Sannin shogi

Sannin shogi, or three-player shogi, emerged as a creative variant of the traditional two-player Japanese board game. It was primarily developed to introduce a dynamic, multiplayer element to the strict tactical nature of standard shogi, typically played on a hexagonal board to accommodate the three distinct sets of pieces. The design reflects an effort to balance the game's complex capture and promotion rules while managing the shifting alliances and territorial disputes inherent in a three-way confrontation.

While the origins of specific commercial sets are often attributed to niche game manufacturers in Japan looking to diversify the shogi market, the game is widely regarded as a hobbyist's curiosity rather than a standardized tournament discipline. Critics and players generally view it as an entertaining, chaotic deviation from the depth of traditional shogi, emphasizing diplomacy and opportunistic play over the formal opening theory associated with the two-player game.