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Yagura (castle)

2024-06-12T01:49:57Z

Iongrey: additions to Strategy

The Yagura castle (矢倉囲い ''yagura gakoi'') is a [[castle]] that appears most frequently in [[Static Rook#Double Static Rook|Double Static Rook]] and [[Ranging Rook#Double Ranging Rook|Double Ranging Rook]] openings. The basic shape of the Yagura castle consists of a silver on 77 and a gold on 78.

== Strategy ==

=== Strengths and Weaknesses ===
In shogi, every castle has strengths and weaknesses, and the Yagura castle is no exception to this rule. Understanding the Yagura's strengths and weaknesses makes it easier to find the best measures and countermeasures to use, playing with or against a Yagura castle.

The Yagura castle is strong at defending attacks against the king's head, and weak against defending attacks from the flank. For this reason, the Yagura castle is well suited for the Double Static Rook and Double Ranging Rook openings in which it most frequently appears. Nevertheless, the Yagura castle can also be used in opposition games. For example, [[Yasuharu Oyama]] once successfully employed a Static Rook Yagura castle against [[Hatasu Ito]]'s Ranging Rook Anaguma castle.<ref>https://shogidb2.com/games/d87ad3fe9262af0bdb34a8c4e8d8e13d28c808d6</ref> As Oyama demonstrated in this game, against Ranging Rook strategies, the Yagura castle can be developed into a [[King's Head Vanguard Pawn]] formation to emphasize the thickness at the head of the castle.

An advantage of the Yagura castle is that the king's position on 88 is covered by the gold on 78 and the silver on 77. Consequently, it is difficult to chase the king out of a Yagura castle with consecutive checks in the endgame. In contrast, the [[Mino castle]] does not have this advantage.

The 76 square is a weak point of the Yagura castle. If the silver is attacked with an opponent's pawn on 76, the Yagura shape will be broken and not easily repaired.

The edge is a weak point of the Yagura castle. In most variations of the Yagura castle, the edge is defended by only a lance and a knight. For this reason, the Yagura castle is vulnerable to edge attacks.

=== King Position ===
The characteristics of the Yagura castle can change depending on the king position.

When the king is castled to 79, the king is vulnerable to checks from bishops along the diagonal from 79 to 13, and from rooks on the back rank. Nevertheless, the 79 square can be safer from attacks against the head of the Yagura castle. [[Shintaro Saito]] used this property to successfully initiate an attack from the head of his Yagura castle against [[Seiya Kondo]]'s Right King castle.<ref>https://shogidb2.com/games/8a896bcd7332f02e14589776f4bc98f4390bd902</ref> Although it is risky and often ill-advised to use a castle for attack, Saito benefitted from the fact that his king, on the 79 square, was far from the battlefield.

When the king is castled to 88, the king is less vulnerable to attacks from the flank. On the other hand, edge attacks and attacks against the head of the Yagura castle become more severe when the king is castled to 88. In addition, the king is in the direct line of fire of the opponent's bishop on the long diagonal. In the third game of the 2023 Meijin title match, [[Akira Watanabe]] castled his king to 88 on move 37, a dubious and provocative move which induced [[Sota Fujii]] to attack on the long diagonal. Although the AI evaluation was in Fujii's favor, Watanabe gained the upper hand and won the game after extreme complications in the middlegame and endgame, containing multiple consecutive threatmate-removing threatmates and a critical variation leading to an illegal perpetual check.<ref>https://shogidb2.com/games/fda150741b465760671f74183d82fdcbe699009b</ref>

==References==
<references />

Castle

2024-06-12T01:30:17Z

Iongrey:

A '''castle''' (囲い ''kakoi'', literally "enclosure") is a defensive formation consisting of two to four connected generals that guard the king. There are a wide array of castles to choose from, and using a particular castle (or choosing not to castle) is a strategic decision that could make the difference between victory and defeat. The two main factors to consider are the type of opening being played and the direction of the attack. In accordance with the proverb "Keep the king and rook separated", a player using a [[Swinging Rook]] strategy (where the rook moves to the left side of the board) will typically castle to the right, while a player using a [[Static Rook]] strategy (where the rook stays on the right side) will castle to the left. There are exceptions to this rule, such as central castles. With the recent popularity of rapid attacks, it's not uncommon for even pro shogi players to forego castling entirely, using only a cursory defense as needed.

A position where the king doesn't move is called [[Sitting King]] and is used in recent modern openings like [[Bishop Exchange]].

= Swinging Rook Castles (Right-side Castles) =
These castles are typically employed by a Swinging Rook player. The Mino Castle and its variants are the most commonly employed against a Static Rook strategy, as they are strong on the sides, but in a Double Swinging Rook game players may opt for a castle which can resist attacks from above, such as the Peerless Golds or Right Yagura. The most known castles are:

=== vs Static Rook openings ===
* Mino Castle
* High Mino
* Silver Crown
* Kimura Mino
* Half Mino
* Diamond Mino
* Swinging Rook Anaguma (Furi-Ana), 2-4 generals combinations
* Cozy Castle
* Other

=== in Double Swinging Rook openings ===
* Peerless Golds (old Twin Gold, Gold Excelsior)
* Right-side Anaguma
* Right-side Yagura
* Other

= Static Rook Castles (Left-side Castles) =
These castles are most commonly used by Static Rook players. [[Yagura (castle)|Yagura]] is considered a very sturdy castle in a Double Static Rook game, but can be slow to construct. Against a Swinging Rook strategy the Boat and elmo castles are quicker castles that allow for a rapid attack, but are not as solid as an Anaguma or Mino.

=== in Double Static Rook openings ===
* Crab Castle
* Yagura (Fortress) and its variations
* Gangi
* Other

=== vs Swinging Rook openings ===
* Boat Castle
* elmo Castle
* Static Rook Anaguma (Ibi-Ana)
* Leftside Mino
* Silver Crown
* Yonenaga's King
* Millenium Castle
* Other

= Central Castles =
While not as common due to the difficulty of needing to defend on both sides, some strategies keep the king and defending generals in the center of the board, allowing for a faster attack and guarding against drops within the camp. E.g. Side-Pawn Picker (Double Static) or Takada-Style (Double Ranging). Rarely used in Opposition shogi.

* Central House (Nakazumai)
* Nakahara's Castle (Nakahara's King)
* Duck
* Invincible Castle
* Other

= Others =
Handicap games use special castles like Silver Tandem and others.

Static Rook

2024-06-12T00:57:37Z

Iongrey: /* Yagura */

Static Rook (居飛車 ibisha) is one of two main opening strategies (the other being [[Ranging Rook]]). As part of a Static Rook strategy, the rook is kept on the right side of the board (its relative position remains "static") and the king is typically castled to the left. Static Rook openings were originally the main way to play shogi, and they have been studied quite extensively, leading to many well-known and sharp lines. A game where both players use a Static Rook strategy is known as a "Double Static Rook" (相居飛車 ai ibisha) game, and a game where one player uses a Static Rook strategy while the other plays a Ranging Rook strategy is known as an "Opposition" (対抗型 taikoukei) game, sometimes simply referred to as "Static vs Ranging Rook". Both kinds of games can contain Rapid Attacks (急戦 kyuusen) or become Slow Games (持久戦 jikyuusen, literally "war of attrition").

= Rook Position =
Each of the below openings is considered a Static Rook strategy, typically named after the file that the Rook attacks from. Use the links to find more detailed information on each one.

[[1st-File Rook]]

[[Static Rook]] (opening)

[[Sleeve Rook]] (Right 3rd-File)

[[Right 4th-File Rook]]

= Double Static Rook =
Double Static Rook games are among the most challenging, as their lines have been thoroughly studied and play tends to be very aggressive, with the rooks aimed directly at the kings. These games can be divided into four main categories, with two others becoming popular in recent years. They are:

== Yagura ==
[[Yagura (Strategy)]] (矢倉 yagura)

== Bishop Exchange ==
[[Bishop Exchange]] (角換わり kakugawari)

=== Gote's Tempo Loss Bishop Exchange ===
[[Gote's Tempo Loss Bishop Exchange]] (後手番一手損角換わり goteban itte zon kakugawari, literally "Gote One-turn-loss Bishop Exchange")

== Double Wing Attack ==
[[Double Wing Attack]] (相掛かり aigakari)

== Side Pawn Picker ==
[[Side Pawn Picker]] (横歩取り yoko fudori), also called "Side Pawn Taker"

== Gangi ==
[[Gangi (Strategy)]] (雁木 gangi)

== Gote's Tempo Loss Bishop Exchange ==
== Castles ==
As the main attack will be coming directly at the king's head, Double Static Rook Castles typically focus on defending attacks from the front. Castles considered advantageous for a Double Static Rook game are:

=== Crab ===
[[Crab Castle]] (カニ囲い kani gakoi)

=== Yagura ===
[[Yagura (castle)|Yagura Castle]] (矢倉囲い yagura gakoi)

=== Gangi ===
[[Gangi Castle]] (雁木囲い gangi gakoi), also called "Snow Roof"

= Opposition =
Opposition games often contain a sort of preliminary fight, where both sides attempt to break through the weaker side, promote their rooks, and then come at the king from the side. The games take shape depending on the strategy employed by the Ranging Rook player.

== vs Central Rook ==

== vs 4th-File ==

== vs 3rd-File ==

== vs Ishida ==

== vs Opposing Rook ==

== Castles ==
As it is often dangerous to expose your king, and both kings are likely to be castled on the same side of the board, the endgame almost always begins with an attack from the side. Thus, both players tend to build castles which can resist attacks from the side. This includes:

=== Boat　===
[[Boat Castle]] (舟囲い funagakoi)

=== elmo　===
[[elmo Castle]] (elmo囲い gakoi)

=== Left Mino　===
Left [[Mino Castle]] (左美濃囲い hidari mino gakoi)

=== Bonanza　===
[[Bonanza Castle]] (ボナンザ囲い bonanza gakoi)
[[Category:Strategies]]

Yagura (castle)

2024-06-11T21:29:38Z

Iongrey: creation, describing strengths and weaknesses

Light Speed Endgame Technique

2024-01-16T19:25:34Z

Iongrey:

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''}}

'''''Light Speed Endgame Technique''''' (光速の終盤術 ''kousoku no shuubanjutsu'') is a shogi book authored by [[Koji Tanigawa]] and published in 1988. The book contains 25 self-annotated games in which Tanigawa explores the fundamental nature of shogi endgames. It is highly regarded as an advanced endgame manual for shogi players of every skill level. A complete [https://www2.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/SHOGI/TANIGAWABOOK/coverpage.html English translation] is available online for free.

=Background=
The book title references Tanigawa's signature ability of winning in the endgame by increasing the speed of his attack to be the first to capture his opponent's king, which was given the nickname of "light speed endgame" (光速の寄せ ''kousoku no yose''). According to fellow professional player [[Osamu Nakamura]], the timing of Tanigawa's attack was about 3 moves faster compared to his opponents. Players who did not share his brilliant sense of speed would feel as if his endgame moves were "invisible" to them, like an object moving at the speed of light.

Shogi Resources

2024-01-12T00:02:39Z

Iongrey: page creation

=Play=
* [http://81dojo.com/client/?locale=en 81Dojo]
* [https://lishogi.org/ lishogi]
* [https://shogidojo.net/ SC24]
* [[Shogi Wars]]

=Study=
* [[Shogi Harbour]] - A shogi initiative by [[Karolina Fortin]], including a [https://discord.gg/wggn65v Discord community] and a [https://www.youtube.com/@ShogiHarbour YouTube channel]
* [https://playshogi.com/ PlayShogi] - A website by [[Jean Fortin]]
* [[Light Speed Endgame Technique]] - A highly regarded endgame manual with [https://www2.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/SHOGI/TANIGAWABOOK/coverpage.html English translation]

=Watch=
* ABEMA Shogi TV - [https://abema.tv/now-on-air/shogi primary broadcast] and [https://abema.tv/now-on-air/shogi-live secondary broadcast]

Light Speed Endgame Technique

2024-01-11T11:06:14Z

Iongrey: /* Background */

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''}}

'''''Light Speed Endgame Technique''''' (光速の終盤術 ''kousoku no shuubanjutsu'') is a shogi book authored by [[Tanigawa Kōji]] and published in 1988. The book contains 25 self-annotated games in which Tanigawa explores the fundamental nature of shogi endgames. It is highly regarded as an advanced endgame manual for shogi players of every skill level. A complete [https://www2.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/SHOGI/TANIGAWABOOK/coverpage.html English translation] is available online for free.

=Background=
The book title references Tanigawa's signature ability of winning in the endgame by increasing the speed of his attack to be the first to capture his opponent's king, which was given the nickname of "light speed endgame" (光速の寄せ ''kousoku no yose''). According to fellow professional player [[Nakamura Osamu]], the timing of Tanigawa's attack was about 3 moves faster compared to his opponents. Players who did not share his brilliant sense of speed would feel as if his endgame moves were "invisible" to them, like an object moving at the speed of light.

Light Speed Endgame Technique

2024-01-11T11:05:33Z

Iongrey:

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''}}

'''''Light Speed Endgame Technique''''' (光速の終盤術 ''kousoku no shuubanjutsu'') is a shogi book authored by [[Tanigawa Kōji]] and published in 1988. The book contains 25 self-annotated games in which Tanigawa explores the fundamental nature of shogi endgames. It is highly regarded as an advanced endgame manual for shogi players of every skill level. A complete [https://www2.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/SHOGI/TANIGAWABOOK/coverpage.html English translation] is available online for free.

=Background=
The book title references Tanigawa's signature ability of winning the endgame by increasing the speed of his attack to be the first to capture his opponent's king, which was given the nickname of "light speed endgame" (光速の寄せ ''kousoku no yose''). According to fellow professional player [[Nakamura Osamu]], the timing of Tanigawa's attack was about 3 moves faster compared to his opponents. Players who did not share his brilliant sense of speed would feel as if his endgames moves were "invisible" to them, like an object moving at the speed of light.

Light Speed Endgame Technique

2024-01-11T09:23:35Z

Iongrey: Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''}} '''''Light Speed Endgame Technique''''' (光速の終盤術 ''kousoku no shuubanjutsu'') is a shogi book authored by Tanigawa Kōji and published in 1988. The book contains 25 self-annotated games in which Tanigawa explores the fundamental nature of shogi endgames. It is highly regarded as an advanced endgame manual for shogi players of every skill level. A complete [https://www2.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/SHOGI/TANIGAWABOOK/coverpage.ht..."