Computer Shogi

In a previous blog entry I talked about the Japanese game of Shogi. Today I came across an interesting article about computer Shogi. Like a lot of non-chess board games, the research put into computer programs that play well has lagged behind chess. This in part is a function of the popularity of games with researchers (chess being an obvious target for Soviet and western computer scientists) as well as the complexity of the game (eg Go).
In Shogi's case the added complexity is derived from the fact that you can add captured pieces to your army by dropping them on to board (just like transfer). This means the number of legal moves in a position can easily exceed 300, causing a spectacular blow out in the search tree. So for the moment the best Shogi programs are still at the level of the amateur players.
Of course in a number of Japanese games, 'Amateur' takes the literal meaning, ie a player who does not make a living from the game. Professional players are very regulated, with players having to pass exams and qualifying competitions to be admitted into the professional ranks. This control extends to what activities a player can partake in, and as the article states, "In 2005, the Japan Shogi Association banned exhibition games between professional players and shogi software." I'm assuming that the punishment for a player breaking that ban would be anything up to having their professional status revoked.