Shogi Glossary

Defense (uke)

Reading your opponent's likely attacking moves and playing to block, reduce, or neutralize their threat.

Major pieces (ōgoma)

The two most powerful pieces: the Rook (promoted: Dragon) and the Bishop (promoted: Horse).

Minor pieces (kogoma)

All pieces except the King and the major pieces. In other words: Gold generals, Silver generals, knights, lances, and pawns.

Sacrificing a major piece (ōgoma o kiru)

Giving up a Rook or Bishop in exchange for a lower-value piece or for attacking chances. It is a bold, forcing decision often used to break open the position.

When your King is being attacked from a distance by a Rook (Dragon), Bishop (Horse), or Lance, you drop or move a piece between the attacker and your King to block the line. That blocking piece is called an interposing piece.

Idle piece (asobigoma)

A piece that is not really doing anything — it is not helping attack or defense and is badly placed.

Piece exchange

Both players capture each other's pieces so that the same kind of piece switches hands and becomes a piece in hand. For example, when the bishops are traded, it is called a "Bishop exchange."

Pawn exchange on the Rook file (hisha-saki no fu kōkan)

An exchange of pawns on the file where your Rook is placed. This often makes your Rook much easier to use and is a basic attacking technique in many openings.

Material gain / Material loss (komadoku / komazon)

Gaining an advantage in material (piece value) — for example, trading your Knight for your opponent's Gold — is called material gain (komadoku). The reverse — losing value in an exchange — is called material loss (komazon).

Entering King (nyūgyoku)

When your King advances into the opponent's camp (their promotion zone). In certain positions, entering the enemy camp can lead to a win even if you are behind in material.

Dual-purpose move (kōbōshu)

A very efficient move that both improves your attack and defends at the same time.

Fork / double attack (ryōdori)

A move that simultaneously threatens to capture two of the opponent's pieces. Because the opponent usually cannot defend both, they must give up one of them.

Castle (kakoi)

A defensive formation built to protect your King. Well-known examples include the Mino castle and the Yagura castle.

For standard castles, see the appendix in the author's books Shogi Thinking for Beginners and Shogi Basic Form for Beginners.

Piece development (komagumi)

The process, mainly in the opening, of moving your pieces out from their starting squares to build a formation that protects your King and prepares your own attack.

Endgame attack (yose)

In the endgame, the phase where you chase and corner the opponent's King, aiming for checkmate.

Threatmate (tsumero)

A threat such that if the opponent does not defend properly on the very next move, they will be checkmated. In other words, "a move that threatens an immediate mate next turn."

Brinkmate (hisshi)

A position where the King is not currently in check, but no matter how the defender plays, they will be checkmated on the attacker's next move. To win when your own King is under brinkmate, the only hope is to give a continuous series of checks and checkmate the opponent's King first.

Static Rook (ibisha) / Ranging Rook (furibisha)

Names of opening strategies, based on where you place your Rook, one of the major pieces.

In Static Rook (ibisha) openings, you keep your Rook on its original file or on the right side (files 1 to 4).
In Ranging Rook (furibisha) openings, you move your Rook to the center or left side (around files 5 to 9) and fight from there.

Double Static Rook (ai-ibisha) / Double Ranging Rook (ai-furibisha) / Static vs Ranging Rook (taikō-kei)

When both players choose Static Rook, it is called a Double Static Rook (ai-ibisha) game.
When both choose Ranging Rook, it is a Double Ranging Rook (ai-furibisha) game.
When one plays Static Rook and the other plays Ranging Rook, it is a Static vs Ranging Rook (taikō-kei) game.