In shogi, a handicap game (駒落戦 koma ochisen, 駒落ち koma ochi, ハンデキャップ handekyappu, 手合割 teaiwari) is a game setup used between players of disparate strengths, in which one or more pieces are removed from the stronger player's side.
The imbalance created by this method of handicapping is not as strong as it is in western chess because material advantage is not as powerful in shogi.
In traditional shogi instruction, handicap games are still commonly used in developing skills for amateur players – particularly in determining how to balance defense and offensive (since the attacking power of Black is greater as the handicap increases).
For example, a Lance Handicap game between Kōzō Masuda and Meijin Yasuharu Ōyama for the 1956 Osho title is famous.
According to the rules at the time (since changed), Masuda was required to give Ōyama a handicap since he had won the previous three even games.
If a jishogi (持将棋 jishōgi "impasse") occurs in a handicap game, the removed pieces are counted towards White's total.
(Usually book diagrams show the 先手 sente player with first move at the bottom of the board.)
There are many historical Right Lance handicap game records dating back to the Edo period.
The Dragonfly (トンボ) handicaps can be found in some mobile apps and online playing sites (such as 81Dojo).
This configuration allows Black to immediately promote their rook on the first move simultaneously obtaining a pawn in hand (that is, 1.Rx23+).
Thus, Taikō Shogi is essentially a type of handicap game with Shitate having the first move and missing a piece instead of Uwate having both of those properties.
The Dragon (竜王) handicap is derived from the Taikō Shogi configuration (mentioned directly above) except with Shitate's missing rook pawn being placed in Uwate's hand instead of being omitted from the game.
This setup does allow Shitate to promote their rook into a dragon on their first move and obtain a pawn in head like in Taikō Shogi.