Shogi strategy and tactics

Shogi, like western chess, can be divided into the opening, middle game and endgame, each requiring a different strategy. The opening consists of arranging one's defenses and positioning for attack, the middle game consists of attempting to break through the opposing defenses while maintaining one's own, and the endgame starts when one side's defenses have been compromised.

The basic tactics (手筋 tesuji) of shogi are similar to those of chess tactics, involving forks, pins, removing the defender and other techniques, all of which are considered very strong when used effectively. Other tactics, particularly ones involving dropped pieces, have no parallel in western chess.

A fork (両取り ryōtori) is a move that uses one piece to attack two or more of the opponent's pieces simultaneously, with the aim to achieve material advantage, since the opponent can counter only one of the threats. (Cf. forks in western chess.)

Some forks have specific names in Japanese. A silver forking two pieces from behind is 割り打ちの銀 wariuchi no gin "silver stabbing-in-the-back". A fork between a king and a rook is 王手飛車 (ōtebisha).

A pin is when a defending piece that is attacked by a ranging piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable piece behind it. (Cf. pins in western chess and also cf. skewers.) In shogi, only lances, rooks (or dragons), and bishops (or horses) can pin an opponent's piece. In the example, the Black's pawn at 3g is pinned by White's bishop because if the pawn were to advance to 3f then Black's rook would be captured by the bishop.

(Cf. sacrifices in western chess.)

A striking pawn (叩きの歩/たたきの歩 tataki no fu) is the tactic of dropping a pawn directly in front of an opponent's piece immediately attacking it. The desired effect of this tactic is usually to force the opponent to move their pieces in a certain way in reaction to the threat of the striking pawn.

A dangling pawn or hanging pawn, (垂れ歩/たれ歩 tarefu or 垂らし歩 tarashifu) is a pawn that is dropped in a position in which it can promote (to a と tokin) in the player's next move. (The act of dangling the pawn is 垂らし tarashi.)

Although dropping a dangling pawn may not be an immediate threat to an opponent, the later threat of promotion can be a greater danger.

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