Thanks to the kindness of a Japanese acquaintance who procured me a CD-ROM from the homeland, I have a decent bit of shogi software on the computer now. No more freeware from the 90s with an interface to match...
I can now beat the machine on 2-kyu. Some of the computer’s moves were a little opaque to me, and its tactical ability meant that I had to take back a coupe of moves in order to win this one, but I feel as though I'm improving.
I think that my less-than standard opening move may have caused it to misplace its king in the centre of the board - but that may just be a strategy I'm not aware of. Reading Tony Hosking's excellent The Art of Shogi and Classic Shogi, I can see there's plenty I'm not aware of!
J. vs Computer
1. R68 P34
2. K48 K52
3. S38 G32
4. K39 S62
5. P76 Bx88+
6. Sx88 G72
7. K28 P84
8. P66 N33
9. P46 P85
10. S77 P74
11. B’56 P35
12. Bx76 S42
13. P96 S73
14. B56 S64
15. B78 S55
16. R48 P24
17. P56 S44
18. G(4)58 P25
19. P16 P14
20. P75 G62
21. G79 R72
22. S76 R82
23. G88 P86
24. Px86 Rx86
25. G87 R84
26. P’85 R82
27. N77 P94
28. B67 G61
29. P74 G72
30. S75 P’73
31. Px73+ Gx73
32. P’74 G83
33. P65 P’73
34. Px73+ Gx73
35. P’74 G72
36. P84 P’73
37. Px73+ Gx73
38. P’74 Gx84
39. Sx84 Rx84
40. G’85 R83
41. P’84 R82
42. R49 P’72
43. R79 P’83
44. Px83+ Rx83
45. P’84 R82
46. R89 S31 (luring me forward?)
47. P95 Px95
48. Lx95 P’94
49. Lx94 P’93
50. Lx93+ Nx93 (he has won a lance, but I have lots of pawns in hand)
51. G94 S’92
52. G76 R81
53. P83+ Sx83
54. Gx83 P’88
55. Rx88 K42 (some nasty bishop forks if I’m not careful…)
56. S’82 R51
57. R89 B’98 (see!)
58. R88 Bx76+
59. Bx76 G’66
60. G67 Gx67
61. Bx67 G’66
62. B94 Gx77
63. R86 N’34 (although I am winning, my left-side attack is very congested)
64. G’47 P26 (...and I need to be very careful about my king’s safety)
65. Gx72 Px27+
66. Sx27 P’85 (looks sneaky, but now the computer has no pawn in hand)
67. R89 G78
68. R87 L’26
69. G62 Lx27+
70. Kx27 R41 (if I had a gold in hand it would be mate on the move…)
71. B61+ Rx61
72. Gx61 S’52 (still not enough pieces in hand to trap my king)
73. G62 B’49
74. B’38 Bx38+
75. Kx38 P15
76. Px15 N26
77. K27 G23
78. Kx26 G24
79. R’21 B’98
80. B’51 K41
81. S73+ Bx87+
82. Gx52 K32 (the gold is immune on account of +S62)
83. Rx24+ R’24
84. +Rx24 Nx24 (no need for me to recapture…)
85. N’24 K22
86. G’32 Sx32
87. Nx32+ Kx32
88. B42+ 1-0
