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“What should YOU study first in order to improve your Shogi?” ~How to play “GIN-TADEN”①-
Hi, my name is Iori Matsukaze. In Japanese notation, I’m “松風いおり”.
I’ve been worried about the lack of Japanese chess articles, so I have written some articles about chess in Japanese for domestic players. I have been worried about the lack of Japanese chess materials, so I have written an article about chess in Japanese for domestic players. Recently, I became a Vtuber to expand my activities, so please follow me if you like :) I plan to disseminate not only board games such as shogi and chess, but also traditional Japanese culture. You won’t regret it.
Immediately, let me talk about shogi.
Sometimes people ask me, “What should I study in order to improve shogi?”
There are many answers to this universal question. Even professional shogi players who make a living from shogi may have various ideas. Beginners will be confused. Which type of battle should I study? After all, which is stronger, static rook or ranging rook? Which is the strongest castle? Should I study shogi problems? What kind of book should I buy to raise my rating? Should I analyse the game records of professional shogi players? Who is the cutest female shogi player?
In conclusion, I think you should do what you want. I'm sorry if it sounds ruthless, but I have my own idea for this. When you try to work on a study method that you ask someone and feel that it doesn't suit you, can you still like playing shogi? If there’re people who dislike shogi itself because of others, I think it's better to experience frustration as a result of actively challenging what you want to do.
After clarifying my stance, I’d like to answer the first question in my own way. The first thing you should do to improve your shogi is to study Joseki(meaning the standard strategic lines) of the handicap games.
The handicap game of shogi is similar to the odd games of chess. An advanced player removes his/her pieces from the board before the game starts, giving a handicap to the other. As the purpose is to bridge the gap between each other's abilities depending on how they remove the pieces, handicap games are also used to determine what level a player have.
I don't intend to explain how to move shogi pieces and their names because you can find them on google. Following someone’s footprints isn’t congenital to me.
These days, more and more players aren't familiar with the book line of handicap games, so many may not know what I'm about to explain. Still, this standard line, which has been sophisticated over many years and raised many beginners, is like a great mother. If you're at a loss as to what to study from, you're sure to learn a lot from her. Above all, studying it will help you to understand what is essential for your progress. For example, how to protect when pieces collide, think and attack the enemy team, make sacrifice successful, and checkmate the opponent.
The first thing I explain is how to win the Nimai-ochi game. Nimaiochi means a game in which advanced players have a handicap by not using their own rook and bishop. So the starting diagram would look like the following, if you were the handicapped side.
(Figure.1: Start potision)
Make sure your opponent doesn't have Rook and Bishop.
The standard bookline I introduce today is called “Gin-taden” in Japanese. In Kanji, it is written as “銀多伝.” “銀(Gin)” means silver generals. There is no word "TADEN" in Japanese today. Therefore, there are various considerations about the meaning of the word TADEN, but one theory says that it means vertical or lengthways. In fact, the words "TATE" and "TADEN", which mean that, have similar pronunciations. So “GIN-TADEN” means "Lengthways arranged Silver generals".
(Figure.2: ~ 2. P-76)
Moves: 1. ... S-62 2. P-76
Needless to say, I use the notation "S-62" to mean "the S (Silver general: 銀将) has moved to the second rank square in the 6th file".
Where you don't want to be broken at home, I think it's the ceiling (although I wanna live in an unbroken house). Also, I guess your panties are the most troublesome thing for you to have holes in them (actually, I don't like clothes with holes even in jeans). Often, we're afraid of instability on our heads, and we want something that protects what's important to have some strength. That's why White (the advanced) first moved S to 62 and defended 53. Black (the one who got the handicap), on the other hand, moved the pawn from 77 to 76, giving Bishop mobility. This P-76 is the first move that is often chosen not only in handicap games but also in ordinary games. Unlike chess, bishops are treated as major pieces in shogi. It’s the ironclad rule of shogi that aims to utilize major pieces in the early stages.
(Figure.3: ~ 4. ... G-32)
Moves: Figure.2 ~ 2. ... P-54 3. P-46 S-53 4. P-45 G-32
By the way, there is another difference from chess, and in shogi, the first colour is black, which is interesting. White sent his/her silver general to the front from the centre of P-54 to S-53. In handicap games, advanced players must find a way to attack efficiently with a small amount of force, so studying that idea will refine the way you attack.
Since the vertical length of the shogi board consists of 9 squares, you can claim air superiority just by arriving first in the 5th square. This is called "KURAI-DORI" in Japanese. "KURAI" means “position”. In other words, holding the 5th square of the vertical file is a very important move in positional play. 4. P-45 means that Black have taken the position of the 4th file (which is close to the centre of the board and that has a tendency to be a battlefield).
If there's something more to mention in this position, I think it's the white "4. ... G-32". This move, which carries the gold general on the left diagonally upward to the left from the initial position, is a common hand in the early steps of double static rooks. It makes sense to add defense to files controlled by the opponent's rook. There’re usually bishops at 22 and 88, so the move to protect the bishop's head is valuable.
This is the off topic but the fact that bishop cannot move forward is expressed in Japanese as "bishop has shaved head". I think it's a joke about Japanese “bishops,” that is, temple monks shaving their hair.
(Figure.4: ~ 5. ... K-52)
Moves: Figure.3 ~ 5. P-36 K-52
Black's P-36 is a move that creates a place to “bounce” right knight. We often use the verb 「跳ねる」(Haneru) for Keima's movements."跳ねる" has various meanings, for example, it can be used for children to jump, water to splash, and rubber balls to bounce.
It is important to consider the use of knights for offense, but if you move the pawn diagonally in front of the rook in this way, there is a danger that the rook, which is a major piece, will be attacked diagonally. This is called "「コビンを攻める」(Kobin wo semeru)" in Japanese. It means "attack Kobin". Don't you know "Kobin"? As a matter of fact, some Japanese may be using this phrase these days without knowing what it means.
Do you know traditional Japanese hairstyles? You may have seen such a picture. In the illustration above, as indicated by the red arrows, the name here is "Kobin". In other words, it's a bundle of hair on the temporal region, and if you’re attacked it, you cannot last two seconds, can you?
The white K-52 is a very efficient way to increase his/her defense. In fact, he/she cares for three squares(i.e. 43, 53, 63) with just one move of King. The move that puts this piece in the 5th file in this way is called "NAKAZUMAI", which is often used not only in piece-dropping battles but also in side pawn capture of static rooks, for example.
(Figure.5: ~ 10. S-68)
Moves: Figure.4 ~ 6. S-48 P-64 7. S-47 K-63 8. P-35 S-22 9. P-56 P-74 10. S-68
The point of Gintaden is to bring the left silver general to 46 and arrange two silver generals vertically in the squares 46 and 47. The pair of silver generals made in this way is said to be solid and well-shaped. From here, black uses silver diagonally to 57-46. The highlight is that White is gradually raising the offside line. Unlike chess, in shogi, you can drop the pieces you take. Therefore, the purpose of White is to try to improve the battle situation by exchanging and droping pieces in good places for the time being. This is because in a situation where there is a difference in strength from the beginning, there is no help for it unless white actively aim for piece exchange. On the other hand, Black took a position not only in the 4th file but also in the 3rd file. It’s a good formation, controlling the centre and depeloping pieces.
(Figure.6: ~ 12. S-46)
Moves: Figure.5 ~ 10. ... G-62 11. S-57 G-73 12. S-46
Now the two silver generals are lined up vertically. From this potision, let us move our pieces for the purpose of castling. There is a saying, "You must never leave the king in the starting position." A king who hasn’t entered the castle is surprisingly fragile. Even when there’s such a clear difference in quantity, you mustn’t neglect to put your king in the castle.
(Figure.7: ~ 14. K-48)
Moves: Figure.6 ~ 12. ... G-84 13. R-58 N-73 14. K-48
Bringing the rook to the 5th file is a strategy called “Central Rook”. Moving the rook and then evacuating the king to the right to enter the castle is the basic strategy of the Ranging Rook. Black follows the theory and moves the king from 48 to the right zone.
(Figure.8: ~ 16. G-78)
Moves: Figure.7 ~ 14. ... G-85 15. K-38 Gx76 16. G-78
White has dispatched his/her right gold general on a journey of 73~84~85. 14. ... G-85 is the purpose of taking the isolated P-76 as Gx76 next. So black also has the alternative of preventing that Gx76 aim with 15. R-78. This time I explained a variation of 15. K-38 that rushed to enter the castle. The intention is to keep the king away from the battlefield, making it harder to attack. The supreme proposition is king's safety, right?
16. G-78 is an important move. Bishop was shaving. Next, 16. ... Gx87, and it's not good to hit his bald head with a metallic one, so let's take care of 87 points with G-78.
(Figure.9: ~ 19. ... P-85)
Moves: Figure.8 ~ 16. ... P-94 17. P-96 P-14 18. P-16 P-84 19. G-48 P-85
As "16. ... P-94-18. P-16", the two proceeded to pawn on the edge. Lance's forward power is so strong that it's easy to catch fire in each other's positions in a battle involving the edges, so be careful.
In Figure 9, Black has taken the position of the 8th file with P-85. The aim is to thoroughly destroy 87 square. How should white defend his/her point against this attack? I want you to think about it for a moment.
(Figure.10: ~ 20. L-98)
Moves: Figure.9 ~ 20. L-98
This move, 20. L-98, is the answer to the previous question. Be sure to remember this correspondence. This is a move that prepares an escape place with 22. B-99 for the move that hits B-88 in the procedure of 20. ... P-86 21. Px86 P*86. You might have thought that black should run away with 22. B-79 without having to empty 99, but that doesn't succeed. This bishop is on the 11-99 diagonal, so it binds the S-22. If the threat of this bishop is erased, white will have time and room to utilize metallic pieces such as S-31. Therefore, L-98 must be absolutely remembered as a response to the white P-85.
(Figure.11: ~ 21. N-37)
Moves: Figure.10 ~ 20. ... P-24 21. N-37
21. N-37 is a move that supports P-45. With this, finally the construction of the castle named Gintaden is over.
(Figure.12: ~ 22. P-55)
Moves: Figure.11 ~ 21. ... S-23 22. P-55
Now that the castle has been built, black can attack the opponent without hesitation. Specifically, he/she attacks with 22. P-55, taking advantage of the vertical control of R-58.
(Figure.13: ~ 24. R-56)
Moves: Figure.12 ~ 22. ... Px55 23. Rx55 P*54 24. R-56
23. ... P*54 is a move aimed at getting rid of black R, but for this it's best to move black with 24. R-56 and then show 25. Rx76 threat.
(Figure.14: ~ 25. N-77)
Moves: Figure.13 ~ 24. ... G-75 25. N-77
White has no choice but to retreat the gold general with "24. ... G-75" because it isn’t good for him/her to be taken it with Rx76, but here black is developing the left knight with 25. N-77. The next white aim is 26. G*76, which takes advantage of the horizontal control of R-56. Since N-77 is also aiming at 65 square, G*76 is a threat that kills Black's G-75.
(Figure.15: ~ 25. N-65)
Moves: 25. ... N-65
This move is devised by white, who wants to prevent G-75 from dying. If black is 26. P*76 as he/she envisioned earlier, there is a counterattack 26. ... Nx77+. This is a folk of B and G. If black take this with 27. Gx77, he/she end up being blamed for R with 27. ... G-65, which is a black strategic error.
(Figure.16: ~ 27. Gx77)
Moves: Figure.15 ~ 26. P-66 Nx77+ 27. Gx77
So black cannot do 26. P*76. Instead, 26. P-66 makes it easy to attack N-65. Without this knight, black can kill the obtrusive white G-75 with P*76 at the next opportunity.
(Figure.17: ~ 28. N*67)
Moves: Figure.16 ~ 27. ... P-65 28. N*67
27. ... P-65 allows G to escape with 28. ... Gx66 when black moves with 28. P*76.
28. N*67 is pretty good. As the saying goes, "When you drop a knight, drop it in the lower row." This will work until later. Unlike the N of chess, the N of shogi cannot come back, so I think there is such a proverb.
(Figure.18 ~ 29. Gx66)
Moves: Figure.18 ~ 28. ... Gx66 29. Gx66
If you’re a little used to shogi, you may think this when you see this figure. "Why don't you try attacking the black rook with 29. ... N*64 instead of immediately taking the opponent's gold general with 29. ... Px66?"
In fact, when you implement this idea, go to 30. R-59 P-66 31. Bx66 P*65 32. B-84 and black is good. Black can promote B with 33. B-51+, and if white moves with 32. ... K-52 to prevent this, it can also be promoted with 33. B-73+. For 32. ... G*73, take 33. Bx73+. It seems that he/she loses a piece momentarily, but it’s confirmed that black will break through the 5th file by the procedure of 33. ... Kx73 34. P*55.
(Figure.19: ~ 31. P*65)
Moves: Figure.18 ~ 29. ... Px66 30. Rx66 P*64 31. P*65
31. P*65 is a good move, and white can't do it as 31. ... Px65. Because, there’s a way to take 32. Rx65 P*64 33. R-85. This situation is almost a black win because there is an R-81+ promotion next. The promoted rook is the strongest piece in shogi where the queen is absent. There is no dispute there.
(Figure.20: ~ 31. ... N*73)
Moves: Figure.19 ~ 31. ... N*73
So, for white, who can't take P-65 with 31. ... Px65, there is only a defense measure to drop N*73 to prevent black from breaking 8th file as Rx85 in the above procedure.
(Figure.21: ~ 33. N-55)
Moves: Figure.20 ~ 32. Px64 Sx64 33. N-55
33. N-55 is a move for black to continue attacking. Knight(桂馬: keima) sacrifice like this is called "歩頭桂(Fu-toh-kei: meanig moving N in front of the opponent's pawn)", but it feels very good. I want beginners to remember this kind of sacrifice.
(Figure.22: ~ 34. ... P*65)
Moves: Figure.21 ~ 33. ... Px55 34. Sx55 P*65
Black sacrificed N with the aim of advancing the silver general with 34. Sx55. Of course, the P-64 is pinned, so white can't take black S with 34. ... Sx55.
(Figure.23: ~ 35. R-56)
Moves: Figure.22 ~ 35. R-56
Here, 35. Sx64/G*54 is also conceivable.
(Figure.24: ~ 36. P*54)
Moves: Figure.23 ~ 35. ... Sx55 36. Bx55 P*54
For 35. ... S-75, 36. P*64 K-72 37. S-54, then show the threat of 38. G-63 and black is good. Also, there is a sacrifice of 37. S*52 that tries to protect with S*64 against 36. Bx55, and black is also good.
(Figure.25: ~ 39. B-64)
Moves: Figure.24 ~ 37. G*64 K-52 38. Gx54 N*61 39. B-64
39. B-64 is a move that prepares a mate threat from 40. G-53. By the way, in shogi, it is called "詰めろ(Tsumero)".
(Figure.26: ~ 42. Sx43+)
Moves: Figure.25 ~ 39. ... K-41 40. Gx43 Gx43 41. S*52 K-32 42. Sx43+
“金(Kin: gold general)" and "全(Zen)" are similar kanji, aren't they? Promoted silver general is sometimes referred to as "全" in this way. As an aside, promoted N is “圭” and promoted L is “杏”.
Moving Kx43 to 42. Sx43+ is checkedmate with 43. G*42.
(Figure.27: ~ 43. R-52+)
Moves: Figure.26 ~ 42. ... K-22 43. R-52+
Now R has been promoted. Your victory is just around the corner.
Although it has nothing to do with the theme, promoted Rook is called "竜王(Ryu-oh)" in Japanese, and this means dragon king. Since it’s the strongest piece of shogi, it’s also the name of the strongest title in the shogi world. If you're curious, do a google search for the word "Ryuo Sen". It's amazing. In Japan, you can become the dragon king if you master shogi.
(Figure.28: ~ 46. G*42)
Moves: Figure.27 ~ 43. ... G*32 44. +Sx32 Sx32 45. B-31+ Kx31 46. G*42
For 46. G*42, there is support for +R horizontal control. Using the horizontal control of the rook and the gold general who can move sideways to hunt down the opponent's king is called "送りの手筋(Okuri no Tesuji)". This is a trick that S can't move sideways. That's why it's often said that it's gold, not silver, that shines in endgames.
(Figure.29: ~ 48. S*22)
Moves: Figure.28 ~ 46. ... K-22 47. Gx32 K-13 48. S*22
Figure.29, but this situation is a black win. From here, for 48 ... K-12, there is a mate from 49. Sx11+. Also, 48. ... K-23 has a mate from 49. Sx33+.
If you think about it and don't know the concrete moves for that mate, feel free to comment on this article or reply to my Twitter account (@IoriMatsukaze).
I will spare no support to improve your shogi. I wanna spread the wonderful culture of my country all over the world. I’ll continue to write about shogi, so if you like, please retweet, follow notes, subscribe to youtube.
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