Shogi Board Game

Where to Play Shogi Online: Lishogi vs 81Dojo vs Shogi Wars

The best places to play shogi online against other people are Lishogi, 81Dojo and Shogi Wars. Lishogi is the best free all-rounder and runs in any browser. 81Dojo is free and suits longer, traditional games with players from around the world. Shogi Wars has the biggest crowd of Japanese players but limits free users to 3 games a day.

All details below were checked on October 1, 2026. If you want to practice against the computer first with no account, you can play shogi online here in one click.

Laptop on a wooden desk in the evening lamp light next to a wooden shogi piece, ready for a game of shogi online
Lishogi, 81Dojo and Shogi Wars each suit a different kind of player.

Shogi sites compared

Lishogi 81Dojo Shogi Wars Shogi Quest
Cost Free, no ads Free 3 free games a day; paid plans for more Free with ads
Account Needed for rated games; casual games by invite link without one Needed Needed Pick a nickname
Ratings Glicko-2 rating with ranks Rating shown as dan and kyu Dan and kyu ranks approved by the Japan Shogi Association Rating tracked per color and opening
Language 38 languages 21 languages on the site English, Japanese English, Japanese
Time controls Your choice of byoyomi or increment, plus correspondence Rated: 15-60, 10-30, 5-30, 0-30 10 min, 3 min, 10 sec per move, and 3-min Sprint from a mid-game position 10 min and 5 min
Computer opponents Built-in engines plus bot accounts Bots (names start with COM_) Offline games against the computer Very weak bots
Apps None; browser works on phones iOS, Android, browser iOS, Android, browser iOS, Android, browser
Best for Free rated play, puzzles, analysis Longer, traditional games, international players Fast games against strong Japanese players Casual quick games

The time control notation “15-60” means 15 minutes each, then 60 seconds per move once that runs out. That extra per-move time is called byoyomi. Our guide to how long a shogi game lasts explains the formats.

Lishogi: the best free all-rounder

Lishogi is free, has no ads, and gives every user every feature. It’s an open-source site built on the same code as lichess, the free chess server, so chess players will feel at home.

  • Ratings: Glicko-2. New players start at 1500 with a wide margin that narrows as you play, and ranks appear once your rating is stable.
  • Play: Real-time and correspondence games, tournaments and simultaneous exhibitions.
  • Computer: Play the built-in engines (YaneuraOu and Fairy-Stockfish) from the home page, or challenge bot accounts.
  • Study: Puzzles, mating problems, studies, a board editor, and engine analysis of your games.
  • Variants: Minishogi, chu shogi, annan shogi, Kyoto shogi, check shogi and dobutsu shogi.

Lishogi has no official mobile app as of October 2026, but the site is built to work in a phone browser.

81Dojo: traditional games, worldwide players

81Dojo is free and the most traditional of the four. Tomohide Kawasaki, known on YouTube as HIDETCHI, founded it in 2012. The Japan Shogi Association has sponsored it since 2013. In January 2020 it had about 100,000 registered users from 90 countries, most of them in Japan.

  • Rated time controls: 15-60, 10-30, 5-30 and 0-30. Longer games are rated more heavily.
  • Rules feel: Strict. An illegal move loses at once, and you end a lost game by resigning, as in over-the-board play.
  • Extras: Post-game review with your opponent, handicap games, and variants such as Kyoto shogi, minishogi and Let’s Catch the Lion.
  • Premium status: Not paid. You earn it through activity points the site calls D-Miles, which unlock extra functions.

Choose 81Dojo if you want time to think and a traditional feel. It isn’t built for teaching beginners. Learn the rules elsewhere first.

Shogi Wars: fast games, Japanese crowd

Shogi Wars is a phone-first service from HEROZ for short, fast games. Its dan and kyu ranks carry Japan Shogi Association approval, and you can earn official rank certificates through it.

  • Time controls: 10 minutes, 3 minutes, or 10 seconds per move. A fourth mode, Sprint (added February 2025), is a 3-minute game that starts from an even middle-game position.
  • Cost: Free players get 3 games a day. Subscriptions remove the limit.
  • Extras: An analysis AI, Kishin, reviews your games. Its full use is tied to paid items and plans.
  • Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, and a browser version.

Choose it if you want fast games against a deep pool of strong players. The daily limit makes it a poor fit if you want to play all evening for free.

Shogi Quest: casual quick games

Shogi Quest is the lowest-friction option. You choose a nickname and start playing. It tracks your results by color and by opening, so you can see where you lose. It also has very weak bots for first games and a variant called Tsuitate Shogi, where you can’t see your opponent’s pieces. It’s free with ads and runs on iPhone, Android and in a browser at questgames.net.

Where not to look for rated games: this site

Shogiboardgame.com doesn’t host games between people. It does one job: a full shogi board that opens instantly with no account, download or sign-up, and plays you at three strengths.

Shogi game against the computer on shogiboardgame.com with a hint arrow on the board and the difficulty, hint and undo controls beside it, no account or sign-up needed
Warm up here with hints and undo, then take your game to a rated site.

Use it to:

  • Learn the rules with hints, undo, and an explanation whenever you try an illegal move, before you face a clock.
  • Warm up against the computer before a rated session.
  • Set up a position from a book or a lost game and play it out.
  • Play a friend on one screen.

Many players learn here and then move to Lishogi or 81Dojo when they want a rating. That’s what we recommend.

Which site should you pick?

  1. New to shogi? Learn how to play shogi, then play the computer here until the rules are automatic.
  2. First games against people? Lishogi or Shogi Quest. Both are free and quick to start.
  3. Want slower, serious games? 81Dojo.
  4. Want speed and a big Japanese crowd? Shogi Wars.
  5. Mostly on your phone? See our best shogi apps roundup.

Ratings don’t transfer between sites. Lishogi’s own FAQ says its numbers only make sense compared with other Lishogi players, and the same is true everywhere. A 1-dan on one site may not be a 1-dan on another.

Getting better between games

Online play shows you what you’re missing. Fill the gaps with tsume shogi mating problems, a look at the main shogi openings, and a book from our best shogi books list. If you want a board on the table for study, see the shogi set buying guide.

FAQ

What is the best site to play shogi online?

Lishogi is the best free all-rounder: no ads, rated games, puzzles and analysis, all in a browser. 81Dojo is better for longer traditional games with international players. Shogi Wars is best for fast games against strong Japanese players if you don’t mind a 3-game daily limit on the free plan.

Is Lishogi free?

Yes. Lishogi is free, open source and has no ads. Every user gets every feature, and donations unlock nothing extra. You need an account for rated games, but you can play casual games through an invite link without one.

Is 81Dojo free?

Yes. All 81Dojo features are free, and its apps have no in-app purchases. Its premium status is earned through activity points rather than bought.

Is Shogi Wars available in English?

Yes. Shogi Wars supports English and Japanese, on iPhone, Android and the web. Free players can play 3 games a day; a subscription removes the limit.

Can I play shogi online without an account?

Yes, against the computer. This site lets you play instantly with no account, at three strengths. Lishogi also allows casual games by invite link without signing up. Rated games against people need an account on every major site.