Essential Castles — 10 Formations

Static rook and ranging rook castles explained in 3 lessons

A castle is a defensive formation that keeps your King safe. Which castle to use depends heavily on whether you play static rook (ibisha) or ranging rook (furibisha) — the formations are largely separate between the two strategies.

Here we cover 10 essential castles rated on three axes: moves to build, durability, and positional balance. Use these ratings to find the castle that fits your style.

Castle Strategy Moves to Build Durability Balance Beginner Pick
BoatStatic rook★★★★★★☆☆☆☆★★★☆☆Best
CrabStatic rook★★★★☆★☆☆☆☆★★★☆☆Good
GangiStatic rook★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★Good
YaguraStatic rook★★☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆Later
ElmoStatic rook★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆Good
MinoRanging rook★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆Best
High MinoRanging rook★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆Good
Silver CrownBoth★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★☆☆Good
Double GoldRanging rook★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆Good
FortressBoth★☆☆☆☆★★★★★＋★☆☆☆☆Later
1

Static Rook Castles

Boat, Crab, Elmo, Gangi, and Yagura — five castles from quick-assembly to full-scale fortifications.

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2

Ranging Rook Castles

Mino, High Mino, Silver Crown, and Double Gold — including the Mino upgrade line explained at a glance.

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3

The Fortress and Choosing Your Castle

The most impenetrable castle in shogi — and a guide to picking the right formation for your style.

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