In shogi, castles (?? kakoi) are strong defensive configurations of pieces that protect the king (?).
In contrast to the special castling move in western chess, shogi castles are structures that require making multiple individual moves with more than one piece.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Introduction
Usually the pieces involved in constructing castles are golds (?), silvers (?), and pawns (?). Typically, they also require moving the king from its starting position - often to the left or right side of the board.
The simplest castle involves two pieces and requires three moves, but it is more common to move at least three different pieces. For example, a simple Mino castle (??) requires moving the king, the rook (?), a silver, and two golds for a total of six moves. Others such as the Static Rook Anaguma castle (?????) are more complex, which requires moving the king, a pawn, the bishop (?), a lance (?), a silver, and two golds for a total of twelve moves.
The lack of a castle and with the king in its start position is known by the term sitting king (?? igyoku), which is typically regarded negatively. However, there are a few very early attack strategies that allow a sitting king (such as the Ureshino opening).
There are many types of castles and variations on those types which can be used, but it is important to understand which ones are useful in the current situation and how to compensate for their weak points.
Castle Boat Video
Castle development
There are piece development relations between castles. For instance, a basic Mino castle can be developed into a Silver Crown castle, a Gold Yagura castle can be developed into a Complete Yagura castle, a Boat castle into an Anaguma castle, a Gold Excelsior castle into a Left Yagura castle, and so on.
Castles and opening types
Certain castles are generally paired with certain openings. For example, if White is playing a Ranging Rook opening like Fourth File Rook, then White often uses a Mino (or related) castle on their right side of the board. A Fourth File Rook opening can be met with Black playing a Static Rook opening, which may often lead to Black building a Static Rook Anaguma castle.
Yagura
The Yagura or Fortress castle (???? yaguragakoi) is considered by many to be the strongest defensive position in shogi in Double Static Rook games.
A common Yagura structure is the Gold Yagura (??? kin yagura). It has a strongly protected king; a well-fortified line of pawns; and the bishop, rook, and a pawn all support a later attack by the rook's silver or knight. It is difficult to break down with a frontal assault, though it is weaker from the side. It is typically used against Static Rook openings that involve advancing the rook's pawn. However, one's opponent may just as easily adopt this defense, giving neither side an advantage.
Crab castle
When building a Yagura castle, there is a strong intermediate position called the Crab castle (???? kanigakoi). It has the three pawns on the left side advanced to their final Yagura positions, and on the h rank all four generals are lined up next to the bishop, which is still in its starting position: ????? bishop-gold-silver-gold-silver. The king is moved one square to the left, behind the middle silver.
The crab name comes from the way the king at 69 can only move from side to side (79, 59).
Besides appearing in Yagura games as an intermediate castle development, it appears as a castle in its own right especially in handicap games.
Furthermore, it may be possible to utilize the Crab castle in a Ranging Rook position in Double Ranging Rook games.
Bonanza
The Bonanza castle (????) is a castle that used to be built by the computer shogi engine Bonanza. It has some similarities with the Incomplete Yagura castle.
Helmet
The Helmet or Headpiece (??? kabuto) castle is a structure often used to protect the king while playing a Reclining Silver strategy usually in combination with a Bishop Exchange opening. If bishops have already been exchanged, then the silver that originated at 79 will have moved up to 77 via 88. And, for Reclining Silver, the right silver that originated at 39 will have reached the central file at 56 (through 38 and 47) with pawn on the fourth file moving up to 46 to make way for the silver. Reclining Silver's name comes from the way the silver at 56 appears to sit on top of the 57 pawn and lean back against the 46 pawn. Kabuto is also known as Helmet Yagura (????? or ??? kabuto yagura).
Snowroof
Snowroof or Zigzag (?? gangi) castle has the left silver positioned on 67 and the two golds positioned on 78 and 58.
Typically, the right silver is also moved up to 57 as well making a four general castle.
Since a silver is placed on the 67 square, the sixth file pawn must be pushed forward to 66. Thus, Snowroof positions are characterized by having a closed bishop diagonal just as in traditional Ranging Rook positions and Yagura positions played by Black.
In Snowroof, the bishop may be kept in situ (?? ikaku) on the 88 square. In this case, the 86 square is not defended allowing the opponent to trade off rook pawns at anytime in contrast to the Yagura castle and the Helmet castle (used in Bishop Exchange openings). If the eighth file pawn trade happens, the side pawn on 76 cannot be captured as it is defended by the 67-silver. Alternately, the bishop may be moved up to 77 so that it defends 86 preventing the eighth file pawn trade. However, once the bishop is on the 95-59 diagonal, then the Snowroof player's bishop may be traded off if the opponent pulls their bishop back to attack along the 31-97 diagonal. Thus, the Snowroof player must weigh the pros and cons of a rook pawn trade vs a bishop trade. Yet another common possibility has the bishop moving B-77, B-59 aiming for a position on the 37 or 25 squares so that it may be utilized on these diagonals.
Snowroof examples
Hisao Hirotsu (Black) used a Snowroof castle against Osamu Kats?ra's Yagura position in a 1977 Kisei tournament game on January 11. Here, Hirotsu has completed their Snowroof castle and has moved his king leftward for king safety to the 79 square aiming for the 88 square. His bishop has moved to the 59 square (via B-77) and is still defending the 86 square while it may also be developed for attacking. From this 59 square, the bishop may be mobilized on 25 or 37 (since the third pawn has been pushed to 36).
Kats?ra (White) has partially completed their Yagura castle, which has been constructed with the Quick Yagura method (which saves one tempo). Since Kats?ra's bishop has already been pulled back to 31 on the 31-97 diagonal, he has the possibility of aiming for an eighth file pawn trade plus a bishop trade via ...P-86, Px86 Bx86, Bx86 Rx86 (which actually occurs in the game after this position).
Yoshiharu Habu (White) used a Snowroof castle against Masayuki Toyoshima's Yagura position in a 2014 Asahi Open tournament on February 2.
Habu's Snowroof has been completed. His bishop has been developed completely out of the castle to its attacking position on 84 and his right knight has developed to 73 for attacking as well. Toyoshima constructed a Complete Yagura castle with his right silver on 57 (instead of playing a more common Silver-37 formation) that was subsequently developed into a Yagura Anaguma castle.
Silver Horns Snowroof
Silver Horns Snowroof (????? tsuno gin gangi) is a recent variant that positions the right silver on 47 instead of the usual 57.
This allows the possibility of moving the silver to the 56 square in a Reclining Silver position.
The silver horns name comes from the similar positioning of the two silvers on rank 7 flanking the central file on the sixth and fourth file that is found in the Central Rook Silver Horns variation.
Silver Horns Snowroof examples
Keita Kadokura (White) used a Silver Horns Snowroof castle against Sh?ji Segawa's Yagura position in a 2017 ?za tournament on October 22.
Right King
Right King (?? migi gyoku)
Right King examples
Yoshiharu Habu (White) used a Right King castle in a 2016 ?i tournament game on September 12 against opponent Kazuki Kimura (Black). The opening was Bishop Exchange Double Reclining Silver.
Although Habu had initially moved his king leftwards to the 42 square earlier in the game, he later moved his king rightwards (K-52, K-61, K-72) to form a Right King position. Additionally, his left silver that was earlier on the 33 square has moved after a pawn trade on the fourth file to the 53 square (via S-44) further strengthening the Right King castle.
Kimura is using a Gold Yagura castle with his king on the 79 square.
Central House
Central House (shogi) (???? naka zumai)
Nakahara
Nakahara (shogi) (???? nakaharagakoi)
The castle is named after Makoto Nakahara.
Duck
Duck or Duck Legs (??? ahiru) or Spread Golds (??? kinbiraki) is a Static Rook castle used in the surprise Duck opening.
Paperweight
Paperweight castle (???? bunchingakoi) is a Static Rook castle used against Ranging Rook opponents in the Subway Rook opening (????? chikatetsubisha).
It is named after the long row of pieces on rank 8, which is like the shape of traditional Japanese paperweights.
Truck
Truck castle (?????? torakkugakoi) is an uncommon Static Rook castle.
Boat
The Boat castle (??? or ??? funagakoi) is a Static Rook castle used against Ranging Rook, where the king moves next to the bishop and moves the right hand gold diagonally forward above the king's throne. This castle can also be an intermediary towards making stronger castles, such as Left Mino, Silver Crown or Anaguma. This castle is often considered weak although Static Rook has the option of engaging in a rapid attack through various means, especially against Fourth File Rook and by making use of the left silver.
A rapid attack isn't guaranteed to be successful, since Ranging Rook will try to trade off the bishops and bring the game into a full-scale battle. This can lead static rook into a difficult game, because their Boat castle is too weak compared to the opponent's Mino castle. As such, Static Rook would rather resort to making stronger castles, such as Anaguma or Left Mino.
Daddy's Dearest
Daddy's Dearest or Girl-In-The-House (???? hakoiri musume, lit. "daughter inside box") is a development from the Boat castle with the fifth file gold moving to the sixth file getting closer to the king.
Diamond
The Diamond or Lozenge castle (??? hishigakoi) can be developed from a Boat castle by moving the left silver up to 68 and incorporating the right silver above the gold on 57. The Diamond is relatively stronger than the Boat.
Yonenaga King
Yonenaga King castle (??? Yonenaga gyoku) is used for Static Rook vs Ranging Rook games. This castle is named after Kunio Yonenaga.
This castle is similar to an Edge King Silver Crown.
The Yonenaga King variant show here is almost the same as a Left Silver Crown castle but with the king moved leftward one file to the edge. Thus, it may called by the name Yonenaga King Silver Crown (????? yonenaga gyoku ginkanmuri).
Elmo
Elmo castle is a Static Rook castle used against Ranging Rook positions. It is found in the computer shogi game records of the elmo shogi engine. The elmo engine (which is an eval function and a book file used with the YaneuraOu search engine) was the undefeated winner of the 2017 World Computer Shogi Championship beating the previously dominant Ponanza engine.
Elephant Eye
Silver Elephant Eye (??? gin z?gan) and Gold Elephant Eye (??? kin z?gan) may be used in bishop handicap games.
Skewered Cutlet
Skewered Cutlet castle (??? kushikatsu) is used for Static Rook vs Ranging Rook games. It is named after a kushikatsu.
The Skewered Cutlet is structurally similar to the Static Rook Anaguma.
Anaguma
The Anaguma or Bear In The Hole castle (???? anaguma, lit. "hole-bear") is a very common and often used in professional shogi.
This castle can be executed on either side of the board.
Mino
The Mino castle (???? min?gakoi) is a defensive position that is considered easier for beginners, but still popular with professionals. (Mino is a historical province of Japan.) The King is placed in a safe position, while the three generals work well to back each other up.
Silver Crown
The Silver Crown castle (?? ginkanmuri) is often a further development from Mino (via a High Mino castle).
Silver Crown is stronger than both Mino and High Mino from above.
Wall
Wall castle (??? kabegakoi), also known as Quick Castle (??? hayagakoi), is used for Static Rook vs Ranging Rook games. According to Hosking, it can also be called Edo Castle as it often appeared in Ranging Rook positions during the Edo period.
The castle requires only three moves, and so, can be formed very quickly if under attack. And, for this reason, yet another name for this castle is Three-Move castle (???? sante gakoi). However, this name also refers to another simple castle constructed by three moves (see section below).
(In Japanese, the term ??? hayagakoi also refers to Quick Yagura castle.)
The Wall castle can develop later into the stronger Gold Mino with two moves. (That is, it requires five moves in total.)
Wall game examples
Although the Wall castle is often found in very old shogi games from the Edo period, it may occasionally be found in modern professional games.
Yasumitsu Sat? (Black) used the Wall castle in a 2017 NHK tournament on October 22 as shown in the adjacent diagram. The castle is paired with an Opposing Rook attacking formation.
Iijima is using an Anaguma castle that has not yet been completed yet along with a Static Rook formation.
This game features aggressive attacks very early in the game, which partly explains the presence of the Wall castle instead of more complex Ranging Rook castles like Mino.
Three-move
The Three-Move castle (???? sante gakoi) can be formed with only three moves (like the Wall castle).
This castle also goes by the name ??? hayagakoi. (Thus, this name is ambiguous since it can also refer to the Wall castle and rapid method of forming a Yagura castle.)
Small/Rapid Castle
The Small or Rapid castle is another simple castle that can be formed by only four moves. This castle is not very common.
Another quick castle built in four moves has the silver on 48 and the gold on 59.
Flatfish
The Flatfish castle (???? or ????? hiramegakoi) is used in the Flatfish opening.
It is structurally similar to a Mino castle but with the two golds positioned adjacent to each other on the same bottom rank rather having the centermost gold on the same rank as the silver.
Millenium
Millenium (shogi) (????? mireniamu) is a newer castle developed in response to the Fujii System (?????? Fujii shisutemu) opening.
Millenium example
Aerokin
This castle usually develops when your opponent tries to attack your Silver Crown from the side with rooks (or dragons).
Gold Excelsior
Gold Excelsior or Peerless Golds (??? kinmus?) is a castle used in Double Ranging Rook openings. It has an alternate name of Two Golds or Twin Golds (??? nimaikin) or Silver Wall.
Mid-Rank King castles
Aerial Tower
Aerial Tower (???? k?ch? r?kaku) is a Mid-Rank King (??? ch?dan gyoku) type of castle in which the king is positioned on the middle ranks 4-6.
Fourth Rank Edge King
Fourth Rank Edge King (???? yondan hashigyoku) is a Mid-Rank type of castle.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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