The Japanese Chess Shogi

Shogi - Photo: Pxhere

In Japan, the most popular variant of chess is the Shogi. The game was transmitted from India to Korea and China before arriving in Japan. There are two distinguishing characteristics of Shogi, such as: the captured pieces can be utilized by the captor and played as the part of the captor’s forces and pawned can capture pieces normally, which is one square straight ahead.

History of the Game

It is believed that Shogi is derived from Chaturanga, which was played in Ancient India and eventually spread throughout Eurasia. It is still not clear when

Shogi was brought to Japan.

Several theories regarding the spread of Shogi showed that the game probably became popular during the 6th century. Back then, the pieces were not the current five-sided pieces but rather three-dimensional similar to the Chaturanga pieces.

One of the oldest documents specifying the existence of Shogi is the Kirinsho, which is a seven-volume work that contains descriptions of how to write characters for the pieces used in Shogi games. During the Heian period, the Shogi pieces used to consist of the king, silver general, gold general, lance, knight and pawn.

The Rules of Shogi

Technically, Shogi is won when the king is captured but there are also circumstances where the defeat is conceded when the mate becomes inevitable. As for the equipment of the game, the two players play on a board, which is composed of squares in a grid containing nine ranks by nine files. The squares are also not undifferentiated by color or marking.

The players have a set of twenty pieces, slightly different in sizes. The pieces include a rook, bishop, king, two pieces of gold generals, two silver generals, two lances, two knights and nine pieces of pawns.

The several names are chosen to correspond to their rough equivalents in international chess. Each of the pieces has its name written on its surface in the form of Japanese characters, called kanji. On the other side of the piece are one or two characters that when turned face up indicate promotion. The pieces controlled by the two players also do not differ in color; instead, they face forward, toward the opposing side.

For English-speaking players, the promoted bishops are referred to like horses, while promoted rooks as dragons. The characters on the other side of the pieces may also be in red ink, usually written in a cursive manner.

There are also rankings used in Shogi. These rankings are also used in karate, calligraphy and other arts in Japan.

For the placement of the pieces, the king is placed in the center file. The gold generals are adjacent to the king, while the silver ones are placed adjacent to the gold generals. The knights are located beside the two silver generals and the lances are situated in the corners. As for the second rank, the bishops are at the same file as the left knight, while the rook is in the same file as the knight located on the right.

Like other chess games, each player takes turns in moving pieces. The player who first captures the opponent’s king wins the game. However, this rarely happens in practice since most players will concede defeat when the loss is inevitable. More so, in amateur and professional games, any player who makes an illegal move loses automatically.

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What You Must Know about Electric RC Cars

Photo: Flickr

If you are an amateur in the RC racing world, you might complain that it is pretty hard to choose the most suitable electric powered RC car that can serve as a worthy rival to other cars of the same type. Truly, you need some vital information before you push your purchase button.

Electric RC cars run on electric batteries that are made into battery packs. They are sold in two options – the 'ready to run' (rtr) and the built it yourself. If you know nothing about RC cars, it is best for you to choose the former. With it, you just have to turn it on and off it will go.

RC cars, which are fueled by battery packs are easy to purchase and maintain compared to the popular nitro RC cars. They are specially designed for beginners. Nonetheless, there are experienced RC car fanatics that use said cars for comparison and variety purposes.

One advantage of an electric RC car other than its user-friendly character is that it is inexpensive. The difference in price between a gasoline powered and an electric powered RC car may amount to a hundred dollars. Hence, if you are after practicality, and easily-operated and maintained RC's, go for a fast electric RC car.

How to Choose an Electric RC Car?

In choosing electric RC cars, you have to consider a lot of things – budget, capability, maintenance and condition of the RC car. Electric RC cars come at different prices. Choose the one that will not be heavy on your finances. 

There are electric RC car kits for both on-road and off-road performance. They come in varying sizes, styles, and colors. Manufacturers offer different electric RC car features. Better choose a car that suits your budget, needs, capabilities and desires. 

Also, 'ready to run' kits are ideal for amateurs. They are built with everything in it. No need to worry about the assembly and other parts. Servo, receiver, radio, motor, and the electronic speed control – it's all there in the package – no worries.

However, if building RC cars are your thing, you can purchase the build it yourself kit. You can make sure that the parts are in your kit or you can buy them separately.

Where to purchase?

Beginners can bank on reputable RC car shops. Seek advice from expert RC racers. For sure, they know the right track. If you want to buy online, be sure that you are transacting with a trustworthy pro. Online prices are usually lower. In addition, in online purchasing, you can choose from a wide variety of cars and parts. 

In buying, you must compare price and quality. Aside from that, you can also take advantage of discounts to reduce your expenses.

Tuning and Racing

Tuning is essential to achieve more speed or power. Moreover, it should be coupled with a proper break in to yield the best performance. The proper way of a break-in produces less heat and reduces premature wear and tear. To break-in, just run the motor with the wheels off the ground. Then, draw the radio control by ¼ of the way. This should be done for about five minutes. If you change the brushes, you also need to do the break-in. It is also necessary to replace the motor after 5 or more substitutions of brushes.

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A Quick Guide To The Greek Islands

Andros - Photo: Pixabay

Scattered between the coast of mainland Greece and the tip of Northern Africa, the Greek Islands have been popular holiday destinations for a wide range of holidaymakers.

Where are they?

The Greek Islands are dotted throughout the Aegean Sea, mainly off the south-east of mainland Greece. They come in many shapes, sizes and geographical varieties and the people that visit them are as varied as the islands themselves. Whilst you can move between the islands, most people choose to stay on just one for the duration of their holiday. The islands are traditionally divided into seven groups: Cyclades, Aegean, Dodecanese, Sporades, Ionian, Argosaronic Gulf and Crete which, as a single island, is the largest in the group.

Where can I stay?

Try a Greek Island holiday with a difference by choosing a boutique hotel. You can’t beat the individuality of these small, intimate hotels where detail is a primary consideration and the needs of the guest always come first. Try Elounda Gulf Villas and Suites on Crete, Katikies on Santorini and Ostraco Suites on Mykonos. These are all unique places to stay, offering the ultimate in quiet understated luxury.

What can I see?

For most people, the attraction of the Greek Islands is the beaches. The quality and size of the beaches vary from island to island, as does the level of development in the main resorts. The sheer number of islands means that you can usually find exactly what you’re looking for; whether it’s 24-hour entertainment or a quiet relaxing break. For those that want to explore the islands’ culture, there are plenty of historical buildings, traditional villages and museums to visit.

How do I get around?

You can get to some of the islands such as Mykonos and Santorini by air, but most of the other islands are reached by ferry from Athens. The ferries are regular and there are ticket operators at the harbors, so you can also use them to visit other islands during your stay. To get around an island, you can hire a car or a bike, or use the local bus system. There are no train services once you’re off the mainland. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, hire a sailing boat and navigate your own way around the islands.

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Build ARM MUSCLE Today

Bodybuilder and model Sagi Kalev
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Build arm muscle is one of the most common goals of aspiring bodybuilders. There is no shortage of advice, either in books or on the internet, telling you how to do this. Here in this article, we will show you how to genuinely build arm muscle.

Tip 1

Train sensibly. Many people who are trying to build arm muscle make the mistake of over training. It is easily done, as the arms are used in so many different bodybuilding disciplines. One good way of ensuring you don't over stress your arms is to leave them until the very end of your workout routine.

Tip 2

If you want to build arm muscle effectively, you will want every single rep you perform to be as effective as possible. The goal is to get as many  muscle fibers involved as you can. If you can bring as many muscle fibers as you can into play, you will not only develop stronger muscles, they will be more even and have a better tone.

Tip 3

The correct extension of the weight is critical, but control is equally important, throughout the whole of the lift. The strongest determining factor here is the weight itself, so don't defeat yourself by using a weight which is too heavy. In order to make your exercises as effective as you can, make sure the lift is executed as quickly as possible, while you still have the weight under control. As you release the weight, try to do so as slowly as comfortably possible. If you can make this downward phase take at least two seconds, you will be burning a lot more fat.

Tip 4

One point which is often overlooked by beginning arm muscle builders is that there is more than one group of muscles, and you need to work them in a balanced way to achieve optimum results. So many bodybuilders who have not taken enough time to learn the craft properly concentrate solely on biceps, which will lead to an unnatural and uneven development, and may even lead to injury. Make sure you learn how to develop your triceps in harmony with your biceps, for optimum results. Don't risk the pain of a torn ligament!

If you have been struggling to gain results from your arm muscle exercises, take the advice of this article on board, and start seeing some real benefits. Check out the links below to discover some more valuable resources.

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A Peaceful Retreat on Catalina Island, California

Catalina Island - Photo: Pixabay

When life’s stresses and strains get too much for you, head over to Catalina Island and you’ll find a peaceful retreat that’s bound to have you relaxed in no time.  The island is only approximately 22 physical miles from the mainland, but in terms of lifestyle and sheer population, it’s a lifetime away.  With only 2 ports on the island, one into the main town of Avalon, and the other into the more secluded side of the island at Two Harbors, and only two ways onto the island, via the water or helicopter, there’s very little noise from vehicles.  Relatively few cars exist on the island and most visitors either get around on foot or bicycle.  

Despite being such a small island, there are things to do here on the days when you feel like doing something a little more energetic than watching the sun move around, and when you first arrive on Catalina Island you should visit the local Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau which will give you all the information you need about what’s on, where to find it, and of course ideas of where to stay and eat if you haven’t already made reservations.  In the peak months, however, you should always at least reserve your room before venturing across to the island.  Although you may be lucky to arrive and find a room free, it’s not likely during high season because of the limited amount of accommodation available.  

Two of the most popular places to visit on Catalina Island are the Catalina Island Museum which charts the history of the island through its various stages from the more recent history through the Hollywood era (the island was one of the first main Hollywood film sets) right back to the Native Americans.   Just about 2 miles out of Avalon you’ll find the Wrigley Botanical Gardens which will delight anyone who has an interest in flora and fauna.  William Wrigley (as in the chewing gum empire) once owned the island and you could even stay in his mansion which is now converted into a bed and breakfast establishment.

Catalina Island may not sound very exciting when compared with the attractions of Los Angeles and San Francisco, but for anyone needing to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, it’s a perfect beach oasis. 

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The Benefits Of HORSE Boarding

A horse inside a box stall, checking out his new digs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Looking after horses requires significant costs and management that must be performed daily for both boards and keeping animals in a home environment. Horse boarding delivers a number of benefits to ensure that care is offered on an ongoing basis in a clean and functional stable. It is important to look into the facilities that are available and to ensure that the best possible selection is made for the best outcome.

A board is an independent stable that has been created to provide horses with shelter and care through the day and night. The full board includes a stall for the animal where exercise will be provided for a number of hours during the day. Management must be contacted to determine the regularity of feeds and the supplements that will be made available for the specific health needs of equines.

The animals can remain within a rough board that will include a large field where horses are able to roam through the day. Horses can be placed in a secure pasture where there is access to protection and shelter from the harsh sunlight, rain, and wind through the different seasons of the year. Equines must be provided with the necessary protection and care that will provide comfort and prevent against harmful results.

The staff will discuss options for food including possible health requirements that will need to be met for specific equine needs. It is important to determine whether staff will be available on a regular basis to ensure that the health needs of animals are assessed and possible problems detected. Where an emergency should occur, it requires that individuals are equipped to alert one of such circumstances.

The benefits of a board include professional monitoring and shelter provided for horses on a 24-hour basis. The staff members will be able to feed equines a balanced diet including a mixture of grains and supplements to support healthy function and growth. If special diets are required, it must be discussed with the barn owner to ensure that your horse is receiving the nutrition that it needs.

The correct levels of supervision can be provided for horses that will prevent against improper care of equines. All equine owners are advised on the methods that should be put in place including consultation with a barn manager that will provide peace of mind that equines are properly taken care of. In the search for a suitable stable facility, all equine requirements can be tended to.

In cases of emergency, it is important that the board make staff available to address the particular needs of equines. The performance of a vet assessment can aid in ensuring that the appropriate equine exam is completed and that a professional is able to tend to the animal when owners cannot make an appointment. It is important that such services are delivered on an ongoing basis for the wellness of equines.

Having to clear stalls on a daily basis involves a significant amount of labour and is a time-consuming process. It is important that boards implement cleaning methods including water and feed daily. All equines can be well taken care of with a reputable and reliable boarding facility.

Author: Toni Vang

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Eyepieces for Telescopes

Okulare - Eyepieces - Photo: Wikipedia

Beginner astronomers need to be careful with these items as they tend to go way overboard.  There are various designs and different lenses for different viewings.  You need to figure out what you will be looking at and go from there.  You may need two to three different eyepieces, but no more than that.  Here is a simple guide to the different eyepieces and cost involved.

The most popular is the Plossl.  It uses four to five elements and has a wider field of view than Orthoscopic lenses.  It usually ranges from 50-52 degrees.  They run between $50-$150.

For general use, the Orthoscopic lenses were considered the best.  They use four elements and are good for planetary viewing.  They have a 45-degree field of view.  They run between $40-$100.

The Kellner is a general purpose lens.  It has a three element design and a 40-45 degree field of view.  They run between $30-$50.

The Ramsden and Huygenian are good solar lenses.  They have two element designs.  They are supplied with the least expensive telescopes and have very narrow fields of view.  They cost between $25-$40.

Barlow lenses are a great piece to have.  They can double or triple the magnification of your eyepiece.  They run between $60-$100.

Erfles are not as favorable today.  They use six elements and a 60-65 degree field of view.  They run between $75-$150.

Televue has come out with some designs for eyepieces.  The six element Panoptic has a 67-degree field of view.  It runs between $200-$400.  The other is a seven to eight element Naglers.  This lens has an 82-degree field of view and runs between $175-$425.

Pentax also makes a seven element lens, the SMC-XL, that runs around $250 each.  It is thought that these exceed what the Televues can do.

(Article around the year 2007)

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