Chapter 116: Foresight! (Explosive update!)

The shogi board is a 9x9 grid, totaling 81 squares, divided into the home camp (the 3 columns closest to oneself) and the enemy camp (the 3 columns closest to the opponent).

There are 8 types of pieces (in their unpromoted state), with 20 pieces for each side.

King/Jade (1 piece): Moves 1 square in any direction.

Rook (1 piece): Moves any number of squares in a straight line.

Bishop (1 piece): Moves any number of squares diagonally.

Gold General (2 pieces): Moves forward, forward-left, forward-right, left, right, and backward (cannot move diagonally backward).

Silver General (2 pieces): Moves forward, forward-left, forward-right, backward-left, and backward-right (cannot move left, right, or straight backward).

Knight (2 pieces): Moves only in an "L" shape (jumps 2 squares forward diagonally, can jump over pieces).

Lance (2 pieces): Moves any number of squares straight forward (cannot move backward).

Pawn (9 pieces): Moves 1 square forward.

In Japan, the rules of shogi look similar to Chinese chess, but they are actually slightly different.

This is because some pieces can flip over and promote after entering the enemy camp (the opponent's three columns) (e. g., Rook -> Long Wang, Bishop -> Dragon Horse), enhancing their movement.

After the Rook promotes to Long Wang, it gains the ability to move 1 square diagonally in addition to moving any number of squares in a straight line.

After the Bishop promotes to Dragon Horse, it gains the ability to move 1 square in a straight line in addition to moving any number of squares diagonally.

It is also because of this special situation.

That in a shogi game, it is common for the situation to undergo earth-shaking changes once the Rook and Bishop promote.

After Natsume Chikage and Gu Chuan Caixu organized their pieces.

The two began their match.

After the match began, Gu Chuan Caixu's face, which had just been cute and adorable, instantly became expressionless, and her gaze underwent a massive change, as if she had entered a realm where no one else existed.

After thinking for a few seconds, she picked up the Rook first and pushed the 7th-file pawn.

This was the "Static Rook" strategy opening she was familiar with.

What looked like an ordinary step was actually laying the groundwork for what was to follow.

And after making this move, her mind was already thinking at high speed, beginning to filter through the many games she had seen before for the most stable and aggressive one.

One must know that she had the first move this time.

And it was in a tournament.

She had to bring out the style she was most proficient in no matter what!

After all, she had already promised her grandfather that she would bring back the first victory!

And after making this move, she pressed the shogi clock beside her.

The time limit on Natsume Chikage's side began to tick.

From the original 60:00, it jumped to 59:59...

The so-called shogi clock is to limit the thinking time of both sides.

After all, shogi is a project that requires a lot of thinking to play.

If the thinking time were not limited, a single game could be played until the end of time.

And the thinking time for this tournament was one hour for everyone.

So even if both sides almost exhausted their time before the match ended, it would still take about two hours to play.

Of course, under normal circumstances, it is actually rare for both sides to almost exhaust their time.

In most cases, the match can be finished within an hour and a half.

However, there are cases where one side exhausts their time.

Once one side exhausts their time, the match is declared over immediately.

The side that still has time left will win directly.

Natsume Chikage placed his piece almost the moment the opponent pressed the clock, pushing the 8th-file pawn, choosing the "Ranging Rook" system to respond, forming an opposite-rook layout with the first player.

The movement was fluid, as if no thinking was needed.

Then he pressed the shogi clock.

Gu Chuan Caixu witnessed this, and her expression didn't change much; she only thought for more than ten seconds before attacking again.

She chose to open the 2nd-file bishop path, paving the way for the Bishop to strike.

Then she pressed the shogi clock again.

The time on Natsume Chikage's side ticked again.

But he still didn't think, placing his piece almost the moment Gu Chuan Caixu placed hers.

With the posture of a second-response, he pushed the 3rd-file pawn.

The situation presented a symmetrical posture.

The first four moves of the opening were as fast as lightning.

Gu Chuan Caixu's expression still didn't change much.

After all, these few moves of Natsume Chikage followed common fixed patterns.

But she was a bit confused.

It looks like such an ordinary step...

Is this what Big Brother called giving his all?

And they are already in a tournament, yet Big Brother plays shogi without a second thought.

Is he really not afraid of making a wrong move?

Also because of the caution regarding the tournament, Gu Chuan Caixu didn't think too much, but began to think about how to play next.

Time began to flow.

After nearly thirty seconds passed.

Gu Chuan Caixu lifted her left Gold General to 7-8, solidifying the defense on the side of the Jade (King).

This was a steady move.

It was Natsume Chikage's turn; his expression remained as usual, and he placed his piece almost simultaneously, pushing the 6th-file pawn.

This move looked ordinary, but it faintly pointed to the potential weakness in Gu Chuan Caixu's formation—the void in the center.

Gu Chuan Caixu's fingers holding the piece paused slightly, feeling a bit of anomaly, and her thinking time became longer.

She had a feeling of being hit by a blind punch.

But she only thought this was an ordinary passive response, so she continued to act according to the plan, pushing her right Silver General to 4-2, preparing to participate in the offensive in the center or on the left.

This time.

She thought for nearly a minute.

Natsume Chikage placed his piece again in seconds, moving the Silver General to 6-2.

This move was like a precision scalpel, instantly threatening Gu Chuan Caixu's 5th file, making her anticipated advance extremely risky.

Gu Chuan Caixu's brows furrowed for the first time.

She realized that Big Brother's layout was not a passive response, but hidden with sharp edges.

But why was his thinking so fast?

Could it be that he had already guessed her thoughts?

But it didn't matter; it was all within her expectations.

After thinking for nearly two minutes.

Gu Chuan Caixu chose to forcefully push the 4th-file pawn, attempting to open up the situation.

Natsume Chikage accepted the challenge head-on with a pawn without hesitation, forming the prototype of a "Waist-Hanging Silver," and the offensive suddenly became sharp.

Gu Chuan Caixu had to make an exchange, capturing the opponent's 4th-file pawn.

Her eyes began to become solemn, and she finally noticed a bit of anomaly.

Because Natsume Chikage played shogi too fast.

It was as if he didn't need to think at all to get the answer.

And thinking back carefully, every move looked ordinary, but it seemed to be guiding her.

This is a bit not right...

No, it should be that she was overthinking.

Big Brother should just be an ordinary player; it's impossible for him to beat her, who has been constantly guided by Long Wang Grandpa!

Not to mention Big Brother, even if all 2,000+ contestants were added together, only those few dozen could beat her. ===== CHAPTER 117 =====