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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.

Static-rook Anaguma 居飛車穴熊

ibisha anaguma · Bear in the hole

The king goes all the way into the corner behind its lance, and the generals pack in around it.

Strong: Once built, the hardest king in shogi to reach — often there is no check at all.
Weak: Takes the longest to build, and while it goes up the rest of the board is left to the opponent.

Move order

Open the bishop.
Bishop to g3, out of the corner's way.
The lance steps up: this is the "hole".
The king's long walk begins.
…
…
King into the hole.
Silver seals the lid.
Left gold beside it.
The right gold comes across…
…
…to g2. The Anaguma is closed.

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