Annotated Shogi Games - Shogi School

Static Rook vs. 4th file Rook

Shogi game explained

(Text moves) 1.P2f 2.P3d 3.P7f 4.P4d 5.S4h 6.R4b

Static Rook vs. 4th file Rook opening.

(Text moves) 7.P2e 8.B3c 9.K6h 10.S3b 11.K7h 12.K6b

both sides develop pieces.

(Text moves) 13.P5f 14.S7b 15.G4i-5h 16.G4a-5b

both sides keep developing pieces.

(Text moves) 17.S5g 18.P9d 19.P9f 20.S4c 21.P8f 22.P6d

looks slow game.

(Text moves) 23.K8g 24.K7a 25.S7h 26.K8b

Black develops Left Mino and White develops Mino.

(Text moves) 27.K9h 28.P5d 29.P3f 30.G6c

White develops High Mino.

(Text moves) 31.S8g 32.P7d 33.G7h 34.P8d

Black develops Left Silver Crown.

(Text moves) 35.R3h 36.R3b 37.P4f 38.S8c

35.R3h: threatens P3e Px3e S4f

36.R3b: prepare to play P4e if Black plays 37.P3e 38.Px3e 39.S4f

(Text moves) 39.P3e 40.Px3e 41.Rx3e 42.G7b

39.P3e: just trades Pawns. 39.P4e is a candidate move.

40.G7b: develops Silver Clown

(Text moves) 43.P4e 44.P*3d 45.R3h 46.Px4e 47.Bx3c+ 48.Nx3c

43.P4e: if White plays 44.Px4e, Black would play 45.P*4d. 43.G5h-6h is possible.

47.Bx3c+: if White plays 48.Rx3c, Black would play 49.B*2b.

(Text moves) 49.P2d 50.Px2d 51.P*4d 52.Sx4d

49.P2d 51.P*4d: common Pawn tactics.

52.Sx4d: if Black plays 53.B*4c 54.R3a 55.Bx3d+, White would play 56.N2e.

(Text moves) 53.Rx3d 54.B*2e 55.Rx4d 56.Bx5h+

54.B*2e: double attacks. this is the downside of 49.P2d but it doesn’t mean 49.P2d is refuted.

55.Rx4d: 55.R3h is playable.

(Text moves) 57.S6h 58.N2e 59.P*3d 60.G*5c

57.S6h: Black is calm. if Black rushes to play 57.R4a+, White would play 58.G*3a

59.P*3d: prevents R3h+

60.G*5c: kicks the Black’s Rook away to take 3d-Pawn.

(Text moves) 61.Rx4e 62.Rx3d 63.P*3e 64.R3b 65.R4a+ 66.Rx3e

61.Rx4e: 61.R4a+ is possible.

65.R4a+: allows 66.Rx3e, but Black has no choice to avoid P*4d

(Text moves) 67.S*6a 68.G7b-6b 69.B*5a 70.+Bx6h 71.Gx6h 72.R3h+

67.S*6a: attacking defenders of Golds is a theory.

69.B*5a: threatens Bx2d+ and +R4b

70.+Bx6h: White can’t play a slow move. if White playas 70.R3h+, Black would play 71.+R4b 72.K7a 73.Bx6b+ 74.Gx6b 75.G*8b

(Text moves) 73.Bx2d+ 74.+Rx2i 75.G7h 76.Nx1g+

73.Bx2d+: it’s just perfect to protect 6h-Gold and 6a-Silver at the same time.

76.Nx1g+: attacks 2d-promoted Bishop. 76.P9e is better.

(Text moves) 77.+B4f 78.+R4i 79.Lx1g 80.+Rx4f 81.+Rx4f 82.Gx6a

77.+B4f: protects 1i-Lance

82.Gx6a: White’s king safety is secure now but losing the promoted Rook is a big downside for White.

(Text moves) 83.+R4a 84.S*7b 85.P*4d 86.B*6i

84.S*7b: White can gain a tempo with 84.S*5b but after 85.+Rx1a, White has no much move to play.

85.P*4d: basic pawn tactic. Black doesn’t need to be in a hurry to attack the White King because White has no material to attack.

86.B*6i: tries to attack the Black King because White has no good defensive move.

(Text moves) 87.P4c+ 88.P8e 89.+Px5c 90.Px8f

88.P8e: tries to deflect 8g-Silver to take 7h-Gold.

89.+Px5c: Black judges attacking is better than defending. if Black plays 89.K8h, White would play 90.Px8f 91.Sx8f 92.P*8g(or P*8e) if Black plays 89.R*6h, White would play 90.Bx7h+ 91.Rx7h 92.Px8f 93.Sx8f 94.P*8e

(Text moves) 91.+Px6c 92.Px8g+ 93.Gx8g 94.S*7h

94.S*7h: White has to keep attacking.

(Text moves) 95.G*7g 96.Sx8g+ 97.Gx8g 98.S*7h

98.S*7h: if Black plays 99.S*8h,White will play 100.Sx8g+ 101.Sx8g 102.P*8f

(Text moves) 99.G*8h 100.Sx8g+ 101.Gx8g

99.G*8h: there is a checkmate continuation by 99.S*7a.

(Text moves) 102.Bx8g+ 103.Kx8g 104.P*8f 105.K7h

105.K7h: the Black King is at large. Black is winning.

(Text moves) 106.G*8h 107.K6h 108.G*5a 109.+Px7b 110.Sx7b.

(Text moves) 111.R*8e 112.G*8c 113.+Rx1a 114.P8g+ 115.P*8d 116.Gx8d 117.Rx8d 118.P*8c

(Text moves) 119.Rx7d 120.P*7c 121.Rx6d 122.P*6c

(Text moves) 123.Rx5d 124.P*4a 125.P*8d 126.P*5c 127.Px8c+ 128.Sx8c 129.P*8d resign

Start
1: ☗P-2f
2: ☖P-3d
3: ☗P-7f
4: ☖P-4d
5: ☗S-4h
6: ☖R-4b
7: ☗P-2e
8: ☖B-3c
9: ☗K-6h
10: ☖S-3b
11: ☗K-7h
12: ☖K-6b
13: ☗P-5f
14: ☖S-7b
15: ☗G4i-5h
16: ☖G4a-5b
17: ☗S-5g
18: ☖P-9d
19: ☗P-9f
20: ☖S-4c
21: ☗P-8f
22: ☖P-6d
23: ☗K-8g
24: ☖K-7a
25: ☗S-7h
26: ☖K-8b
27: ☗K-9h
28: ☖P-5d
29: ☗P-3f
30: ☖G-6c
31: ☗S-8g
32: ☖P-7d
33: ☗G-7h
34: ☖P-8d
35: ☗R-3h
36: ☖R-3b
37: ☗P-4f
38: ☖S-8c
39: ☗P-3e
40: ☖Px3e
41: ☗Rx3e
42: ☖G-7b
43: ☗P-4e
44: ☖P3d 45: ☗R-3h 46: ☖Px4e 47: ☗Bx3c+ 48: ☖Nx3c 49: ☗P-2d 50: ☖Px2d 51: ☗P4d
52: ☖Sx4d
53: ☗Rx3d
54: ☖B2e 55: ☗Rx4d 56: ☖Bx5h+ 57: ☗S-6h 58: ☖N-2e 59: ☗P3d
60: ☖G5c 61: ☗Rx4e 62: ☖Rx3d 63: ☗P3e
64: ☖R-3b
65: ☗R-4a+
66: ☖Rx3e
67: ☗S6a 68: ☖G7b-6b 69: ☗B5a
70: ☖+Bx6h
71: ☗Gx6h
72: ☖R-3h+
73: ☗Bx2d+
74: ☖+Rx2i
75: ☗G-7h
76: ☖Nx1g+
77: ☗+B-4f
78: ☖+R-4i
79: ☗Lx1g
80: ☖+Rx4f
81: ☗+Rx4f
82: ☖Gx6a
83: ☗+R-4a
84: ☖S7b 85: ☗P4d
86: ☖B6i 87: ☗P-4c+ 88: ☖P-8e 89: ☗+Px5c 90: ☖Px8f 91: ☗+Px6c 92: ☖Px8g+ 93: ☗Gx8g 94: ☖S7h
95: ☗G7g 96: ☖Sx8g+ 97: ☗Gx8g 98: ☖S7h
99: ☗G8h 100: ☖Sx8g+ 101: ☗Gx8g 102: ☖Bx8g+ 103: ☗Kx8g 104: ☖P8f
105: ☗K-7h
106: ☖G8h 107: ☗K-6h 108: ☖G5a
109: ☗+Px7b
110: ☖Sx7b
111: ☗R8e 112: ☖G8c
113: ☗+Rx1a
114: ☖P-8g+
115: ☗P8d 116: ☖Gx8d 117: ☗Rx8d 118: ☖P8c
119: ☗Rx7d
120: ☖P7c 121: ☗Rx6d 122: ☖P6c
123: ☗Rx5d
124: ☖P4a 125: ☗P8d
126: ☖P5c 127: ☗Px8c+ 128: ☖Sx8c 129: ☗P8d
130: ☖Resign

Side Pawn Picker

Shogi game explained

(Text moves) 1.P7f 2.P3d 3.P2f 4.P8d 5.P2e 6.P8e 7.G7h 8.G3b

(Text moves) 9.P2d 10.Px2d 11.Rx2d 12.P8f 13.Px8f 14.Rx8f 15.Rx3d 16.B3c

(Text moves) 17.R3f 18.S2b 19.P*8g 20.R8e

(Text moves) 21.R2f 22.K4a 23.K5h 24.S6b 25.P3f 26.G5a

(Text moves) 27.S3h 28.P7d 29.N3g 30.N7c

(Text moves) 31.G4h 32.P*8f 33.Px8f 34.Rx8f

(Text moves) 35.P3e 36.R8e

35.P3e: protects 7f-Pawn and attacks 3-file.

(Text moves) 37.Bx3c+ 38.Nx3c 39.P3d 40.Rx8i+

39.P3d: 39.S8h is better.

(text moves) 41.Px3c+ 42.Sx3c 43.R2a+ 44.P*3a

44.P*3a: the structure of a Pawn under a Gold is very strong in endgames.44.G3a doesn’t work because of 45.B*2c.

(Text moves) 45.P*3d 46.S4d 47.N*2d 48.G3b-4b

46.S4d: 46.N*8f is better.

(Text moves) 49.B*2b 50.K5b 51.Bx3a+ 52.B*9e

52.B*9e threatens +Rx7h Sx7h G*5i

(Text moves) 53.G4i 54.+Rx7h 55.Sx7h 56.G*6h

54.+Rx7h: if White plays 54.N*3f threatening +Rx7h Sx7h G*6h, Black would play 55.P4f.

(Text moves) 57.K4h 58.N*3f 59.K3i 60.G5i

60.G5i: threatens Gx4i Sx4i G*2h

(Text moves) 61.G4h 62.B6h+ 63.R*8b 64.Nx4h+ 65.Kx4h 66.+B5h 67.K3i 68.G*4h

61.G4h: if Black plays 61.N3b+, White would play 62.Gx4i 63.Sx4i 64.G*2h 65.+Rx2h 66.Nx2h+ 67.Kx2h 68.Gx3b 69.+Bx3b 70.N*3f.

63.R*8b: threatens +Bx4b Gx4b G*5a

(Text moves) 69.K2h 70.Gx3h 71.K2g 72.S*4a

71.K2g: Black can’t play 72.Kx3h because 73.+B4i 74.K2i 75.S*3h

72.S*4a: White has no sufficient material.

(Text moves) 73.N*3c 74.Gx3g 75.Kx3g 76.N*4e

(Text moves) 77.K2g 78.P*2f 79.K1f 80.Sx3c 81.Px3c+ resign.

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.

Back to the position after 45.P8e (text move)

(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