Side Pawn Capture, Pawn*23

Side Pawn Capture
P*23 Variation

☖ pieces in hand: –

9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
香	桂	銀	金	王		銀	桂	香	1
	飛					金	角		2
歩		歩	歩	歩	歩		歩	歩	3
						飛			4
	歩								5
		歩							6
歩	歩		歩	歩	歩	歩		歩	7
	角	金							8
香	桂	銀		玉	金	銀	桂	香	9

☗ pieces in hand: 歩歩

Side Pawn Capture Pawn*23 (横歩取り☖2三歩 yokofudori ni-san fu) or Side Pawn Capture B*25 (横歩取り☖2五角 yokofudori ni-go kaku) is variation stemming from the Side Pawn Capture opening, in which White drops a pawn on the second file before trading off pawns on the eighth file leading Black to capture White's Side Pawn. After this, White initiates a rapid attack against Black's rook starting from a bishop drop on the second file.

This is an older variation of the Side Pawn opening that has become disfavored since White's rapid attack is considered ineffective.

Development

☖ P*23
up to move 12

☖ pieces in hand: –

9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
香	桂	銀	金	王		銀	桂	香	1
	飛					金	角		2
歩		歩	歩	歩	歩		歩	歩	3
						歩	飛		4
	歩								5
		歩							6
歩	歩		歩	歩	歩	歩		歩	7
	角	金							8
香	桂	銀		玉	金	銀	桂	香	9

☗ pieces in hand: 歩

6... P*23

☖ P*23
up to move 13

☖ pieces in hand: –

9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
香	桂	銀	金	王		銀	桂	香	1
	飛					金	角		2
歩		歩	歩	歩	歩		歩	歩	3
						飛			4
	歩								5
		歩							6
歩	歩		歩	歩	歩	歩		歩	7
	角	金							8
香	桂	銀		玉	金	銀	桂	香	9

☗ pieces in hand: 歩歩

6...P*23. White drops their pawn in hand on the 23 square attacking Black's rook – a striking pawn tactic.

7. Rx34. Fleeing from attack, Black can now take White's side pawn.

Rapid Attack

White's primary response to Black's capturing of the side pawn has been to immediately trade bishops and attack Black's vulnerable rook.

See also

• Side Pawn Capture
• Static Rook

Bibliography

• Hosking, Tony (1996). The art of shogi. The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0-95310-890-9.
• 吉田, 正和 (2015). 決定版！: 横歩取り完全ガイド. マイナビ出版.