Solution
1.S1b+ 2.Kx1b 3.B2a+ 4.Kx2a 5.N2b+
Shogi Blog
Checkmate in 1
Solution
1.B2a+
Special material odds
with this material odds, you can learn: how strong the Rook and the Bishop are, piece coordination, and basic checkmating ideas.
First, let’s see how it goes with automatic moves.
1.K6b 2.R2b+ 3.K7c 4.B5e 5.K7d
As you can see, you can check whenever you want, but the white king runs away easily.
6.+R7b 7.K6e 8.B3c+ 9.K5f
It’s getting hard to checkmate the white king. generally, check in a row doesn’t work. You need to trap the king.
Let’s get back to the position after 1.K6b
let’s think for a moment. Where the white king goes on the next move? The white king wants to go to the C-rank. so? The question becomes how to prevent it.
2.R2c+
this move is important to remember. Now the promoted Rook dominates the white King’s escape routes.
3.K7b 4.B5e 5.K6b 6.B7c+
all white can do is to just wait. 4.B2b+ instead of 4.B5e is fully playable but not 4.B3c+ because Black wants to keep the promoted Rook’s control on C- rank.
if white plays 4.B3c+, Black can run away.
7.K5b 8.+B6c 9.K4b 10.+B5c 11.K5a 12.+R2a
There are many winning moves for Black. This text continuation is instructive. White puts the promoted Bishop where it can’t be taken because of the promoted Rook. That is basic piece coordination. And attacking from both sides is the key point to checkmate the king.
Static Rook vs 4th-file Rook
an advanced computer vs an advanced computer
(Text moves) 1.P7f 2.P3d 3.P2f 4.P4d 5.S4h 6.S3b 7.P5f 8.R4b
Static Rook vs 4th-Rook
(Text moves) 9.K6h 10.K6b 11.K7h 12.K7b 13.G4i-5h 14.K8b 15.P9f 16.L9b
White develops Anaguma
(Text moves) 17.B7g 18.S4c 19.K8h 20.K9a 21.S7h
Black develops Mino
(Text moves) 22.S8b 23.S5g 24.G7a 25.P2e 26.B3c 27.P8f 29.S8g
White develops Silver Crown.
(Text moves) 30.P6d 31.G7h 32.G6c
32.G5b-6b is another option for White. Anaguma with 6c-Gold has more options for attack and defense.
(Text moves) 33.P3f 34.P7d 35.P6f 36.P4e 37.P6e
if Black plays 38.Px6e, then that continuation would be 39.P2d 40.Px2d 41.Bx3c+ 42.Nx3c 43.Rx2d(orB*7g)
(Text moves) 38.S4d 39.Px6e 40.Gx6d 41.G5h-6g
both White and Black still play book moves.
(Text moves) 42.P*6d 43.K9h 44.P9d 45.P8e
[Another line] 45.P2d 46.Px2d(46.Bx2d 47.P*2b) 47.P3e 48.Sx3e 49.Bx3c+ 50.Nx3c 51.P3f
Playing 45.P2d first is important. if Black plays 45.P3e first, then 46.Sx3e 47.Bx3c+ 48.Nx3c 49.P2d 50.P4f 51.Px2c+ 52.N4e. as you can see, P2d could be ignored.
(Text moves) 46.G6c 47.B8f 48.R6b 49.N7g 50.G7c
Trying to attack 6-file is a common idea for White in this battle of Static Rook with Silver Crown vs 4-file Rook with Anaguma
(Text moves) 51.P6f 52.Px6f 53.Sx6f 54.P6d
White’s advanced Pawn is removed. White is dissatisfied with it.
[Another line] 51.P2d 52.Px2d 53.P*2b 54.Rx2b 55.Nx6e
(Text moves) 55.P2d 56.Bx2d 57.K8h
if White plays 56.Px2d, then Black would play 57.N3g. the pawn sacrifice of 55.P2d prevents B1e. if Black plays 55.N3g, then 56.P3e 57.R2f 58.B1e.
(Text moves) 58.P8d 59.Px8d 60.P*8e 61.B9g 62.P4f 63.Px4f 64.N3c
58.P8d is risky. White kind of ruin himself.
62.P4f is for 64.N3c. if White plays 62.N3c,white would play 63.P*2e, then 64.B1e, 65.P1f. 66.B5i+ 67.P2d
(Text moves) 65.P6c 66.Rx6c 67.Rx2d 68.Px2d 69.B5b
Black catches White off guard. Black wants to into the end game because the Pawn on 8d is still alive and the Silver on 4d is out of play for the moment.
(Text moves) 70.R6b 71.Bx3d+ 72.R*6i 73.+Bx4d 74.Rx2i+ 75.+Bx5c
Black is ahead in material.
(Text moves) 76.N*8f 77.Sx8f 78.Px8f 79.Bx8f
Black simplifies. 76.G7h-6h and Nx8e are candidate moves. perhaps,76.P*6i is also possible.
(Text moves) 80.P*8g 81.Gx8g 82.Gx8d 83.P6c 84.R7b 85.P*8e 86.G8c
if Black plays 81.Kx8g,White will play 82.+Rx9i
(Text moves) 87.N8d 88.+R2h 89.S6h 90.S*5h
if White plays 90.S*5i,Black would play 91.S6f-5g
(Text moves) 91.Nx7b+ 92.Gx7b 93.R*1h 94.+Rx1h 95.Lx1h 96.Sx6g 97.Sx6g
if Black plays 91.G5g, White will play 92.S6i+(or S5i)
96.R*2h is better.
(Text moves) 98.R2h 99.K9g 100.R2i+ 101.S8h 102.G*7a
101.S*8h: Black plays it safe.P6b+ and L9h are also winning moves.
102.G*7a: White has no way to cotinue attacking.
(Text moves) 103.R*5b 104.P6e 105.P8d 106.G8c-7c 107.P6b+ 108.Px6f
if Black plays 105.Nx6e, White will play 106.P*6a
(Text moves) 109.+Px7a 110.Sx7a 111.+Bx7a 112.Gx7a
Black tries to finish.
(Text moves) 113.Rx9b+ 114.Kx9b 115.S*8c 116.Gx8c 117.Px8c+ 118.Kx8c
(Text moves) 119.P*8d 120.K7b 121.B5c+ resign
Why playing Shogi with material odds is important.
Shogi material odds games are played to make Shogi more enjoyable for players at any level. Adjusting material odds is aimed at minimizing the skill difference between two Shogi players. In Japan, there are many Shogi classes, and teachers often play Shogi against their students with material odds.
Material odds games are highly instructive and involved fundamental Shogi concepts. Learning Shogi with material odds is more accessible because you don’t have to memorize countless openings. As the side that removes its pieces has limited material, you can focus on developing pieces and offense, and also you can find weaknesses from where the piece is removed in the enemy position. Usually, your first target is to maneuver your major pieces.
You may struggle to keep up with your study of Shogi when you feel like you’re not progressing. It’s natural to wonder, ‘Am I getting better at Shogi?’ learning Shogi with material odds would make you less worried because you’ll clearly notice your improvement as your handicap diminishes.
Neglecting to learn the basics can make it more challenging to become a strong player. Therefore, if you’re genuinely committed to improving your Shogi skills, I highly recommend playing Shogi with material odds.
Do you want learn some book moves in material odds games? check the links below.
How to improve Shogi skills. 3 Tips to get better.
1 Tactics
a Tactic is used to make the most of the pieces or to put it simply, a Tactic is a good move or sequence of moves that gain an advantage. Knowing Tactics tells you where you need to go in your games. In the middle game, you may be confused about what to think, but if you can recognize or smell that something tactical is there, you can start thinking to make it happen. On the other hand, you might be stuck with what to think if you don’t know that tactics exist. You need to learn Tactics to gain an advantage to win!
2 Solve mate puzzles.
Since the purpose of Shogi is to checkmate your opponent king, enhance recognition of matting patterns is essential. Let’s say, you’re winning in your games, and your opponent king is exposed, but you don’t know checkmate patterns, you could let your opponent turn the tables at ease. Shogi positions are reversed often. If you work hard on solving mate puzzles, you’re going to eventually have different aspects of endgames. It would be a great feeling. Solving mate puzzles also Improves your ability of visualization, because you have to visualize at least the last position to make sure that the king is trapped. If you have a big goal of Shogi, keep solving mate puzzles until finding mate in 5 becomes second nature.
3 Analyze your games
Why going over your games is important is that you can learn from your mistakes to try not to make the same mistake in your future games. You’re going to come across familiar positions that you’ve had, so reviewing your games never be a waste of time. Identify bad moves, recall your thought process, and find hidden Tactics. Those your effort develop your intuition. If it’s hard for you to analyze, you can look back on any thought or any feeling of the game you play. You don’t need to stick to get done it perfectly from the start. You can do it step by step until analyzing your games becomes a habit.
Short Tips for beginners when you’re playing Shogi.
1 Pay attention to your move what you are about to play. At the beginner level, most Shogi games are decided by simply giving away pieces, therefore making sure that you don’t put pieces on squares where they can be captured is quite Important. Especially, be careful with the Rook, the Bishop, the Knight, and the Lance. Avoiding blunders is one of the first steps to win.
2 Think about what is your opponent’s threats. Most people tend to assume what your opponent thinks and then allow something simple that gains an advantage. Trying not to lose is a helpful mindset as trying to win.
3 Try to calculate and Don’t play quickly. I know that It’s hard to calculate, especially when you see good moves or when positions are complicated. It’s no problem that even if your calculation is incorrect. It’s a part of the process of improvement.
4 Castle your king before attacking. If your king is exposed or your king is near the battlefield, you may lose at ease.
5 Develop your pieces. Don’t move the same piece in a row if you don’t have a good reason. Try not to make your pieces out of play.
How to threaten mate
Solution
B3a+
B3a+ threatens G*2b
How to threaten mate
Solution
R3b+
R3b+ threatens N*2c
Checkmate in 7
Solution
1.S1b+ 2.Kx1b 3.Bx1a+ 4.K1c 5.B*3e 6.P2d 7.+B2b