Ranging Rook

Ranging Rook or Swinging Rook (振り飛車 furibisha) openings in shogi position the rook (飛) to the center or left of the player's board to support an attack there.

Ranging Rook strategies used in Ranging Rook vs Static Rook are among the oldest of shogi strategies attested around the same time as the rules of shogi are described in historical documents around 1600.

Traditionally, Ranging Rook has been used as a defensive strategy for White (後手) against Static Rook (居飛車) openings played by Black (先手). White's rook can be moved flexibly to counteract Black's attacks. These types of White openings are named simply Ranging Rook (振り飛車 furibisha). In describing the game positions of both opponents, the term is Static Rook vs Ranging Rook (居飛車対振り飛車 ibisha tai furibisha). In these games, Black has the initiative, and White quickly builds a defense by castling the king (玉) and looks for a counterattack.

When the Ranging Rook position is played by Black, then it is known as Black Ranging Rook (先手振り飛車 sente furibisha).

From its defensive origins, the standard way to play Ranging Rook openings is for the player to close their bishop (角) diagonal with a pawn (歩) advanced to the 6f square when played by Black (先手) or advanced to 4d when played by White (後手). Thus, Ranging Rook is sometimes termed Ordinary Ranging Rook or Normal Ranging Rook (ノーマル振り飛車 nōmaru furibisha) or Standard Ranging Rook (スタンダード振り飛車 sutandādo furibisha) to contrast with the newer Ranging Rook strategies that keep their bishop diagonal open. Since the traditional Ranging Rook prevents early bishop exchanges, it is described as a slow game (持久戦 jikyūsen) in Japanese. Preventing an early bishop exchange allows for the Ranging Rook player to develop their castle and defense without needing to worry about being stymied by bishop drops.

The traditional (normal/standard) type of Ranging Rook contrasts with Ranging Rook positions that allow a bishop exchange (角交換 kaku kōkan) to occur at anytime, which are known as Bishop Exchange Ranging Rook (角交換振り飛車 kaku kōkan furibisha) or Open Bishop Diagonal Ranging Rook (角道オープン振り飛車 kaku michi ōpen furibisha). These openings include Quick Ishida, Cheerful Central Rook, Bishop Exchange Fourth File Rook, Direct Opposing Rook.

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