Lets take a look at typical opening moves. Images on this page are clickable for further study.
Shogi Openings
There are four major Shogi Systems being played. Those are Ai-gakari (相掛かり) or Double Wing Attack,
Kaku-Gawari (角換わり) or Bishop Exchange, Yagura (矢倉) and Furi-bisha (振り飛車 or Ranging Rook).
Rather than trying to understand by words, click on each board image below to explore how each systems are being played on animated Shogi board.
Rather than trying to understand by words, click on each board image below to explore how each systems are being played on animated Shogi board.
Ai-gakari (相掛かり) or Double Wing Attack
Both players exchange Rooks' pawn at the beginning. There are various Senpo (戦法=Battle tactics) that belongs to Ai-gakari category:
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Koshikae gin (腰掛銀=Sitting Silver) system
The name Sitting Silver (Koshikake-gin=腰掛銀) comes from the formation where attacking silver is "sitting" on top of a Pawn, The Silver over the pawn is a good indication of speedy attack.
Sitting Silver Opening -
Kusari gama gin (くさり鎌銀=Chained Scythe Silver) System
An attacking Silver make a path from 4g->3f->2e, aiming to break through, the second column.
Chained Scythe Silver Opening -
Bogin (棒銀=Climbing Silver) System
Attacking Silver's path for Bogin or Climbming Silver is a simple one. it goes from 3h,2g, then to 2f or 3f to 2e.
Climbing Silver (of Double Wing Attack) -
Hineri Bisya (ひねり飛車=Twisting Rook) System
Although you dont see this often these days, This formation was once touted as the most ideal Shogi strategy. After a pawn exchange at Rook's column, the Rook floats at 2f, with intention of swinging it to opponents' Rook column. When Gote open's Bishop's path, it slide to the 3rd column and forces gold to protect a pawn at 3d. (if the gote does not protect the pawn, it will become Tatefu dori (縦歩取り or Vertial pawn picker)
Twisting Rook Opening -
Various Yokofu Dori (横歩取り=Side Pawn Picker) Systems
There is a variety of Side pawn picker openings. ４五角戦法(Bishop drop @4f. Violent)、2五角戦法(Bishop drop @2f)、 ３三角戦法(Bishop move to 3c. Tend to be a little slower pace and most played form in recent years) etc., If both side swipe at the side pawn, it becomes 相横歩取り（(double side pawn picker, also violent)
横歩取り２五角戦法(☖Bishop drop @2e) 
相横歩取り(Double side pawn picker) 
横歩取り3三角戦法(☖Bishop to 3c)
Kaku-Gawari (角換わり) or Bishop Exchange
Bishop will be exchanged early in the game.
Rook's pawn remain on the board.
Again, there are several variants in this category and major ones are
Climbing Silver, Rapid deploying Silver, and Sitting Silver.
These three systems possesses Paper/Scisors/Stone relationships to each other (or used to be)
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Bogin (棒銀=Climbing Silver) This is not the same as Ai-gakari Bogin
This is not the same as Ai-gakari Bogin. Bogin tend to give Sitting silver a headack.
Kakugawari Bogin(角換わり棒銀 or Climbing Silver,Bishop Exchanged) -
Hayaguri gin (はや繰り銀=Rapid deploying Silver)
Hayaguri gin is a good strategy against Bogin
Rapid Deploying Silver Opening -
Koshikake gin (腰掛銀=Sitting Silver)
Koshikake gin is a good strategy against Hayaguri-gin, but have problem with climbing Silver. (This was the "common sense" until somebody found Koshikake-gin can be also used against Bogin if you dont extend Rooks pawn all the way and keep it at 2f. But this is too complicated for novice player)
Koshikake gin (腰掛銀=Sitting Silver) opening
Yagura (矢倉)
The name Yagura came from it's castling formation.
Neither Bishop or Rook's pawn will be exchanged in the beginning.
There are so many Yagura systems exit and explaining all would take up many pages. Very basic formation is shown here.
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Yagura Spearing Sparrow
This is one of Yagura formation which specializes in edge attack
Yagura spearing Sparrow -
Yagura S-3g (矢倉３七銀）Strategy
Yagura S-3g Strategy
Furi Bisya (振り飛車) or Ranging Rook
The word Furi-Bisya means "Swing rook." In this system, either or both players swing the Rook to Bishop's side (left side of the board)
This move will concentrate "big guns" to the left.
The King will be moved to the right side for safety.
Contrary to the popular belief, Furi-bisya by its nature is a defensive system,
although there are quite a variety of offensive furi-bisya strategies (such as Rapid-Ishida) are known to exist.
Again there are many variants of this "Ranging Rook" System.
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Shiken Bisya(四間飛車=Fourth File Rook)
Fourth File Rook is considered most orthodox ranging rook strategy. It has a well balanced form and played by many players.
Fourth File Rook Opening -
Naka Bisya(中飛車=Middle File Rook)
Many people choses Center Rook or Middle File Rook as his/her first strategy. Swinging a Rook at the center of the board must have some attraction. A format shown here is a 'proper' Center rook. If you are looking for R-5h as a first move (as it is one of biginner's favorite) please see here
Center Rook Opening -
Sanken Bisha(三間飛車=3rd File Rook)
Third File Rook Opening -
Mukai Bisya(向飛車=Opposing Rook)
Opposing Rook Opening -
Kyuusen Ishida Ryuu(急戦石田流=Rapid Ishida)
Rapid Ishida Opening -
Jikyuusen Ishida Ryuu(持久戦石田流、or 石田流本組み=Orthodox Ishida)
Orthodox Ishida opening
Ai Furi Bisya(相振り飛車) or Double Ranging Rook
If both players decide to play Ranging Rook strategy, then form is called Ai Furi Bisya(相振り飛車=Ranging Rook vs. Ranging Rook).
This does not happen unless both players are ranging rook players.
Nevertheless, Ai Furi is becoming more popular these days because there is not much book openings established,
so power players tend to love this strategy. See here for demo games of Ai Furi
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Double Ranging Rook with Kin-muso castling(相振り飛車、金無双囲い)
Double Ranging Rook Opening
More Resources on Shogi openings
Once you understand the fundamentals of openings, there are some more detailed openings shown in "Study Room" section of this site.
For broader study of more openings, there is a Japanese site named "Chidori gin's Senpou Zukan" that lists more than 200 openings.
The site changed its domain a few years back and indexed pages that Takodori san has created does not work any longer. Since the site now uses Kifu for JavaScript applet, you maybe able to follow along with your browser's language translation turned on. Beware though the current state of language translation of phrases with Shogi idioms are not very accurate though.
to make exploration a little easier, here is my attempt of english translated link list you may find useful.
This page was originally created 13 years, 6 months ago and last updated 3 months, 1 week ago