Sleeve Rook

Sleeve Rook (袖飛車 Sodebisha) is an opening in shogi in which the rook is moved to the third file from the right from the perspective of the player. Alternatively it was translated to Sidestepped Rook in The Art Of Shogi.

It is generally known as part of Static Rook opening category but can be used in Swinging Rook as well.

Some sources claim that the inventor of this strategy is said to be Sankichi Sakata (坂田三吉), yet other say:

"The most spectacular advances in opening technique can be atributed [sic!] to the 4th Lifetime Meijin, Ohashi Sokei, at the tail end of the 17th century, but the Central, 4th-file, 3rd-file, Opposing and Sleeve Rook openings had all made their appearance as early as 1600."

• An example of Ohashi's (初代大橋宗桂) game can be a match played in 1615.
• One example of Sakata's game can be a match played on 13 April 1913, Sankichi Sakata vs Kinjiro Sekine (関根金次郎).

Diag 1. - Ohashi ☖ pieces in hand: – 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   香 桂   金 王 金   桂 香 1   飛           角   2         銀 銀   歩 歩 3 歩   歩 歩 歩 歩 歩     4   歩               5 歩   歩 銀 歩 歩 歩     6   歩 角 歩   銀   歩 歩 7     金       飛     8 香 桂     玉 金   桂 香 9 ☗ pieces in hand: – Until ☗R-38

Diag. 2 - Sakata ☖ pieces in hand: – 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   香 桂       金   桂 香 1   飛   銀 金 王 銀 角   2 歩     歩       歩 歩 3     歩   歩 歩 歩     4   歩               5     歩 歩 歩   歩     6 歩 歩 角 銀 銀 歩   歩 歩 7     金       飛     8 香 桂     玉 金   桂 香 9 ☗ pieces in hand: – Until ☗R-38

In both cases ☗P-36 ~ ☗R38 were played without pushing the rook pawn once.

Name Origin

The name comes from the fact that the rook moves to one square to the left from the main position - like a sleeve is next to an arm.