Stevenav@comcast.net wrote:

Just a few comments

To start with, Shikamaru plays Shogi, not western chess. 
The same message can be carried by using the pieces in Shogi like the Fu (Fuhyo) which is a pawn, or the Kyo (Kyosha) lance, or the Kei (keima) knight, etc. 

Shogi and chess have many similarities, but this might be a good opportunity to introduce the audience to what shogi is. 

good sites to learn the absolute basics are
http://www.ricoh.co.jp/SHOGI/rules/erules.html
http://shawnbrown.com/basement/shogi/shogi_rules_1.html

The pieces might even make better analogies. Neji for example is more of a Lance than anything, He is very direct, moving straight forward all the time. Hinata, I'm sure, would feel that she's a Fu, the difference being that in chess a pawn can be promoted, while in Shogi, a fu can only become a To (tokin) which, while it gains a great deal more power over it's movement, it is not as commanding a piece as a queen is in western chess. 

Of course, it's just a suggestion.
 

I will have to disagree with you on one point here. Although, yes, 
Shikamaru does play chess, not shogi (canon), the story's impact would 
not have been as great with Shogi. I wonder if he can play chess as well?

The point is that Hinata has a queen inside of her, waiting to be 
promoted. This also goes in line with her being the heiress of the Hyuga 
blood. She is only a pawn now... but she is expected to become the queen.

I found the paralelle very effective.

-- 
  ___________
 / Here lies:\  Ryougasai... the eternal lost hentai.
|   Andrew    | 
|             |
|   I think   |          Andrew Petalik
| he's hungry | Opportunity knocks but rarely. Don't let it
|             | slip between your fingers when it does.


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