From: "'Gary Whelan'" <gwshogi <at> ENTERMAIL <dot> NET>
Date: 23 apr 2003
Subject: Re: Play Makruk (Thai chess) online!

Is it a new site?  I noticed there were only
about 50 players.  Hopefully it will catch on.

Is it possible to change the time control?  I'm
new to the game and 5 minutes is hopeless for me.


I have been playing there for a few weeks already
but some of them are very
competitive.  I even invited some of them to play
Shogi.  This kind of
information is mutually beneficial, I think.

Chiaki


----- Original Message -----
From: "'Gary Whelan'" <gwshogi <at> ENTERMAIL <dot> NET>
To: <SHOGI-L <at> TECHUNIX <dot> TECHNION <dot> AC <dot> IL>
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 8:48 PM
Subject: Play Makruk (Thai chess) online!


> I know this has nothing to do with Shogi, and I
> only have a mild interest in Makruk myself, but
I
> know some people on this list will find this
> interesting.  After a confusing but fun
adventure
> through obscure Thai language web sites (without
> the aid of translation software!) I've finally
> found a site for playing Makruk (Thai chess)
> against live opponents that is user-friendly for
> for English-speaking players:
>
> http://www.thaibg.com/TSOnline/index.php
>
> All the important stuff is in English.  The
> registration process is the most seamless I've
> ever seen.  Just click on "Register" on the menu
> bar, enter your info, assign yourself a
password,
> and you can log in immediately (no waiting for
an
> e-mail).  And it's free.
>
> The interface is fascinating, with beautiful
> graphics.  When you first get in (after
> slecting "Thai chess" from the games listed),
> you're given a "birds eye view" of several
> boards.  Some are games in progress, some are
> players waiting for an opponent.  You can watch
> several games at once this way.  If you choose a
> board to play at ("sit") or watch more closely,
> you are taken to a larger view of the board.
> Blitz seems to be the only time control!  At
> least I can't figure out how to set it to
> anything else.
>
> For those who may not be familiar with the game,
> Makruk is the eastern "variant" of chess which
> most closely resembles the Western game: 8x8
> board, king, queen, two rooks, two bishops, two
> knights, eight pawns.  You can easily play it
> with a Western chess set.  The pawns, knights,
> king, and rooks move and capture exactly like
> their Western counterparts.  The queen is the
> primordial sort, moving one square diagonally.
> It is very popular in its home countries of
> Thailand and Cambodia, much more so than chess
is
> in the west (or at least the US), but perhaps
not
> quite as popular as shogi is in Japan.
>
> There are three intriguing resemblances to
> shogi:  (1) The bishops move like shogi silvers!
> (2) The pawns start on the third rank (3) Pawns
> promote on reaching the sixth rank (to queens).
>
> It seems to be at least as drawish as chess,
> maybe more, but I'm determined to play until I
> win a game!
>
> Enjoy!
>