囲い • かこい • KAKOI
矢
倉
囲
い
居飛車 • IBISHA
⇒飛
english
Fortress castle
Kanji
矢倉囲い
Hiragana
やぐら がこい
Romaji
Yagura gakoi
Meaning
Fortress
Usage
Static rook vs. static rook
Pros
Excellent vertical defence
Very good horizontal defence
Cons
Slow
Experienced players know how to destroy it
Notes
Most probably Yagura is the best known castle and the first to be studied by those approaching Shogi for the first time.
Primarily suitable for confrontation between Static Rook openings, it offers good defence against frontal and lateral attacks. Construction is rather slow. The compactness is balanced.
Notoriety brings with it studies to counter it that are well known to experienced players.
Yagura engages three Generals (2 Gold + 1 Silver) duly linked to provide mutual protection. The Bishop can be integrated into the defence with a controlling role on a diagonal but exposing him to the threat of possible side attacks.
The weak point of the castle is the King placed on the diagonal of the opposing Bishop. This pins the Silver General on his position in the event of an attack, frontal and diagonal, coordinated between Bishop and other pieces.
jōseki + Kifu
english
Castle strength
Yagura gakoi (矢倉囲い) strongly defends Ginsho (銀将) in square 77, preventing vertical attacks on square 86 and guarding the major diagonal. Despite the defense in 77, Ginsho is potentially pinned by a Kakugyo’s (角行) attack due to the Gyokusho (玉将) placed on the same diagonal.
standard move • joseki
定
跡