Category: New to shogi

Shogi Castles

shogi castles are defensive structures of pieces that protect the king. castles are paired with what opening you play. if you develop Boat Castle against Statick Rook, you may lose easily because Boat Castle is weak against a frontal attack.

Boat Castle

used against Ranging Rook.

pros: easy to develop. the golds and silvers are connected well.

cons: weak against a frontal attack. it’s not far from attack.

elmo castle

used against Ranging Rook

pros: easy to develop. the structure of 6h-Silver and 7i-Gold is strong.

cons: weak against a frontal attack. it’s hard to more develop.

Left Mino

often used against Ranging Rook

pros: strong against side attack. it can be more developed.

cons: when the Bishop is gone, the king’s diagonal open. the king and Bishop can be attacked at the same time.

Silver Crown

often used against Ranging Rook

pros: strong overall.

cons: takes time to develop. the bishop tends to be passive. the king and bishop can be attacked at the same time.

Millennium

used against Ranging Rook

pros: strong and far from attack. the Knight can be an attacker.

cons: takes time to develop. the Knight can be attacked.

Half Mino

used in Ranging Rook vs. static rook games and Double Ranging Rook games.

pros: easy to develop. it can be more developed.

cons: not strong overall.

Mino Castle

used in Ranging Rook vs. static rook games and Double Ranging Rook games.

pros: easy to develop. strong against side attack. it can be more developed.

cons: not strong against a frontal attack. weak against the edge attack.

High Mino

used in Ranging Rook vs. static rook games and Double Ranging Rook games.

pros: strong overall. it can be more developed. 2i-Knight can be an attacker.

cons: it’s not strong against side attack compared to Mino castle. 4g-Gold tends to be a target.

Silver Crown

often used in Ranging Rook vs. static rook games.

pros: strong against a frontal attack. the Knight can be an attacker.

cons: it takes time to develop. it’s not strong against side attack compared to High Mino.

Kimura Mino

often used in Ranging Rook vs. static rook games.

pros: easy to develop. the Knight can be an attacker.

cons: not strong overall. 4g-Silver tends to be a target.

Anaguma

often used in Ranging Rook vs. static rook games.

pros: very strong and far from attack. it can be more developed.

cons: takes time to develop. weak against the edge attack. the King has no space.

Central House

used in Double Static Rook games.

pros: easy to develop. the King has space.

cons: not strong overall. weak on the back rank against Rooks.

Grab Castle

used in Double Static Rook games.

pros: easy to develop. it can be more developed.

cons: not strong overall. the King gets check easily with Rooks.

Gangi Castle

used in Double Static Rook games.

pros: easy to develop. the King has space.

cons: not strong overall.

Yagura

often used in Double Static Rook games.

pros: hard to break down with a frontal attack. it can be more developed.

cons: weak against side attack.

Shogi Openings

There are two main types of openings. Static Rook( 居飛車 Ibisya) is that using the Rook statically. You move R-Pawn to 2f-2e to activate the Rook. Ranging Rook(振り飛車 Furibisya) is that using the Rook on the left side. besides, they are divided into many openings.

Static Rook

Double Wing Attack(相掛り Aigakari): there are not many book moves relatively. you might tend to meet unfamiliar positions.

Side Pawn Picker(横歩取り Yokofudori): one of the most intense openings. there are many traps for each other. you could lose easily if you don’t know book moves.

Yagura(矢倉 Yagura): both sides can develop pieces well. it’s said that Yagura is the classic of Shogi.

Bishop Exchange(角換り Kakugawari): both sides have Bishops in hand from the beginning. you need to be careful not to let your opponent put the Bishop in your area.

Ranging Rook

Opposing Rook(向飛車 Mukaibisya): you can play this opening if your opponent plays P8e early. the purpose of this opening is that trying to counter-attack by playing P8f Px8f Bx8f(or Rx8f)

3rd-file Rook(三間飛車 Sankenbisya): it might be hard to play because it’s unclear how to use the Rook. the Rook guards the Bishop’s head indirectly.

Ishida Style(石田流 Isidaryu): it’s aggressive more than 3rd-file Rook. usually, this opening is for Black.

Masuda’s Ishida Style(升田式石田流 Masudashikiishidaryu): it’s hard to play because both sides have the Bishop in hand and the Black Rook is in the middle of rank.

4th-file Rook(四間飛車 Shikenbisya): it’s a popular opening for beginners because it’s easy to develop pieces and you can activate your Rook and Bishop at the same time when you play P6e. the downside is that you tend to be passive.

Central Rook(中飛車 Nakabisya): it’s hard to play because the left Gold tends to go to the left side.

Gokigen Central Rook(ゴキゲン中飛車 Gokigennakabisya): it’s aggressive more than Central Rook. it is named after a professional Shogi player, Masakazu Kondou 6Dan, who won many matches with it in 2004 and was always cheerful (cheerful means “Gokigen” in Japanese)

Double Ranging Rook(相振り飛車 Aifuribisya): you need to come up with how to develop pieces because this opening tends to be out of book.

Shogi Pieces


How Shogi pieces move and Shogi piece names.

King (玉 Gyoku )

the King can move one square in any direction

practice moving the King ➡ capture the Pawn

Rook (飛 Hisya)/ Promoted Rook or Dragon (竜 Ryu)

the Rook can move forward, backward, and sideways as far as it wants to. the Promoted Rook can move the same as the rook or the King.

practice moving the Rook➡ capture the Pawn

Bishop (角 Kaku)/ promoted Bishop or Horse (馬 Uma)

the Bishop can move diagonally as far as it wants to. the Promoted Bishop can move the same as the Rook or the King.

practice moving the Bishop➡ capture the Pawn

Gold (金 Kin)

the Gold can move one square forward, backward sideways, and diagonally forwards.

practice moving the Gold➡ capture the Pawn

Silver (銀 Gin)/ Promoted Silver (成銀 Narigin)

the Silver can move one square forward and diagonally. the Promoted Silver can move the same as the Gold.

practice moving the Silver➡ capture the Pawn

Knight (桂 Kei)/ Promoted Knight (成桂 Narikei)

the Knight can move in an L- sharped direction, 2 squares forward, plus one square to the side. the Promoted Knight can move the same as the Gold.

practice moving the Knight➡ capture the Pawn

Lance (香 Kyo)/ Promoted Lance (成香 Narikyo)

the Lance can move forwards as far as it wants. the Promoted Lance can move the same as the Gold.

practice moving the Lance➡ capture the Pawn

Pawn (歩 Fu)/ Promoted Pawn (と金 Tokin)

Pawn moves only one square forward. the Promoted Pawn can move the same as the Gold.

practice moving the Pawn➡ capture the Pawn

Phases of the Shogi game.

a Shogi game consists of 3 phases, the opening, the middle game, and the end game.

the Opening

it’s like preparation time to go to war. both sides get Kings castled and develop their pieces to commit to which opening strategies they play before launching an attack.

the Middle game

it’s like a full-scale battle. roughly, when there are piece crashes, or a side sacrifice a Pawn to start attacking, we enter a middle game. there are many trades. you want to maneuver pieces and try to weaken your opponent’s defense.

the End game

the last battle. you try to destroy your opponent’s castle and start calculating to checkmate the enemy King.