Shogi King

Learn shogi · 将棋入門

From your first move to your first checkmate

A free course in short lessons. Every diagram is a live board you can tap, most lessons end with something to try, and every rule is checked against the same engine that runs the games here. Units 1–5 are the rules; 6 and 7 are how to play well.

0 of 32 lessons complete

  1. 1 The board and pieces

    The 9×9 board, who moves first, and how each of the eight pieces moves.

    1. The board and setup
    2. The king
    3. The rook
    4. The bishop
    5. The gold general
    6. The silver general
    7. The knight
    8. The lance
    9. The pawn

  2. 2 Promotion

    The far three ranks, what each piece turns into, and when promotion is not a choice.

    1. The promotion zone
    2. What each piece promotes to
    3. When promotion is forced

  3. 3 Captures and drops

    Captured pieces change sides and come back. Where you may — and may not — drop them.

    1. Captured pieces change sides
    2. Dropping a piece
    3. Illegal drops

  4. 4 Winning and drawing

    Check and checkmate, resigning, repetition, impasse, and the move cap.

    1. Check and checkmate
    2. Resigning
    3. Repetition and perpetual check
    4. Impasse and the point count
    5. The move cap

  5. 5 Playing on this site

    Clocks, handicaps, reading the notation, and the manners that go with the game.

    1. Clocks — byoyomi and Fischer
    2. Handicaps, and why uwate moves first
    3. Reading shogi notation
    4. Etiquette and reactions

  6. 6 First strategy

    Opening principles, static versus ranging rook, the three great castles, and basic tesuji.

    1. Opening principles
    2. Static rook or ranging rook
    3. Castles — Mino, Yagura and Anaguma
    4. Basic tesuji — forks, pawn taps and joined pieces

  7. 7 Endgame and tsume

    What a tsume is, how to solve one, brinkmate, and where to practise.

    1. What a tsume is
    2. How to solve a tsume
    3. Brinkmate — hisshi
    4. Where to practise

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