Offline · No account · Coaching-first
An 81Dojo alternative
for the training between dojo visits.
81Dojo is the international online dojo — rated games, teaching culture, and the most welcoming English-speaking shogi community on the internet. Shogiful is what you open between visits: a native iPhone, iPad, and Mac app where YaneuraOu analyzes every game on-device, mistakes become plain-language lessons, and training targets the weaknesses your games actually reveal. No account, no connection, no schedule.
How does Shogiful compare to 81Dojo?
A community and a coach. Here's where each one fits.
What it is
Shogiful: Native single-player training app — AI opponents, engine analysis, adaptive training.
81Dojo: International online shogi server — rated human games, teaching games, tournaments, community.
81Dojo: International online shogi server — rated human games, teaching games, tournaments, community.
Feedback on your play
Shogiful: Automatic — every game analyzed by YaneuraOu, every significant mistake classified and explained in sentences.
81Dojo: Human — post-game reviews and teaching games when stronger players are available and willing.
81Dojo: Human — post-game reviews and teaching games when stronger players are available and willing.
Kanji barrier
Shogiful: Western piece sets with movement indicators, progressive kanji introduction.
81Dojo: Traditional presentation; the international community helps, but the board assumes piece literacy.
81Dojo: Traditional presentation; the international community helps, but the board assumes piece literacy.
Offline & privacy
Shogiful: Fully offline, no account, no tracking SDKs.
81Dojo: Online server; account required to play.
81Dojo: Online server; account required to play.
Structured training
Shogiful: Tsume puzzles plus exercises generated from your own mistakes, scheduled with spaced repetition across five tracked skills.
81Dojo: Improvement comes from playing and community study — there is no built-in training system.
81Dojo: Improvement comes from playing and community study — there is no built-in training system.
Pricing
Shogiful: Free tier; Premium $1.99/mo, $9.99/yr, or $19.99 lifetime.
81Dojo: Free to play; optional supporter memberships.
81Dojo: Free to play; optional supporter memberships.
| Feature | Shogiful | 81Dojo |
|---|---|---|
| Core mechanic | Play → analyze → train loop vs AI | Rated online games vs humans |
| Works offline | Yes — everything on-device | No |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Western piece set | Yes — with movement indicators | Traditional presentation |
| Engine analysis of your games | Yes — YaneuraOu on-device, every game | Community + external tools |
| Plain-language mistake explanations | Yes — shogi-specific coaching | Human reviews, when available |
| Structured training system | Yes — tsume + weakness drills, SRS | No |
| Human community | No (intentional) | Yes — its defining strength |
| Tracking / advertising | None | Standard web analytics |
| Pricing | Free; Premium from $1.99/mo; $19.99 lifetime | Free; optional supporter membership |
| Best for | Solo improvement at your own pace, especially without kanji | Rated international play and dojo community |
Honest verdict — the dojo and the home board
Pick Shogiful if you want…
- To learn and improve solo, offline, at your own pace
- Automatic plain-language analysis of every game you play
- Western piece sets that remove the kanji barrier on day one
- Tsume puzzles and weakness training with spaced repetition
- No account, no tracking, $19.99 lifetime cost ceiling
Pick 81Dojo if you want…
- Rated games against humans across the world, free
- The international shogi community and its teaching culture
- Tournaments and real dojo etiquette online
- Human feedback from stronger players
The dojo's human teaching culture can't be replaced by an app — and an always-available coach can't be replaced by a dojo. Most improving players want both.
About Shogiful
Questions
FAQ
What is the best 81Dojo alternative for solo training?
Shogiful is the closest alternative for structured solo improvement: every game analyzed on-device by YaneuraOu, mistakes explained in plain language, and training generated from your own weaknesses with spaced repetition. Fully offline, no account, on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
How is Shogiful different from 81Dojo?
81Dojo is built around people — rated games, teaching games, community. Shogiful is built around the improvement loop — play, analyze, understand, train — with an engine and coaching layer that works on demand, every game, offline.
Is Shogiful good for beginners who can't read kanji?
Yes — it's specifically built for them. Western piece sets with movement indicators make the board readable from the first game, and kanji is introduced progressively as you train.
How much does Shogiful cost compared to 81Dojo?
Shogiful is free with all 10 opponents, 2 analyses/day, and 3 puzzles/day; Premium is $1.99/month, $9.99/year, or $19.99 lifetime. 81Dojo is free with optional supporter memberships.
Does Shogiful have teaching games like 81Dojo?
Not human ones. Instead: tiered AI opponents from true beginner to advanced, full analysis of every game with plain-language explanations, and training targeted at your detected weaknesses — available any time, no scheduling.
Can I use both 81Dojo and Shogiful?
Yes — they pair naturally. Play rated games on 81Dojo; analyze your habits, drill tsume, and fix recurring mistakes in Shogiful. KIF import from 81Dojo game records is under consideration on the roadmap.
Try it
Open Shogiful
The coach between dojo visits. Offline, patient, always available.