Shogi has a traditional way for players of different strength to have a good game: the stronger player plays without some of their pieces. The stronger player is uwate 上手; the weaker keeps a full army and is shitate 下手.
The surprising part: uwate moves first. The pieces come off uwate's side, and uwate takes the first move.
The standard handicaps
| Handicap | Japanese | Uwate plays without |
|---|---|---|
| Lance | 香落ち | the left lance |
| Bishop | 角落ち | the bishop |
| Rook | 飛車落ち | the rook |
| Rook and lance | 飛香落ち | the rook and the left lance |
| Two piece | 二枚落ち | the rook and bishop |
| Four piece | 四枚落ち | the rook, bishop and both lances |
| Six piece | 六枚落ち | the rook, bishop, both lances and both knights |
Seats on this site
In an even game the seats are assigned at random (or by the challenge you send). In a handicap game they are not interchangeable: uwate always plays the Gote pieces — the side the pieces were removed from — and moves first. When you create a handicap game or send a handicap challenge, you choose whether you give the handicap (uwate) or receive it.
Handicap games are always casual. Ranked games are even games from the queue.
Try it
Try it: You're uwate in a two-piece game, and it's your move. Open with a pawn on the c- or g-file.