Swedish Shogi Championship and SOSC

I participated Swedish Open Shogi Championship (SOSC) 3 years ago.
This championship is held in Sweden every year.
Also Non-Swedish players can participate this championship.
When I participated, it is held at Stockholm. I enjoyed sightseeing there, too.
Swedish people are very kind!

 

Moreover, I enjoyed playing shogi at restaurant when we had dinner.

I visited also chess circle at Stockholm other day.
I enjoyed playing chess and interaction, though I was defeated.

This year Swedish Shogi Championship and SOSC will be held at Trollhattan on 14-15 May.
It must be delightful!

Pacman tactics

Have you met the position shown in figure. 1?

P-4d is seemed to be captured for nothing, but this movement of gote is one of the surprising attack strategies. This tactics is called "Pacman."

The name "Pacman" derives from a game character, and "Pac" has a nuance of eating something (Pawn in this case) in Japanese.

figure. 1

After figure. 1, the game will proceed as R-4b, Bx5c+, P-3d, S-8h, Rx4g+ (figure. 2.)

This strategy is apt to become slugfest.

figure.2

Furthermore, +Bx6c, S-7b, +B-3f (figure. 3).

Can you find the next move of gote in figure. 3?

figure. 3

In figure. 3, P*5h is good movement (figure. 4).

This is because the horizontal line of influence by Rook will stop and gote become to be able to capture Silver at 8h.

figure. 4

After that, Gx4i-5h, +Rx3f, Px3f, Bx8h+ (figure. 5).

In figure. 5, gote gained material and succeeded the attack.

figure. 5

If you like slugfest or surprising attack strategies, Pacman may be funny.

Move Bishop to Edge

In figure 1, how do you attack?
By just Px5c+, it is not easy to continue the attack after that.

 

figure. 1

Moving Bishop to Edge (9f) technique is sometimes effective in Swinging Rook.
I moved B-9f (figure. 2).

 

figure. 2

This aims severe attack, Bx6b, RX6B, Px5c (figure. 3) and it's not easy to defend. If the opponent will take Px5d, the game follows Sx5d, Gx5d, Rx5d, P*5c, Bx6b (or R-8d) and I can succeed to attack.

figure. 3

After figure. 2, the real game followed N-7c, S-7d, P-9d, B-8d, P-4e, Px5c+, Sx5c, Sx6c+ (figure. 4.)
I succeeded to attack and win after that.

figure. 4

As mentioned above, moving Bishop to Edge (9f) technique is sometimes effective in Swinging Rook.
Then, it is often said "Edge Pawn at the other side of Castle (P-9d) is tactics of Static Rook."

Basical introduction of 4th-file Rook Anaguma

It is often said that a kyu-ranked player should have one good tactics and polish it to become a dan-ranked player.
I think 4th-file Rook Anaguma is one of suitable tactics for this because of its power and simplicity compared with other tactics. I also used this one when I had headed for dan-ranked player.

Figure. 1 shows opening position of 4th-file Rook Anaguma against Static Rook.

figure. 1

The knack is that you stay the left Silver in 7h when the opponent adopts Rapid attack as like figure. 2 and move it 6g or 5f when the opponent adopts Slow game as like figure. 3.

figure. 2

figure. 3

When the opponent adopts Rapid attack, it's effective to move as P-6e, Bx7h+, Sx7h like as figure. 4.

figure. 4

When the opponent adopts Silver Crown, it's effective to move S-6f and attack 4, 5, 6 line like as figure. 5.

figure.5

When the opponent adopts Static Rook Anaguma, it's effective to move S-5f and attack 4 line like as figure. 6.

figure. 6

Moreover, when the opponent adopts Rapid attack, it's effective to aim attack on 3 line like as figure. 7. The example game is shown at the end.

figure. 7

You can play 4th-file Rook Anaguma to some extent with only these knowledge.

It's simpe, isn't it?