Shogi opening

A jōseki (定跡) is the especially recommended sequence of moves for a given opening that was considered balanced play at one point in time for both sides by professional players.

For example, trap openings like Demon Slayer, while they may have standard moves, are considered to favor one player and are not balanced play.

Thus, almost all games (over 90%) will start with one of the four possible combinations of these two pawn push types (see adjacent diagrams).

Moreover, making a bishop exchange constitutes tempo loss, so it is not advised without a good reason.

Many common opening attacks involve advancing a silver and ideally pawns, protected by other pieces.

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 western chess,[2] commonly with a dozen or more moves to shore up defenses before the initial attack is made.

[2][4] Over the past 400 years, 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.

[5] Shogi openings are generally slower than that of western chess, due to the larger board and less mobile pieces.

Ranging Rook (振り飛車 furibisha) openings are 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.

Most Static Rook openings coincide with a castle development on the player's left side of the 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.

Most Ranging Rook openings coincide with a castle development on the player's right side of the board.

The opposite type is a slow game (持久戦 jikyūsen) in which both players spend much of the opening developing strong castles.

The earliest record of a shogi game (see adjacent diagram) is a single board position mentioned in the 家忠日記 Ietada Nikki (diary) of the Matsudaira clan dated 1587 February.

The 4th Lifetime Meijin, Sōkei Ōhashi III, who held the position 1691–1713, was responsible for making many advances in shogi opening research.

In the 1910s, shogi tournaments started to be sponsored by newspapers, which lead to renewed study of openings and the creations of new josekis.

This way of playing was heavily researched and reached its pinnacle during 1790–1800 when the 9th Lifetime Meijin Soei Ōhashi wrote a book on it.

Nowadays, this is considered old fashioned as control of the center is no longer emphasized in modern shogi theory.

The opening has an early pawn gambit made by White on the fourth file which may be metaphorically eaten as if by Pac-Man.

If Black takes the pawn with their bishop, then White will play a Fourth File Rook position.

Demon Slayer (鬼殺し onigoroshi) is a trap opening sequence initiated by Black that characteristically advances their left knight blocking their bishop.

Later moves attempt an attack using a further advanced knight and also possibly White's left silver.

☗P-26) in the first four moves, Black reveals very early their intention to play a Static Rook position.

(For instance, the 1... R-32 opening and Quick Ishida are not possible for White if Black pushes their rook pawn first.)

This 4-move position usually leads to a Double Wing Attack opening with the subsequent moves: 3.

This opening is fairly sharp since both of the major pieces (rook and bishop) are being activated from the start before any castle construction is attempted.

This move reduces the complexity of the opening by preventing both players from trading their bishop off the board.

After open bishop diagonals for both players, another possible response to Black's pawn push (2.

There are several possible openings if Black does not push their rook pawn forward in the first four moves and instead focuses on activating their bishop (P-76) and developing other pieces.