Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack

Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack or Left Silver-5g Quick Attack (5七銀左急戦 go-nana gin hidari kyuusen) is a fast attacking strategy in shogi used with several different Static Rook (居飛車) openings usually played by Black (先手) against Ranging Rook (振り飛車) positions played by White (後手). It is characterized by moving the left silver (銀) from its start position on 7i to the 5g square.

Black's position is usually combined with a Boat castle (船囲い).

Against Fourth File Rook

When used Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack played by Black is used against White's Fourth File Rook, Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack often transitions to the Left Silver-4f (4六銀左 yon-roku gin hidari) class of openings.

The Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack openings against Fourth File Rook include the Yamada joseki (山田定跡 yamada jouseki), the Suginomiya joseki (鷺宮定跡 suginomiya jouseki), and Pawn-4e Quick Fight or Pawn-4e Rapid Engage (4五歩早仕掛け yon-go fu haya-shikake) among others.

The opening starts by the usual Static Rook vs Ranging Rook four-move sequence that results in the board position shown on the right. (See: Traditional Ranging Rook.)

Development

After the fourth move, the position can proceed in a number of different ways. The subsequent moves can be categorized with the following components:^[1][2][3][4]

• Black advancing on the second file and bishop (角) defense response
• castle construction on both sides
• edge pawn (歩) development
• Black's left silver oblique advancement

These components can be used in different orders and even with some interleaving between them. Additionally, there may also be some strategic keeping the true intentions behind each player's moves uncertain in the hopes that an opponent will not respond with adequate defensive measures.

If Black is truly going for a rapid attack, then they will build a Boat castle since that can be created with relatively few moves. Black later may have an option on converting the Boat castle in the stronger Static Rook Anaguma (居飛車穴熊) or Left Mino (左美濃) and possibly further into the Left Silver Crown (左銀冠). White often builds either a Mino castle (美濃囲い) or an Ranging Rook Anaguma (振り飛車穴熊).

There is a shogi proverb relevant to Static Rook vs Ranging Rook strategies such as Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack: 序盤は奇数の歩を突け joban wa kisuu o tsuke "In the opening, push the odd-numbered pawns." This refers especially to the seventh, fifth, and third files pawns, which must be advanced in order to form a Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack structure. Advancing the odd pawns activates Black's bishop and allows the silvers to pass through the line of pawns. A possible position implied by the pushing all odd pawns is shown to the right.

For the next move, Black will usually either advance their right silver or their rook pawn. The 3i-silver development is the more common move in out of all professional games (occurring about 70% of the time).^[5] However, out of the games that actually lead to a Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack position, the pawn push is more common. Although other moves such as 3. K-6h are logically possible, these are rare.

Rook pawn push

3. P-2e. Advancing Black's rook pawn one rank further has two purposes. The first is that the pawn is closer to White's camp and ready to attack later in the game. (It may also be possible to exchange the pawns later in order to get a pawn in hand. However, White will prevent from happening immediately by protecting the 4d square with another piece.) The second purpose is that it enlarges the area that the rook can move to. For example, the rook can now move up to the sixth rank where it can be used either defensively or offensively.

Note the Black need not advance the rook pawn this early at move 5. They may, for instance, move their right silver (3. S-4h).

3. ... B-3c. At this point, White must respond to Black's pawn push in order to protect the second file. Since White is playing Ranging Rook, they will move their bishop to the third file protecting the 2d square. This move prevents Black from immediately exchanging pawns on the second file and obtaining a pawn in hand. This move also opens up the White's entire b rank allowing for the possibility of White moving the rook to 2b for an Opposing Rook (向かい飛車) strategy.

Silver development

4. S-4h. This move prepares for White's Ranging Rook as well as numerous other strategies (such as Double Yagura).^[6] If White moves their rook to the fourth file and advances their fourth file pawn very early, then Black's silver can advance to 5g protecting the 4f square from the pawn attack. This silver if left on 4h also defends the 3g square from White advancing their third file pawn later in the game (which is when Black might have their knight (桂) positioned on 3g).

Development of the right silver to the fourth file is the most common move fourth move in professional games following the board position after the first three moves. The reason is that is more flexible than the 3. P-2e pawn push. Although S-4h can lead to the Left Silver-5g Rapid Attack strategy discussed here, this silver can also be used for Black's Right Fourth File Rook strategy, in which a P-2e pawn push is undesirable as it blocks Black's knight from advancing to 2e. This flexibility of 3. S-4h also informs White less about Black's strategy compared to 3. P-e which narrows the possibilities of Black and thus is more informative to White.

Although it's possible for Black to move the silver to the third file (S-3h) possibly in preparation for a Climbing Silver (棒銀) strategy, this move is not found in professional games since the silver's position is more limited and further away from White's king (玉) once it has been castled (which will likely be on files 7–9) as well as further away from focal point of the fourth file where White's rook is positioned. Moreover, a Climbing Silver strategy can still be used even with the silver moving up from 4h. And, finally, as S-3h does give White a strong indication of Climbing Silver, it is more revealing to White what Black's strategy will be and thus White can prepare defensively.

Ranging the rook

4. ... R-4b. This move announces that White is playing Fourth File Rook. It protects the fourth file as well as allowing the king the possibility to start castling in their next move. It is possible to delay moving the rook for the sixth move and instead moving White's left silver (S-3b). A benefit of the delay is that it keeps White's strategy more uncertain as S-3b is also compatible with a Yagura opening. Demerits of delaying the rook movement include delaying of castle formation, blocking the rook from moving to the second or third files if desired, and preventing White from doing any early fourth file pawn (counter-)attack.

5. P-5f.

Edge pawns

5. ... P-9d. Early edge pawn.

6. P-9f. If White is intending to form a Mino castle, then White should mirror Black's ninth file pawn advance. This creates an opening the line of pawns from which White's king can escape if needed during the end game. If White delays opening the pawn line, then Black has the possibility of preventing it by pushing their pawn further (7. P-9e).

If White intends to make an Anaguma castle, then White's edge pawn does not need to be advanced.

Silver preparation

Castling

Final position

Transpositions

The sequence of moves shown above can also be flexibly transposed to different orders. Below are some other possible move sequences leading to the same position.

Black[lower-alpha 1]

White

Black[lower-alpha 2]

White

Black[lower-alpha 3]

White

Black[lower-alpha 4]

White

Black[lower-alpha 5]

White

Black[lower-alpha 6]

White

Black[lower-alpha 7]

White

4.

S-4h

S-3b

P-2e

B-3c

P-2e

B-3c

S-4h

S-3b

S-4h

R-4b

S-4h

R-4b

S-4h

R-4b

5.

P-5f

R-4b

S-4h

R-4b

S-4h

S-3b

P-5f

R-4b

P-5f

K-6b

P-5f

K-6b

K-6h

S-7b

6.

K-6h

K-6b

K-6h

P-9d

P-5f

P-9d

K-6h

K-6b

K-6h

K-7b

K-6h

K-7b

K-7

P-9d

7.

K-7h

K-7b

P-9f

K-6b

P-9f

R-4b

K-7h

K-7b

K-7h

K-8b

K-7h

K-8b

P-5f

S-3b

8.

G4i-5h

K-8b

K-7h

S-7b

K-6h

S-7b

G4i-5h

K-8b

G4i-5h

S-7b

G4i-5h

S-7b

G4i-5h

G-5b

9.

P-9f

P-9d

P-5f

K-7a

K-7h

K-6b

P-9f

P-9d

S-6h

P-9d

P-3f

S-3b

P-9f

K-6b

10.

S-6h

S-7b

G4i-5h

S-3b

G4i-5h

K-7a

S-6h

S-7b

P-9f

S-3b

P-2e

B-3c

P-3f

K-7a

11.

P-3f

G4a-5b

P-3f

K-8b

P-3f

G4a-5b

P-3f

G4a-5b

S6h-5g

B-3c

S-6h

P-9d

P-2e

B-3c

12.

P-2e

B-3c

S-6h

G4a-5b

S-6h

K-8b

S6h-5g

B-3c

P-3f

G4a-5b

P-9f

G4a-5b

S-6h

K-8b

13.

S6h-5g

...

S6h-5g

...

S6h-5g

...

P-2e

...

P-2e

...

S6h-5g

...

S6h-5g

...

See also

• Static Rook

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Hosking, Tony (1997). The Art of Shogi. The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0-95310-890-9. 
• Kitao, Madoka (2011). Joseki at a glance. Translated by Kawasaki, Tomohide. Nekomado. ISBN 978-4-9052-2501-0. 
• "Kyokumenpedia" 局面ペディア [Kyokumenpedia]. Kyokumenpedia (in Japanese). Team ISCube. 2016. 

External links

• YouTube: HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings:
  • S6-5g Rapid Attack (against 4th-file Mino Defense)
  • Yamada's Jouseki: Oblique Climbing Silver #1
  • Yamada's Jouseki: Oblique Climbing Silver #2 (B*5d variation)
  • Yamada's Jouseki: Oblique Climbing Silver #3 (P-6e variation)
  • Yamada's Jouseki: Edge Bishop Strategy #1
  • Yamada's Jouseki: Edge Bishop Strategy #2
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #1
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #2
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #3
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #4 (New Saginomiya)
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #5 (New Saginomiya)
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #6 (New Saginomiya)
  • Saginomiya Jouseki #7 (Summary)
  • Left S-4f Strategy #1
  • Left S-4f Strategy #2
  • Left S-4f Strategy #3
  • Left S-4f Strategy #4 (P*3f variation)
  • Left S-4f Strategy #5 (P*3g variation)
  • Left S-4f Strategy #6 (B-2b variation)
  • Rapid Engage #1
  • Rapid Engage #2
  • Rapid Engage #3