Final game of Kitaurawa shogi salon tournament

In the Final game, I played with 1 Dan player, and I had Rook and Lance handicap (figure. 1).

figure. 1

In Rook handicap game, Right-hand 4th-file Rook is joseki like as figure. 2.

figure. 2

In the middle game, I put Bishop as figure. 3 and aimed to oppress the opponent's pieces with promoted Bishop.

figure. 3

 

After that, I made some Tokins and attacked with them (figure. 4).

The attack by tokin is very strong.

 



figure. 4

 

I got some materials including Rook and mated the opponent's King like as figure. 5.

figure. 5

The full kifu is following.

Semi-final game of Kitaurawa shogi salon tournament

I dopted Raniging Rook with Anaguma at Semi-final game because Anaguma is in good condition this day.
In slow game, forming G-63, P-64, P-74 like figure. 1 is popular. This aims head attack.

figure. 1

I put Rook in 72 and attacked 7th file as shown in figure. 2.
Actually, this aims also Rx25 after Rx75.

figure. 2

After figure. 3, the game proceed as Px75, Rx75, P-65, P*76, Rx46, Px77+, Gx77 (figure. 3).

figure. 3

In figure. 3, Rx77+, Gx77, P*76 (figure. 4) is strict because the opponent's Gold can't escape due to Bishop diagnoal..
Attacking blocking piece by Pawn is good and strong movement.

figure. 4

My Anaguma castle is still solid, so I could concentrat on attacking.
After figure. 4, S-78, Px77+, Sx77, G*67, P*78, Bx77+, Px77, N*85 (figure. 5), the opponent resigned at this position. It is difficult for the opponent to defend.

figure. 5

 

The full kifu is the following.
 

 

 

4th game of Kitaurawa shogi salon tournament

Some shogi players might like Ranging Rook, but not like Double Ranging Rook.
I recommend the strategy that changing formation from Ranging Rook to Static Rook as soon as the opponent forms ranging Rook as shown in figure. 1.
I adopted the strategy at 4th game of the tournament.

figure. 1

I think castling King in Anaguma is strong strategy like as figure. 2.

figure. 2

The opponent started to attack in figure. 3.

figure. 3

In this position, P-55, Sx55, Px45, P-65, P*54 (figure. 4, I show the number on board), is a technique of defence.

figure. 4

And I aimed for attacking 4th file by Rook like as figure. 5.

figure. 5

Figure. 6 is the position of endgame. What do you move in this position?
The key point is speed calculation.

 

figure. 6

Lx48+ at figure. 6 is not good attack, it's because the opponent's castle become solid by Sx48 next.
So P*56 is strong candidate of next move.
However, meanwhile, the opponent's attack by Tokin is strict.
Then, it is important to read how many moves does it takes until mate of both your King and the opponent's King at endgame.
I read that it takes 4 attack moves to mate the opponent's King with starting from P*56, and Px57+, +Px48, B*39.
Meanwhile, it takes also 4 attack moves to mate my King with starting from +P-53, and +Px42, +P31, +P21.
And the position of figure. 6 was my turn, so I judged my attack was faster than opponent's attack and moved P*56 in actual (figure. 7).
If not, I had to defend the opponent's attack.

figure. 7

The game proceeded with Bx42+, Kx42, Gx42, P-43+, Px57+, +Px42 (figure. 8).

figure. 8

 

In the position of figure. 8, my castle is so-called "Z", it means "not mated absolutely."

So I could concentrated on attacking, without worrying about my King. This is merit of Anaguma.

 

I moved B*39 (figure. 9), this is a decisive movement (if the opponent takes Bishop by King or Gold, it mates) and I won.

 

figure. 9

 

The full kifu is following.

 



3rd game of Kitaurawa shogi salon tournament

In the 3rd game, I played with 3 Dan player, and I had Bishop handicap.
I don't know joseki of Bishop handicap game and what to do.
The opponent's form was opened to attack on the Bishop, so I attacked there by Silver (figure. 1).

 figure. 1

Figure. 2 is the position of middle game.

figure. 2

In this position, P*1b, Lx1b, S*2a is a technique (figure. 3).
If I got Lance, I can capture the opponent's Rook by L*8g.

 



figure. 3

After that, I got the opponent's Bishop and oppress the opponent's piece by promoted Bishop.
Figure. 4 is the position of endgame.



figure. 4

At this position, Gx4h is decision move.
After that, +Sx4h, Rx2b+, K-4a, +Rx3a, Kx3a, R*3b (figure. 5), Kx3b, S*2c, K-4a, G*3b, it's mated and I won.



figure. 5

 

The full kifu is following.

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2nd game of Kitaurawa shogi salon tournament

I adopted Anaguma in 2nd game of the tournament.
The opponent devised method which Bishop moved by 2b-1c-3e so that the opponent's castle was solid against the line of my Bishop due not to move P-3d like as figure. 1.

figure 1

I attacked with P-5e, Px5e, P-7e at figure. 1. However it might attack too much.

Figure. 2 is the position in the middle.
What do you move at this position?

figure. 2

At figure. 2, P*5i is important movement (figure. 3).
It is very important for playing shogi to think what the opponent aims next.
At figure. 2, the opponent aims L*5g next. I can't this Lance neither Bishop and Gold because the other peace will be captured by Dragon, so it's very severe. Therefore, I had to defend against the attack in advance.
Moreover, by putting P*5i, my Bishop became able to move next because Gold was defended by Pawn.

figure. 3

Figure. 4 is the position after that.
What do you move there?

figure. 4

 

My Bishop seems to be captured next.

However, it is said that Speed is more important than material in endgame.

If Bishop escape at figure. 4, the opponent move +N-4h and my castle is weakened.

Therefore, I moved Px5h at figure. 4. In fact, promoted Knight is valuable piece at figure. 4.
After that, the game proceeded with +Rx6h, S-4e, +R6i, B*6e (figure. 5).
B*6e is effective both attack and defence. This aims N*4d and prevent the opponent's N*4g.

figure. 5

Figure. 6 is the position in the ending.

figure. 6

R*4b (figure. 7) is decisive move at figure. 6.
If I moved G*4b instead of R*4b, the opponent could aim repetition of moves by G*5a.
After that, I attacked one-sidely (my Anaguma castle is very solid) and won the game.

figure. 7

The entire kifu is following.

 

First game of Kitaurawa shogi salon tournament

I won the shogi tournament at Kitaurawa shogi salon in Saitama prefecture, Japan the other day.
I will introduce the games and show the first game here.

The opponent is 5 Dan there, and aims rapid attack by Bougin.
I think Anaguma is strong against rapid attack. And it is effective to leave left Silver at 7h and aim for exchanging Bishop as shown in figure. 1 and figure. 2.

 

figure. 1

 

figure. 2

Figure. 3 is the position in the middle.

figure. 3

At this position, B*9f is good move for both attack and defence. After that, the game proceeded with Sx6d, Rx7f, P*7e, R-6f, G-5c, P-4f (figure. 4). I suceeded in capturing the Silver.

figure. 4

After that, I attacked and won the game (the following is the final position).

 final position

The entire kifu is following.

A Measure against Yonenaga-King castle

Yonenaga-King castle (figure. 1) is strong and popular against swinging rook, though less hard than Anaguma.
I will introduce the measure of swinging rook against Yonenaga-King castle by showing my game of amateur Ryuou championship.

figure. 1

Yonenaga-King castle is strong against side attack, but not so strong against edge or head attack.
So I think it is effective to castle king in Silver crown and aim edge attacking as figure. 2.

figure. 2

 

Furthermore, I like to form like as figure. 3.

Sente aims to attack by P-4e, S-3c, P-5e, Px5e, Bx5e.

Then, gote attacked first by P-8f, Px8f, P-7e, Px7e, Bx7e in the position of figure. 2 (figure. 3).

 

figure. 3

 



In the position of figure. 3, it is technique of counterattack to move  P-4e, S-3c, R-7h, P*7f, B-6h, Bx8f, R-8h, P*8e, B-4f (figure. 4).

 

figure. 4

 

The game proceeded as R-8d, Bx9a+, P-7g+, Rx8f, Px8f (figure. 5).

What do you move in figure. 5?

 

figure. 5

 



In figure. 5, P-2e is good attack (figure. 6).

This aims to attack edge, and it is important to attack before the Rook in 8d moves elsewhere because the position of 8d is easily targeted.

 

figure. 6

 

The game proceeded as Px2e, Nx2e, S33-2d, P-1d, Px1d, P-1c (figure. 7).



Gote can't escape K-2b because sente can put B*6f, King-rook folk.

 

figure. 7

 

After figure. 7, Nx13, Nx13+, Sx13, N*2e, S13-24, L*13, Sx13, Nx13+, B*5g, N*3e (figure. 8).

N*3e is a technique of middle block.

In figure. 8, it is good decision to take Knight by Px3e, not take rook by Bx8d because Px3e attacks the opponent's King directly and Rook in 8d is not valuable in this position.

 

figure. 8

 

The game proceeded as Px3e, P*2f, Px3d, K-2b, S*3c, K-2a, P*2b, G3bx2b, Sx2b, Gx2b, N*3c, K-1b, Sx2f, P*2g, Gx2g, P*2e, Sx2e, P*2d, +B-4f (figure. 9).

+B-4f is good timing movement.

 

figure. 9





 

The game proceeded as S*1c, Lx1d, N*1e, Lx1c+, Gx1c, G-1g, K-2b, B-8d, L*2g, K-3g (figure. 10) and I won.

 

figure. 10

 

As mentioned above, Yonenaga-King castle is strong against side attack, but week against edge or head attack.

So it's effective to castle in Silver crown and attack edge and head against Yonenaga-King castle.

 

Tsume problem from an actual game

Can you mate at this position?

In fact, this problem origins from an actual game.

 

 

Kakutofu (Bishop-Pawn) strategy

Kakutofu (Bishop-Pawn) strategy shown in figure. 1 has been recently popular among some professional shogi players.
Here, I will explain from gote's point of view. The opening move is P-3d, P-7f, P-8d, P-8f (figure. 1).

figure. 1 

The aim of Kakutofu is attack at 8th line with Mukaibisha, by ideally, after figure. 1, S-6b, Bx2b+, Sx2b, N-7g, K-4b, R-8h (figure. 2), K-3b, S-6h, G6a-5b, K-4h, S-3c, K-3h, P-1d, P-1f, P-6d, K-2h, S-6c, S-3h, S-5d, G6i-5h, K-2b, P-8e, Px8e, Rx8e (figure. 3).

figure. 2

figure. 3

At figure. 3, Kakutofu succeeded and could be at good position.
However, Kakutofu has some theme.

At first, you might wonder how you should cope with if the opponent move P-8e at figure.1 like as figure. 4?

figure. 4

In fact, you need not afraid this attack.
You can counter by Px8e, Rx8e, Bx2b+, Sx2b, R-8h (figure. 5).

figure. 5

 

In the case the opponent move P*8g, you can cope with R-6h, K-4b, G-7h, S-6b, N-7g, R-8b,  P*8e(figure. 6). You can get Pawn gain after that.

 

figure. 6

 

In the case the opponent move Rx8h+, the game becomes true ability game. For example, after that, Sx8h, B*4e, R*8e (figure. 7).

 

figure. 7

 

Another way of coping with P-8e at figure.1 is, Px8e, Rx8e, Bx2b+, Sx2b, N-7g, R-8g+, R-8h, P*8f, Rx8g, Px8g+, N-6e (figure. 8).

Figure. 8 appeared at ptofessional's game and Kakutofu side won. This is absolutely slugfest, so pre-study is necessary.

 

figure. 8

 

Actually, the second theme of Kakutofu is that the opponent can put B*4e at figure. 2 and then Kakutofu is not good at position (figure. 9). Therefore, Kakutofu has a problem that Rook can't move to 8th line.

 



figure. 9

 

To this problem, a new move P-5f after figure. 1 appeared (figure. 10).

 

figure. 10

 

After figure. 10, K-4b, Bx2b+, Sx2b, R-8f (figure. 11).

 

figure. 11

 

At figure. 11, the opponent can't make a promoted Bishop by B-4e due to P-5f. Furthermore, when the opponent put B*5h at figure. 11, you can prevent the opponent from making a promoted Bishop by B*6h (figure. 12).

 

figure. 12

 

In this way, Kakutofu became able to move Rook to 8th line and has been popular recently.

After figure. 11, You can form like K-3b, S-6h, G6a-5b, K-4h, P-1d, P-1f, P-6d, K-3h, S-6c, K-2h, S-5d, S-3h, P-2d, G6i-5h, S-2c, N-7g, K-2b, P-8e (figure. 13).

 

figure. 13

 

I think Kakutofu strategy has a surprising effect and be interesting.

If you have an interest, I recommend you to try this!