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!

 

Not defend Bishop's head

In Swinging Rook, it is ordinary that you will defend Bishop's head by B-7g in figure. 1.
However, there is an interesting strategy that you don't move B-7g but K-3g (figure. 2).

figure. 1

figure. 2

When the opponent moves P-8f, you can cope with by Px8f, Rx8f, Bx7g (figure. 3).

figure. 3

If  the opponent moves R-8b, you will form like as P*8f, K-4b, S-6g, K-3b, R-8h, G6a-5b, P-8e (figure. 4).

After that you can attack on 8th-line.

figure. 4

In the other hand, if the opponent moves Rx7f in figure. 3, you can attack like as S-6g, R-7d, R-8h, P*8d, P:8b (figure. 5).

figure. 5

I think this technique is interesting and has a surprising effect.

How to attack in Double Swinging Rook (3)

"Sugai-special", which is a famous way of attacking in Double Swinging Rook, is introduced here. This is invented by Tatsuya Sugai 7-Dan.
Figure. 1 is a position of Double Swinging Rook that gote is castling King in Yagura castle.
Seemingly, this is ordinary opening position that sente is not going to attack but build pieces formation.
However, Sugai-special start to attack on this position immediately.

figure. 1

P-6e, Px66e, P-4e (figure. 2) at figure. 1 is attacking way of Sugai-special.

figure. 2

After figure. 2, Px4e, Bx3c, Nx3c, B*8h (figure. 3).
This aims Bx3c+, but it's not easy to defend as it seems.

figure. 3

If gote moves R-2c, sente will move S-5e (figure. 4).

figure. 4

After figure. 4, Sx5e, Bx5e (figure. 5). At figure. 5, the next movement of sente's S*3b is severe and it's not easy for gote to defend.

figure. 5

Therefore, gote will put Bishop to defent, for example B*5a, at figure. 3. But gote's Bishop doesn't work well. After that, sente will attack by like as S-5e, Sx5e, Bx5e, S*6d, Bx7c+, Nx7c, S*8b, P*7b, P*4d (figure. 6).

At figure. 6, sente is good position because sente can attack effectively and sente's Mino castle is solid whereas gote's castle is weak.

figure. 6

In fact, figure. 6 appeared at professional player's game and sente won the game.

I think you can apply this way of attacking for your game, too.

How to attack in Double Swinging Rook (2)

In Double Swinging Rook, 5th-file Vanguard Pawn strategy (figure. 1) is effective and become fashionable for a period.
I can recommend this formation because it's is easy for you to attack and difficult for the opponent to find where to attack.

figure. 1

This tactics is often used by gote player (of course, you can use when you are sente). So I will explain by the symbol in an opposite position.
The typical opening is, P-3d P-7f, P-4d, P-5f, S-3b, S-6h, S-4c, S-5g, B-3c, R-7h, R-2b (figure. 2).
You don't need to hurry on moving P-7e at this strategy.

figure. 2

After that, you form High Mino castle like as figure. 3.

figure. 3

Furthermore, you take the vanguard position at 5th-file (figure. 4).
At this time, the opponent is a little difficult to find where to attack already.

 figure. 4

Then if the opponent proceed castling, you aim on 5th-file by moving Rook to 5th-file like as figure. 5 and 6.

figure.5

 figure. 6

At figure. 6, you attack 5c by Pawn, Silver, Bishop and yet Knight, so it's difficult for the opponent to defend 5c. You can break 5th-file like as figure. 7. You are good position because your Mino castle is solid and you can attack one-sidedly.

figure. 7

Besides, if the opponent form Mino castle, you can attack similarly like as figure. 8.

figure. 8

And if the opponent prevent your silver from moving to 6e by moving P-6d (figure. 9), you can aim on 6th-file by moving P-6f, G-6c, R-6h (figure. 10).

figure. 9

figure.10

After that, you can attack 6th-file like as figure. 11.

figure. 11

I think you will notice the excellence of this formation when you will use this. So, l recommend that you will give it a try.

How to attack in Double Swinging Rook (1)

I heard from some European shogi players that they can't see how to form and attack in Swinging Rook.
As a matter of fact, I had the same problem before because Double Swinging Rook is vague about what to do. I think it's same as many Japanese (kyu-class) players.
Therefore I will show some of repertory about the way of attacking in Double Swinging Rook.

In Double Swinging Rook, Opposing Rook of sente versus 3rd-file Rook of gote like as figure. 1 is the most popular game form.
This is because Opposing Rook can attack the place near the opponent's King directly in Swinging Rook, and gote doesn't need to stop Bishop's way after opening P-7f, P-3d, P-6f so 3rd-file Rook can attack effectively with keeping Bishop's way opened for gote.
Of course, other formations such as 3rd-file Rook of sente or Opposing Rook of gote are also effective.

figure. 1 

In Double Swinging Rook, Kinmusou, Mino, Anaguma and Yagura are typical castles.

Regarding your own castle, I like Mino castle because it's solid and yet it can be completed with few number of moves.
Regarding the way of attack the opponent's castle, I recommend the basic plan that when the opponent's castle is Kinmusou, Mino, or Anaguma you aim at the edge and when the opponent's castle is Yagura you aim at 6th file.

Examples of the way of attacking in each cases are shown below.

At first, when the opponent's castle is Kinmusou, the typical formation is like as shown in figure. 2.
The key points of formation are B-6f, N-7g, S-5f. This formation is good balance and effective for attacking edge.

figure. 2

At figure. 2, you can attack edge by P-9e, Px9e, P*9c (figure. 3).

figure. 3

If the opponent move Nx9c, you can attack edge by Lx9d and R-9f after that. And if the opponent move Lx9c, you can attack by Nx8e. Furthermore, if the opponent move Sx9c, you can attack by Bx9c!, Lx9c, S*9b (figure. 4). 

Though the opponent is not knock down yet, these are typical ways of attacking.

figure.4

When the opponent's castle is Mino, the typical formation is like as shown in figure. 5.

 figure. 5 

You can attack by P-9e, Px9e, P*9c (figure. 6) as in the case above.

figure. 6

If the opponent move Nx9c, you can attack edge by Lx9e. And if the opponent move Lx9c, you can attack by Nx8e (figure. 7). One of the Mino's weak points is edge, so edge attack against Mino castle is effective in Double Swinging Rook, too.

figure. 7

In fact, it is said that when you castle your King in Mino castle you should not push the King side edge Pawn because the opponent become able to attack edge earlier.

Even when the opponent's castle is Anaguma, you can form like as above and the typical formation is like as shown in figure.8.

figure. 8 

You can attack by P-9e, Px9e, P*9c, Lx9c, N-8e (figure. 9).

figure. 9

For example, you can attack after figure. 9 by N-3c, Nx9c+, Sx9c, Bx9c+, Nx9c, L-9d (figure. 10), furthermore, P*9b, Lx9c+, Px9c, L*8e, L*8d, Lx8d, Px8d, P*8c, Gx8c, N*7e (figure. 11).

figure.10

figure. 11

Edge attack against Anaguma castle is very effective because it's powerful and easy to think.

When the opponent's castle is Yagura, attacking 6th-file is effective rather than attacking edge. The typical opening formation is like as shown in figure. 12.

figure. 12 

After figure. 12, it's effective that your Rook move to 6th-file and form like as shown in figure. 13.

figure. 13

You can attack by P-6e, Px6e, Nx6e (figure. 14). This attack is so severe.

figure. 14

If the opponent move S-6b, you can attack by P-6d. Otherwise, the opponent move S-6d, you can attack by Bx6d, Gx6d, Nx5c+ (figure. 15) and this folk of Gold and Silver is very severe.

figure. 15

Some basic ways of attacking in Double Swinging Rook were introduced here.

Maybe completely same position as above rarely appear in your game, but similar position will appear. You can apply the concept above in that case.