawk' may move as either the 'Lion' or the 'Bishop'.

                                                       RANGE JUMPING PIECES

The 'Bishop General', 'Rook General', 'Vice General' and 'Great General' are special pieces with a very powerful and penetrating move. In addition to moving any number of unoccupied squares in the directions indicated by red arrows, these pieces may also jump over any number of pieces (of either side) in those directions to effect a capture. This 'range jumping' power is, however, subject to certain restrictions.

  The range jumping pieces (together with the 'King') are ranked in the  following order of precedence:

      1.   'King'
      2.   'Great General'
      3.   'Vice General'
      4.   'Rook General' & 'Bishop General'
      5.    All other pieces.

When capturing by jumping, a piece may only jump over lower ranked pieces.

The range jumping pieces only have the power to jump other pieces on a move in which they are making a capture.

Where a jump is legal a ranging general can capture any piece, even a higher ranking general or king.

Note that the 'Bishop General' and 'Rook General' are considered to be of equal rank and neither may therefore jump the other.

                                                        AREA MOVE PIECES

The 'Fire Demon' and 'Vice General' can in one turn reach any square that could be reached by the equivalent of three consecutive single step 'King-type' moves.  This means that when using their 'area move' power on an otherwise empty board these pieces can reach any square in an area within three squares of the starting point.

A piece moving as an 'area mover' can not continue its move after making a capture.

The three square moves of the 'Fire Demon' and 'Vice General' are shown as a blue square around the piece in the Piece Help diagram. The Vice General cannot jump when making an area move.

                                                         THE FIRE DEMON

The 'Fire Demon' dominates the other fabulous beasts in Tenjiku Shogi in much the same way as the 'Lion' reigns supreme in Chu Shogi. The 'Fire Demon' has a powerful move as either an area mover or ranging piece, but its devastating feature is the power to 'burn' any adjacent enemy pieces.

After the 'Fire Demon' completes its move, All enemy pieces unfortunate enough to be on one of the eight adjacent squares are captured and removed from play. This power is retained even during the opponents turn, in that a piece that ends its move next to an enemy 'Fire Demon' is still 'burnt' and removed from the game. Such a capture does not constitute a move for the 'Fire Demon'.

If a 'Fire Demon' lands next to an opposing 'Fire Demon' then the surrounding enemy pieces are not 'burnt' and only the moving 'Fire Demon' (and any piece on the destination square) is removed from play.

The ‘Water Buffalo’ promotes to a ’Fire Demon’ but does not burn surrounding pieces on it’s promotion move (nor when moving away from that square). When moving away from the promotion square (and on all subsequent moves) it moves and burns pieces exactly as a ’Fire Demon’.

                                                    THE HEAVENLY TETRARCHS

The 'Heavenly Tetrarchs' is the promoted form of the 'Chariot Soldier', and has a move unlike any other piece in the game.

The Tetrarchs can not move to any of the eight adjacent squares, but can capture a piece on one of those squares without moving (ie: capture by igui). This move is shown as a green circle on the Piece Help diagram.

In addition, the Tetrarchs can jump over an adjacent square (even if occupied) to move from the second square onwards on the diagonals as a ranging piece, or to move to the second or third squares in a sideways direction.

                                                        THE CROWN PRINCE

The 'Drunk Elephant' is potentially a very important piece, as it promotes to a 'Crown Prince'. 

A player who gains a 'Crown Prince' effectively acquires a second 'King' as the 'Crown Prince' must also be captured before the opponent can win the game.      

                                                            PROMOTION

Each player has a Promotion Zone consisting of the five ranks (rows of squares) furthest away from him. Most of the pieces in Tenjiku Shogi have a promoted rank and can promote on entering, moving within, or leaving the Promotion Zone.

Promotion is not compulsory, but a piece must promote if it would be unable to make another legal move as an un-promoted piece (i.e.: the 'Pawn', 'Lance' and 'Iron General' must promote on reaching the last rank; the 'Knight' must promote on reaching the second-last rank).

As in all the games in the Shogi family, in Tenjiku Shogi sets the promoted rank is shown on the reverse side of the piece, and the piece is turned over on promotion to reveal the new rank. 

                                                           CAPTURES

As in all the larger Shogi variants, captured pieces in Tenjiku can not be 'dropped' back into play. A captured piece is removed from play and takes no further part in the game.

                                                         OTHER RULES

Repetition of a "move sequence" for a third time is forbidden.
Perpetual check is forbidden, the checking player must change the move before repeating the moves for a third time.