Learn › Castles

Castles 囲い

Step through how each castle is built, one move at a time. Only the builder's moves are shown — the opponent stands still — so you can see the shape form. In a real game you play these between your opponent's moves, and the order bends to what they do.

Silver Crown 銀冠

ginkanmuri · Silver crown

The final stage of the Mino family: the silver moves up to crown the king's head.

Strong: The king's head (b3) is now covered by the silver — the Mino's weak point is fixed.
Weak: Many moves to build. The silver no longer guards the side as closely.

Builds on the High Mino — its first moves are the same.

Move order

Open the bishop's diagonal.
Space for the rook.
Rook to f2.
King walks right…
…
…to b2.
Silver up.
Gold to e2 — Mino.
Edge pawn.
Fourth-file pawn…
…gold to d3 — High Mino.
Push the pawn in front of the king to make room…
…and crown the king with the silver.
The last gold fills the silver's old square. Silver Crown.

Why castles matter and how to choose one: the castles lesson · see which castles players here actually reach in the opening explorer.