Shogi opening

A shogi opening (戦法 senpō) is the sequence of initial moves of a shogi game before the middle game.

A joseki (定跡 jōseki) is the especially recommended sequence of initial moves that has been found by professional players in researching shogi openings.

There are many of different openings with many named variants.

Shogi openings are generally slower than that of chess, due to the larger board and less mobile pieces. But since a quick offense will leave a player's home territory open to drop attacks as soon as pieces are exchanged, one aim of the opening is to build up defenses for the king

Introduction

There are two usual first moves. A player can move the rook pawn forward (P-2f), or, more commonly, advance the pawn above and to the right of the bishop (P-7f). The former is known as a rook opening and the latter a bishop opening.

With a bishop opening, it's common to exchange bishops by having one capture the other. This allows each player to put their newly captured bishop into play anywhere on the board on their next move although care must be taken to avoid weaknesses in defense which may allow for a bishop drop from their opponent. However, it is not advantageous to exchange bishops if your opponent has a better defensive setup, or more lines of attack. Moreover, making a bishop exchange constitutes one turn loss, so it's not advised without a good reason.

Many common opening attacks involve advancing a silver and ideally pawns, protected by other pieces. Because silvers have more possibilities for retreat, silvers are generally considered superior as attacking pieces in the opening and middle game while golds better defend their sides and are superior as defensive pieces. It is common practice to defend the king with three generals, two golds and a silver.

Because defense is so important, and because shogi pieces are relatively slow movers, the opening game tends to be much longer in shogi than in international chess,^[1] commonly with a dozen or more moves to shore up defenses before the initial attack is made. As part of the defense, typically the king is moved to the side in a castle with three generals.^[2] Leaving a king on its original square (居玉 igyoku or "sitting king") is a particularly dangerous position.^[1][3]

Over many decades, Japanese professional players have invented various jōseki (定跡), which determine moves and sequences which are thought to be the best for a particular situation. It also covers a branch of different variations within an intricate strategy, including alternative options and the certain consequences that some moves may bring.^[4]

Opening classification

Openings are traditionally classified as either Static Rook (居飛車 ibisha) openings, where the offense is supported by the rook in its original position, or Ranging Rook (振り飛車 furibisha) openings, where the rook moves to the center or left of the board to support an attack there, typically with the idea of allowing the opponent to attack while arranging a better defense and aiming for a counterattack.^[5]

However, as the most powerful piece on the board, the rook invites attack, and in most cases, especially for inexperienced players, it is a good idea to keep the king well away from the rook.^[1] Relatedly, the Static vs Ranging classification corresponds to castle development: static rook positions with the rook on the right side of the board tend to have castles on the left side of the board while ranging rook positions tend to have castles on the right side.

Openings are traditionally further categorized based on the opening each player chooses:

1. Double Static Rook (相居飛車 aiibisha) [that is, Black Static Rook vs White Static Rook]
2. Static Rook vs Ranging Rook (居飛車対振り飛車 ibisha tai furibisha)
3. Ranging Rook vs Static Rook (振り飛車対居飛車 furibisha tai ibisha)
4. Double Ranging Rook (相振り飛車 aifuribisha)

Certain castles are traditionally thought to be more appropriate for particular Black/White opening combinations.

For each general static or ranging rook classification, there are many different opening types with traditional josekis.

Static Rook

Static Rook (居飛車 ibisha) openings usually have the player's rook at its start position, which is second file (2h) for Black and the eighth file (8b) for White. Static Rook openings also include openings in which the rook has moved one or two squares to the player's left but still remains on the right side of the board.

Most Static Rook openings coincide with a castle development on the player's left side of board. In the adjacent diagram is an example of a castle built on the left side of the board paired with a Static Rook position.^[6] The castle is a Left Silver Crown Anaguma (with advanced edge pawn).

Examples of Static Rook openings:

• Yagura (矢倉)
• Side Pawn Capture (横歩取り)
• Bishop Exchange (角換わり)
• Double Wing Attack (相掛かり)
• Right Fourth File Rook (右四間飛車)
• Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack (5七銀左急戦)
• Super High Speed Silver-3g (超速3七銀)
• Iijima Bishop Pullback (飯島流引き角)
• Static Bishop Left Mino (居角左美濃)
• Right Third File Rook (袖飛車)

Ranging Rook

Ranging Rook (振り飛車 furibisha) openings, where the rook moves to the center or left of the board to support an attack there.

Examples of Ranging Rook openings:

• Central Rook (中飛車)
• Fourth File Rook (四間飛車)
• Fujii System (藤井システム)
• Third File Rook (三間飛車)
• Quick Ishida (早石田)
• Opposing Rook (向かい飛車)
• Double Ranging Rook (相振り飛車)
• Feignt Ranging Rook (陽動振り飛車)
• Demon Slayer (鬼殺し)
• Lady Killer Wham-Bam Rook (女殺しドッカン飛車)

Other openings

Right King

Right King (右玉 migi gyoku) is a defensive opening in which the king stays on the right side of board along with rook, which protects the last i rank as well as the eighth file. It is an exception to the general rule that the king is castled away from the rook.

It is possible to use a Right King formation within a Bishop Exchange opening.

Twisting Rook

Twisting Rook (ひねり飛車 hineribisha) or Rook On Pawn (縦歩取り tate fudori) is characterized by first playing a Static Rook opening that then switches to a Ranging Rook strategy with the rook positioned in front of one's camp.

One possible aim of Twisting Rook to achieve an offensive structure similar to the attacking formation used in an Ishida opening.

Snowroof

Snowroof (雁木 gangi)

Bishop Head Pawn

Bishop Head Pawn (角頭歩 kaku toufu) is characterized by advancing the bishop's head pawn on 8g to 8f early in the game, in which it is undefended. It is played against a Static Rook position.

Demon Slayer

Demon Slayer or Demon Killer (鬼殺し oni koroshi) is a trap opening sequence initiated by Black. If defended against properly by White, then it puts Black in an unfavorable position. Therefore, it is designed to trap novice players.

Demon Slayer can be defended against by moving White's right gold to 6c.

New Demon Slayer

New Demon Slayer (新鬼殺し shin oni koroshi) is a variation of the Demon Slayer opening.

Ureshino

The Ureshino (嬉野流 ureshino-ryū) opening is an aggressive Static Rook opening characterized by moving the right silver to the sixth file and then pulling back the bishop to the silver's start position.^[7]

It has an element of surprise as the move sequences are nonstandard and not found in professional play.

Ureshino can be played against both Static Rook and Ranging Rook opponents.

1. S-6h. The opening move of Ureshino.

1. ... P-3d. For White's next move, it is most likely that they will open their bishop's diagonal by advancing their third file pawn. This move prevents Black from opening their bishop diagonal (2. P-7f) as their right silver is no longer positioned to defend their bishop on 8h.

It is also possible for White to their rook pawn (1. ... P-8d) instead of opening the bishop diagonal. In this case, Black may subsequently attempt a Double Yagura opening by opening their bishop diagonal (2. P-7f). Then, this move sequence is just a transposition of the usual 1. P-7f P-8d, 2. S-6h order.

2. B-7i. Since their bishop is now confined behind Black's camp, Black must quickly move their bishop into a position in which the bishop can be used effectively. Thus, the bishop is pulled back to the seventh file aiming at the 5g square, which Black will open in a future move. This move, however, does leave their eighth file pawn vulnerable, tempting White to start a Static Rook attack on that file, which is part of Black's plan.

Against Static Rook

2. ... P-8d, 3. G-7h. White plays Static Rook, and Black must protect the eighth file pawn with their left gold.

3. ... P-8e. White continues with their rook pawn aiming to exchanging the pawn to get a pawn in hand.

4. S-4h. Right silver advances.

Although Black needs to push their central pawn (P-5f), it cannot be done at this time since after the pawn exchange on the eighth file White's rook will be positioned on the f rank and capture Black's central pawn.

4. ... P-8f, 5. Px8f Rx8f. White initiates the pawn exchange.

6. P*8h. Black protects their knight from White's rook with a pawn drop.

The pawn is dropped on the h rank instead of the g rank since this leads to the 8g square being defended by two pieces (the pawn and the gold). If Black dropped the pawn to 8g, then only the gold would defend 8g allowing White to break into the eighth file with a Climbing Silver strategy where White's right silver advances to the 8g square.

Lady Killer Wham-Bam Rook

The Lady Killer Wham-Bam Rook (女殺しドッカン飛車 onna koroshi dokkan hisha) is a Ranging Rook surprise opening that was used by pornographer Oniroku Dan.

Frequency of initial move sequences

Out of the 58,214 recorded professional games on Kyokumenpedia (局面ペヂィア), 78% started with a bishop pawn opening (P-7f) and 20% started with a rook pawn opening (P-2f).^[8]

A less common first move (1% of Kyokumenpedia games) is the king's pawn (P-5f).

Other first moves are relatively rare.

Handicap openings

Games between players of different strengths are often played with pieces removed from the stronger player's side.

Many of these handicap games have their own josekis.

See also

• Shogi opening sequences
• Shogi strategy and tactics
• Castle (shogi)
• Chess opening

Notes

References

Bibliography

• 天野, 貴元 (2015). 奇襲研究所: 嬉野流編. マイナビ出版. 
• Fairbairn, John (1984). Shogi for Beginners. Ishi Press. ISBN 978-4-8718-720-10. 
• Grimbergen, Reijer; Rollason, Jeff (2003). "Board Maps and Hill-Climbing for Opening and Middle-Game Play for Shogi". In Schaeffer, Jonathan; Müller, Martin; Björnsson, Yngvi. Computers and Games: Third International Conference, CG 2002, Edmonton, Canada, July 25–27, 2002, Revised Papers. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. 2883. Springer-Verlag. pp. 171–187. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-40031-8_12. ISBN 978-3-540-20545-6. ISSN 0302-9743 – via Google Books. 
• Hosking, Tony (1997). The Art of Shogi. The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0-95310-890-9. 
• "Kyokumenpedia" 局面ペディア [Kyokumenpedia]. Kyokumenpedia (in Japanese). Team ISCube. 2016. : Many shogi games (professional, online, AI) put into a decision tree structure with user-generated commentary and references and some opening classifications.
• "kieta senpō no nazo" 消えた戦法の謎 [Quest of the Lost Systems]. Shogi.Net. Mainichi Communications Co. 1995. 

Further reading

• Aono, Teruichi (1983). Guide to Shogi openings: Shogi problems in Japanese and English. Translated by Fairbairn, John. 
• Aono, Teruichi (2009) [First published in 1983]. Better Moves for Better Shogi. Translated by Fairbairn, John (2nd ed.). Ishi Press. ISBN 978-4-87187-999-6. 
• Kitao, Madoka (2011). Joseki at a glance. Translated by Kawasaki, Tomohide. Nekomado. ISBN 978-4-9052-2501-0. 

External links

• Shogi Openings · Strategy blog by 6-dan professional, Akira Nishio.
• How To Play Shogi (将棋): Lesson 14: Opening principles
• Youtube: HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings · Playlist of opening videos with detailed explanation.
• Quest of the Lost Systems · Partial translation of 消えた戦法の謎 kieta senpō no nazo by Kiyokazu Katsumata.
• How to Defend in Shogi · Partial translation of 将棋の受け方 shōgi no ukekata by Yasuharu Ōyama.
• Create Shogi Diagram on the Web · Generates a SFEN string corresponding to a shogi board postion. The SFEN string can be searched for on the 局面ペヂィア website's search page.
• 戦法図鑑 (zenpozukan) · List of animated opening diagrams. (Japanese)
• Senpou Zukan Opening strategies · Translation of 戦法図鑑 website directly above
• Handicap Series by Larry Kaufman