TalkChess.com

[H.G.Muller]

Convetional ('statue-like') Chess pieces are difficult in a game like Shogi or Crazyhouse, where pieces have to change side. I know there exists a so called 'Eurasian' piece set, which has pieces that are painted black on one side, white on the other, so that you can put them on the board such that each player sees its own pieces as white, and the opponent's pieces as black. In addition there always is the problem of promotions: most pieces can promote, and with statue-like pieces that would require replacements, unless you put them on a pedestal or something. (But that would be confusing, as they keep similarity to the unpromoted piece, while they often move completely differently.

On a computer display none of this is of course a problem. Note that I don't play Shogi myself, so I don't need any 'woodware'. Traditional Japanese pieces would be totally unacceptable to me, although I of course have to handle them when I am operator to my Shogi engine in an OTB tournament.