Review: Computer shogi through 2000

Abstract

Since the first computer shogi program was developed by the first author in 1974, more than a quarter century has passed. During that time, shogi programming has attracted both researchers and commercial programmers and playing strength has improved steadily. Currently, the best programs have a level that is comparable to that of a strong amateur player (about 4-dan), but the level of experts is still beyond the horizon. The basic structure of strong shogi programs is similar to chess programs. However, the differences between chess and shogi have led to the development of some shogi-specific methods. In this paper we will give an overview of the computer shogi history, summarise the most successful techniques and give some ideas for the future directions of research in computer shogi.