Shogi - shogi

Japanese: 将棋 - しょうぎ

It is an indoor game in which two players (players) compete against each other based on rules around a shogi board. The winner is the player who captures the opponent's king (gyoku) first. There are versions of shogi in other countries besides Japan, such as chess (Western shogi), Chinese xiangqi, and Korean shogi.

[Yamamoto Kosuke March 20, 2019]

Origin and history

The origin of shogi is unknown in literature. It is generally believed that a similar Western shogi game originated in India, where the first form of shogi was played with dice and with elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry as the four pieces that make up an army. It is estimated that it was created 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, and it is said to have been introduced to Persia (Iran) around the 4th century, where it became known as chaturanga. Chaturanga became the prototype of Western shogi, and was introduced to China via the Silk Road, where it became Chinese xiangqi, and then to Japan, where it became Japanese shogi. It is said that it was imported from China to Japan around the 8th century, when Kibi no Makibi, who visited China as a Japanese envoy, brought it back, but there is no definitive proof, and the prevailing theory is that it was introduced earlier than that.

In recent years, excavation work has been actively carried out at ruins all over Japan, and many shogi pieces have been unearthed. The oldest pieces were excavated from a well-like ruin in the former grounds of Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara City, along with a wooden tablet with the date "Tenki 6th year" (1058) written on it, from the early Heian period (mid-11th century), and were written in ink on a piece of wood. There were 16 pieces in total, including three "king generals," four "gold generals," one each of "silver generals" and "knights," six "pawns," and one unknown piece, and no "king." Of interest is the medium shogi piece excavated from the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine in Kamakura City, which is estimated to date from the late 13th century to the 14th century. These excavated pieces have revealed that Japanese shogi pieces had the current pentagonal shape as early as the 10th century.

All shogi in the world, except for Japanese shogi, which currently has 40 pieces, have the rule that pieces can be "discarded." The current Japanese shogi is the only game that has the rule that pieces can be "reused." This makes it a unique, deep, and interesting game in the world.

Regarding old Japanese shogi, the "Nichu-reki" states that in the Heian period, there were shogi (36 pieces) and dai shogi (68 pieces), but the details are unclear. Later books also state that there are versions of shogi (9 pieces each), 46 pieces (9 vertical and horizontal), chu shogi (12 pieces each), dai shogi (15 pieces each), 130 pieces (15 vertical and horizontal), dai dai shogi (17 pieces each), 192 pieces (17 vertical and horizontal), maka dai dai shogi (19 pieces each), 192 pieces (19 vertical and horizontal), and tai shogi (25 pieces each), but it is believed that only the dai, chu, and shogi were actually played.

Regarding Dai-Shogi, the entry for September 12, 1142, in the diary "Daiki" by Fujiwara no Yorinaga, Minister of the Left, who initiated the Hogen Rebellion, states that Yorinaga played Dai-Shogi against Moronaka Ason (Minamoto no Yorinaka (1115-1172)) in the presence of the retired Emperor Sutoku, and lost. In the Kamakura period, there are descriptions of Shogi in Fujiwara no Teika's diary "Meigetsuki," and in the Muromachi period "Kaei Sandai-ki," it is written that Shogi was actively played at the Imperial Court and the Shogun's household. The description in "Kaei Sandai-ki" is clearly of Chu-Shogi.

Later, in the Kanmon Gyoki by Emperor Gosuko (Prince Sadafusa (1372-1456)), there is a passage about a game played on August 22, 1435, in which Shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori and Chancellor Nijō Mochimoto (1390-1445) played sho-shogi, with the Chancellor losing the second game. This tells us that sho-shogi, the basis of modern shogi, was born. From these historical documents, it is presumed that the rule of "reusing" pieces was born in the Muromachi period. Furthermore, the pieces excavated from the ruins of Toba Imperial Villa in Kyoto date from the late 13th century to the mid-14th century, and these excavated pieces also show that the new rules of modern shogi were born in the Muromachi period.

During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, it is recorded that military commanders enjoyed playing shogi, and Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu protected and encouraged shogi players by awarding them stipends. In the entry for late February 1587 (Tensho 15) in Matsudaira Ietada's "Ietada Diary," there is a diagram of how the pieces are arranged, and in 1607 (Keicho 12), there is a record of a game between Ohashi Sokei and Honinbo Sansa (1558-1623), which is the oldest surviving record of a game.

In 1612 (Keicho 17), Sokei was awarded 50 koku and five people's stipend by Ieyasu, and later, he was given the position of Shogi-dokoro (another name for Meijin) that Sansa had held concurrently, and became the first Meijin. In 1634 (Kan'ei 11), the first Meijin Sokei died, and his son Ohashi Soko (1576-1654) succeeded him as the second Meijin. The following year, in 1635, the number of shogi families was reduced to three: the main Ohashi family, its branch family, and the Ito family. The Edo Shogunate granted them a new stipend of 20 koku as shogi players, and the hereditary system of shogi families was established. In 1636, the current rules and prohibited moves were codified, and in 1662 (Kanbun 2), the family came under the control of the Magistrate of Temples and Shrines. The Shogi-dokoro was selected from the three Shogi families, and every year on November 17th, members of the three families performed the "Oshiro Shogi" event, where they presented the records of games to the Shogun's family at the Kuroshoin in Edo Castle. This event continued until 1861 (Bunkyu 1), and after the death of the 10th Meijin, Ito Sokan, in 1843 (Tenpo 14), the position remained vacant until the beginning of the Meiji era.

The Meiji era was a difficult time for the world of shogi, and some players were criticized by the public for indulging in gambling, but the former shogi families stood up on their own to rebuild the game, setting up shogi clubs and working to popularize it. In October 1879 (Meiji 12), former shogi family member Ito Soin (1826-1893) succeeded him as the 11th Meijin, and two years later he launched the Shogi Shinpo newspaper and got the game back on track. Soin passed away in 1893, and in 1898 Ono Gohei (1831-1921) became the 12th Meijin. In 1921 (Taisho 10), Ono passed away, and Sekine Kinjiro became the 13th Meijin. Dissatisfied with this, Sankichi Sakata arbitrarily proclaimed himself Meijin in Osaka, and the shogi world split into various factions, but in 1924 the conflicts between the factions were resolved and the Tokyo Shogi Association was formed.

In 1935 (Showa 10), the shogi world decided to abolish the traditional lifetime Meijin system and adopt the "Merit Meijin System" in which the Meijin is decided by ability. This was a groundbreaking event in the history of shogi, and a league tournament was started to select a new Meijin by ability, and the first Meijin by ability was won by Kimura Yoshio, a student of Sekine. The shogi world, which had been flourishing in this way, was interrupted by World War II and the war ended in hardship, but it quickly began to rebuild the following year in 1946 (Showa 21). At the suggestion of Kimura Yoshio, the Meijin at the time, a new system of ranking tournaments was adopted. It was a major reform that divided affiliated players into A, B, and C to determine the ranking, made the number one A class player the Meijin challenger, and reduced the Meijin title to one year per term (two years before the war). This new ranking tournament system inspired all players, and the postwar shogi world created a golden age unprecedented in the history of shogi.

[Yamamoto Kosuke March 20, 2019]

Current Status

In 1949 (Showa 24), the Japan Shogi Association was approved as an incorporated association and was established. It signed tournament contracts with major newspapers, broadcasting stations, and weekly magazines, which strengthened its financial base and led to rapid growth. The following eight major tournaments are called official title tournaments, and the winners are given preferential treatment as title holders: (1) Meijin Tournament (to decide the Meijin), (2) Ryuo Tournament (to decide the Ryuo), (3) Osho Tournament (to decide the Osho), (4) Oi Tournament (to decide the Oi), (5) Kisei Tournament (to decide the Kisei), (6) Kiō Tournament (to decide the Kiō), (7) Oza Tournament (to decide the Oza), and (8) Eio Tournament (to decide the Eio).

The All Japan Pro Tournament was a large-scale tournament comparable to a title match, but in 2001 it changed to the Asahi Open Shogi Championship, and in 2007 it was renamed the Asahi Cup Shogi Open.

The NHK Cup, which began as a radio tournament in 1951, switched to television broadcasting in 1962, pioneering a new way of showing professional shogi players playing on screen.

Kimura Yoshio almost monopolized the Meijin title in the highest tournament before and after World War II, but in 1952 Oyama Yasuharu defeated Kimura to become the third Meijin under the merit-based system. Due to the rule that a Meijin title of five or more terms is a permanent Meijin, Kimura retired and succeeded the title as the 14th Meijin. Oyama set a record by holding the Meijin title for a total of 18 terms, and in 1976, while still playing, he was named the 15th Meijin. He won the title a total of 80 times, ushering in the Oyama era.

In 1972, Nakahara Makoto defeated Oyama to become Meijin at age 24, and in 1983, 21-year-old Tanigawa Koji (1962- ) defeated Meijin Kato Hifumi (1940- ) to become the youngest Meijin in history. Nakahara, who had held the title 15 times in total, subsequently qualified as the 16th Meijin, and Tanigawa, who had held it five times in total, qualified as the 17th Meijin, followed by Moriuchi Toshiyuki (1970- ) and Habu Yoshiharu (1970- ) who qualified as the 18th and 19th Meijin, respectively.

In 1988, the Judan tournament was reborn as the Ryuo tournament, becoming the top tournament on a par with the Meijin tournament. The first Ryuo was Akira Shima (1963-). The following year, in 1989 (Heisei 1), 19-year-old Yoshiharu Habu defeated Shima to become the Ryuo. In 1996, Habu took the Osho title from Tanigawa, winning every title at the time and becoming the first player in history to hold seven titles.

Starting with the Women's Professional Meijin Tournament, the number of women's chess tournaments continued to increase, including the Women's Osho Tournament, the Women's Oi Tournament, and the Kurashiki Touka Tournament, and in 2000 (Heisei 12), Shimizu Ichiyo (1969-) reached the highest rank of 6th dan for women.

Shogi tactics also made great strides, with new techniques emerging one after another. After World War II, the "Koshikakegin" strategy became popular, followed by the ancient "Yagura" and "Furibisha" strategies, which were reinvented and became mainstream. Furthermore, the "Vertical Pawn Capture" and "Anaguma" strategies, which did not exist before the war, rose to prominence, and groundbreaking ways of playing the "Side Pawn Capture" and "Shikenbisha" strategies also emerged, with advanced techniques being used. This led to an increase in the publication of shogi-related books, creating a shogi boom.

The amateur shogi world has also developed year by year. Shogi clubs have been established in elementary, middle and high schools, and some high schools have incorporated shogi into their regular curriculum. The "High School Championship," "High School Ryuo Championship," "Junior High School Meijin Championship," and "Elementary School Meijin Championship" have also been established. In addition to the "University Shogi" and "All Japan Amateur Meijin Championship" that have been held since before the Second World War, there are also the "Amateur Osho Championship," "Amateur Ryuo Championship," "Asahi Amateur Meijin Championship," "Japan Shogi Association National Branch Championship," and "Occupational Group Championship."

The number of women who love shogi is also increasing rapidly, with many aiming to become professional female shogi players after participating in events such as the Women's Amateur Meijin Tournament.

There are said to be 10 million shogi fans nationwide, and the Japan Shogi Association has about 700 branches nationwide with nearly 20,000 members. Shogi has also spread significantly overseas, with about 50 shogi association branches in cities such as New York, London, Paris, Moscow, Shanghai, and Bangkok.

As computers have developed and become more widespread, the number of people who enjoy playing shogi on computers has increased dramatically. It has become a hot topic that the playing ability of computers has caught up with and even surpassed that of professional players.

[Yamamoto Kosuke and Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Competition Method

In shogi, two players (one playing first and one playing second) take turns moving a total of 40 pieces, each of eight different types with different functions, according to the rules, and the player who ultimately checkmates the opponent's king is the winner.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Name of the piece

The names and abbreviations of the pieces are as follows. There are eight types: Gyokusho (King) or Osho (King), Hisha (Bishop), Kakugyo (Bishop), Gold General (Gold), Silver General (Silver), Keima (King), Bishop (Bishop), and Fuhyo (Pawn). Pieces other than the King and Gold can be "promoted" when they enter the enemy camp (within the third row) or move within the enemy camp, and the function of the piece changes. When promoted, the piece is flipped over, but its name changes. The names and abbreviations of promoted pieces are as follows: Bishop → Ryuo (Dragon), Bishop → Ryuuma (Horse), Silver → Promoted Silver, Knight → Promoted Knight, Bishop → Promoted Bishop, Pawn → To (Tokin).

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

How to read the board

The board has 9 vertical squares and 9 horizontal squares for a total of 81 squares. The vertical lines are expressed with Arabic numerals and the horizontal rows with Chinese numerals. Taking the white player (in front of Diagram A (1)) as the base, the vertical lines are numbered from 1 to 9 from right to left, and the horizontal rows are numbered from 1 to 9 from top to bottom, and the coordinates indicate the position of the squares. In this case, the vertical Arabic numerals are read first, along with the horizontal Chinese numerals. In Diagram A (1), the numbers are read as 1-1 Bishop, 5-9 King, 8-2 Flying, and 8-8 Bishop, indicating that the piece is located at that point. The movement of a piece is also indicated by the coordinates of the next stopping point. For example, 5-5 Bishop in Diagram A (1) indicates that 8-8 Bishop has advanced to 5-5.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Arrangement of pieces

The king is placed in the center of the bottom row, followed by gold, silver, knight and bishop on the left and right, followed by the flying and bishop on the second row, and nine pawns on the third row. In the Edo period, shogi masters arranged the pieces in the order shown in Diagram A (2). This custom remains to this day, but usually the stronger player sits at the top, and if there is a king and king, the stronger player places the king first, then the weaker player places the king, and then both players arrange the pieces as they wish.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

How the pieces work and how to move them

Each of the eight types of pieces has its own unique movement. Figure B (1) shows the movements of the king, gold piece, and silver piece. The king moves all around it one by one, the gold piece cannot move diagonally downward, and the silver piece cannot move sideways or directly downward. The king is an absolute piece, and if it is checkmated, the game will be lost. Usually, the gold piece is used to protect the king, but it often deals a decisive blow to the enemy king. The silver piece can move quickly and plays an important role as an offensive piece. Figure B (2) shows the movements of the knight, bishop, and pawn. The knight is a unique piece that moves diagonally left and right with one space forward. It can jump over the opponent's and your own pieces, so it is called "jump" or "jump", and is an indispensable piece for attack. The bishop is also called "spear" and can move to the depths of its line. The pawn moves forward one step at a time. The pawn is used frequently, and how it is used can greatly affect the situation. The knight, bishop, and pawn move forward, but cannot retreat. Figure B (3) shows the movements of the silver, knight, bishop, and pawn when they are promoted. Promoting silver, promoting knight, promoting bishop, and to (and gold) all have the same function as gold. Promoting or not promoting is free, and usually promoting is more efficient, but depending on the situation, it may be more effective to use it without promoting. Diagram B (4) shows the movement of the rook and the dragon that has been promoted to a rook. The rook can move in all directions vertically and horizontally. The dragon can move one unit each diagonally in addition to the power of the rook, and the rook or dragon is very effective when used within the enemy's camp. It takes over a piece in the enemy's camp and goes on a rampage, and is the main piece when moving the enemy king closer. Diagram B (5) shows the movement of the bishop and the horse that has been promoted to a bishop. The bishop can move in all directions diagonally, and the horse can move one unit each up, down, left and right in addition to the power of the bishop. The bishop is an important offensive piece like the rook, and when it becomes a horse, it gains great power that is equal to that of the dragon. Furthermore, it is often effective to draw the horse into your own camp and use it. There is a saying that "Dragons are in the enemy's camp, horses are in your own camp," while it is also said that "the protection of a horse is worth three gold and silver pieces." Gold, silver, knight, bishop, and pawn are called small pieces, while the flying and bishop are called large pieces.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Rules of Shogi

When playing shogi, players must follow the rules established by the Japan Shogi Association. The first person to codify the rules (prohibited moves) was the second Meijin, Ohashi Soko. The main rules are as follows:

[1] Play alternately. The first and second players play one move at a time. Playing two moves in succession is considered a "two-move play" foul.

[2] Capturing a piece When there is an enemy piece within the line of an ally's piece, the ally's piece can move to that position to capture the enemy piece.

[3] Mochigoma (pieces in hand) A captured piece becomes a mochigoma, and as an ally piece, it can be placed on the board when it is the player's turn.

[4] Check: The state in which the king is about to be taken. The king is an absolute piece, and the player who is in check must remove the check by fleeing, by placing a piece between the opponent's lines, or by capturing the piece that caused the check.

[5] Checkmate: A state in which the king is finally unable to remove the check. The ultimate goal in shogi is to checkmate the opponent's king, and the outcome is decided when the king is checkmated.

[6] Prohibited Moves ① Prohibition on 2 Pawns If there is a pawn of your side on a vertical line, you may not play a pawn on that line. ② Prohibition on Pieces with Nowhere to Go You may not play a knight, bishop, or pawn on the first row of the opponent's camp. In the case of a knight, you may not play on the second row either. If you advance to that point, you must promote it. ③ Prohibition on Checkmate with a Pawn You may not checkmate by playing a pawn in the end. Figure C (1) is an example of a checkmate with a pawn. White cannot play 2-2 Pawn to Black's King. Black also cannot play 8-5 Pawn to White's King. Checkmating by pushing a pawn on the board is called "pushing pawn checkmate" and is not a prohibited move. Also, if there is room for the King to escape, you may play a pawn to checkmate.

[7] Sennichite (a stalemate) The repetition of the same sequence is called Sennichite. If the same position occurs four times, and the board, pieces in hand, and turn do not change, the game is declared a no-contest at that point, and the first and second players switch and play again. In Diagram C (2) below, Black plays 78 gold, same gold, and 67 gold. White has no choice but to defend with a 79 gold move. Black then plays 78 gold, same gold, and 67 gold, and White again plays 79 gold. If Black plays 53 pawn, same pawn promote, 52 pawn, and 54 pawn in the top of Diagram C (2), the same sequence can continue indefinitely. However, Sennichite with consecutive checks is not declared a no-contest, and after the same sequence has been repeated three times, the player with check is declared the loser. In other words, Sennichite has not been established. In Diagram C (3), if the first player plays 2-1 Bishop Promote, 2-3 King, 3-2 Horse, 1-2 King, 2-1 Horse, 2-3 King, etc., the same sequence can continue infinitely, but because of consecutive checks, the attacking player must change their move.

[8] Ji-shogi (holding shogi) When the king enters the enemy camp, it is called nyugyoku (entering the king), and when both kings enter the enemy camp and there is no chance of checkmate, the outcome is decided by the number of pieces on each side. In that case, if the number of pieces on each side reaches a certain number, it is called nyugyoku and the game ends in a draw. The number of pieces is the total number of pieces placed on the board and the pieces in hand, but the king is not included in the calculation. The rules for ji-shogi are as follows: A large piece (bishop or bishop) is worth 5 points, and a small piece (gold, silver, knight, bishop, pawn) is worth 1 point, and a total of 24 points or more is sufficient. If both players have 24 points or more, ji-shogi is established. If one player does not have 24 points, he loses. Figure C (4) is an example where both players have entered the enemy camp, and there is no chance of checkmate for either player, and the number of pieces is decided here. The first player has 3 large pieces (15 points) and 16 small pieces (16 points), for a total of 31 points, and meets the conditions. Black has one large piece (5 points) and 18 small pieces (18 points), for a total of 23 points, which is less than the required 24 points. Diagram C (4) does not result in a draw, and White wins. If a draw occurs, the game is called off and the players are switched and a replay is held, but in title matches, a draw is counted as one game. For example, if a draw occurs in the seventh game of a title match, the next replay is recorded as the eighth game, not a replay of the seventh game.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Various tactics

Playing shogi is called a teai or a match. A game of shogi can be broadly divided into three battles: the opening, middle, and endgame. The opening is a battle of setting up the pieces to create a formation by placing each piece in the best position possible, including for attacking and defending the king. An attacking formation is centered around the bishop, bishop, silver, and knight, while for defense, it is considered ideal to place three gold and silver pieces around the king. It goes without saying that a formation that leaves no gaps in either offense or defense is important, and the safety of the king in particular is essential to winning the game. This is called "surrounding the king."

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

How to surround the ball

The most representative formations are the Yagura formation and the Mino formation. There are various types of Yagura formations, including Kin Yagura, Gin Yagura, So Yagura, Kata Yagura, Nagare Yagura, Gin Tachi Yagura, and Hishi Yagura. There are also Hon Mino formations, and their advanced forms include Taka Mino formations and Gin Kanmuri formations. Other formations include Anaguma formations, Kani formations, Gangi formations, and Funa formations. Some formations in which the king is surrounded can be directly linked to battle strategies, and when both sides surround the Yagura, they are called Yagura battles or Ai Yagura battles.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Tactics

Depending on the position of the rook, it can be broadly divided into static rook ( Diagram D ) and swinging rook ( Diagram E ). Static rook strategies include the Yagura strategy, the Koshi-kake Gin strategy, the Bo-gin strategy, the Yoko-pawn capture strategy, and the Tate-pawn capture strategy, while swinging rook strategies include the Naka-boshi, Shi-ken-boshi, San-ken-boshi, and Mukai-boshi. There are also static rook and swinging rook. In addition, strategies of various speeds and speeds are used depending on the situation, such as the Sleeve Rook, the Rank Capture, the Ishida Style, and the Diagonal Bishop.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Practical knowledge

Important tips for improving at shogi include learning how to arrange the pieces in a harmonious formation by following standard opening moves, knowing many techniques and being able to adapt to situations in a brawl, having at least one excellent strategy that you are particularly good at, and playing against people who are stronger than you and absorbing their strengths.

The way to read a move is to think three steps ahead: do this, come this, then make this move, and then think about the opponent's best move for the second move. Shogi is an intellectual game with depth beyond human understanding, and the game is decided by bad moves, so it is important to train your mind not to make bad moves. Don't be afraid, don't rush, don't get too excited, and calmly make a move that has value as a move. The basics that one should keep in mind can be summarized into 10 items: (1) the bishop, bishop, silver piece, knight, and pawn should cooperate in attack, (2) the king should be protected by three gold and silver pieces, (3) the king and the bishop should be in opposite positions, (4) use pawns carefully and effectively, (5) make decisive moves at key moments, (6) make good use of slack pieces, (7) aim for the next good move, (8) consider how to sacrifice pieces, (9) move the king in a surrounding manner, and (10) reflect on the game after it has been played. Although these are proverbial sayings, the key is to apply them as much as possible to actual games.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Ranking system

The more dans there are, the higher the rank, and the fewer the kyus, the higher the rank. The ranks of professional players and amateur players are different, and amateur 4th and 5th dans are usually equivalent to professional 4th and 5th kyus. Professional players advance from 6th kyu, and 1st kyu is followed by 1st dan. The highest rank today is 9th dan. Previously, 8th dan was the highest rank, and 9th dan was synonymous with Meijin, but after World War II, the "Kudansen" tournament was established, and Tsukada Masao (1914-1977), an 8th dan who won four consecutive tournaments, became the first permanent 9th dan. After that, Oyama Yasuharu and Masuda Kozo both showed outstanding strength, so a system of "2 Meijins and good results in the A-class ranking tournament to be awarded 9th dan" was established, and three 9th dans were born. Then, in 1973 (Showa 48), a new point-based 9th dan promotion rule was created. In 1984, the rules were amended so that players who had won the Meijin title once, players who had won a title three times (those who challenged for the Meijin title were treated as having won the title once), and players who had won 250 matches after being promoted to the eighth dan rank were promoted to the ninth dan rank. The ninth dan rank was added to the two Ryuo titles. In addition, the promotion of retired players was decided to be decided by the board of directors.

Promotion to ranks below 8th dan is determined by results in the ranking tournament, and a new system was established where each rank is determined by the total number of wins in official matches, including general matches. Promotion in the ranking tournament is decided by a league match divided into five stages. C-2 group is promoted to 4th dan, and the top three players by performance over the course of a year are promoted to C-1 group to become 5th dan. From there, the top two players in C-1 group are promoted to B-2 group to become 6th dan, the top two players in B-2 group are promoted to B-1 group to become 7th dan, and the top two players in B-1 group are promoted to A-class and then 8th dan. The winner of the A-class ranking tournament becomes the Meijin challenger.

In addition, a system was established in April 1985 whereby ranks are promoted based on the total number of wins in official matches. The number of wins required for promotion by rank is as follows:

100 wins are required to reach the rank of 4-dan to 5-dan, 120 wins for 5-dan to 6-dan, 150 wins for 6-dan to 7-dan, 190 wins for 7-dan to 8-dan, and 250 wins for 8-dan to 9-dan. There are various other promotion rules as well. Players with the rank of 4-dan or above have the right to participate in official tournaments as players, and players from 3-dan to 6-kyu are considered to be in training as members of the "New Players Promotion Association."

In the case of general amateurs, ranks are certified by the Japan Shogi Association, and a license can be obtained by paying the prescribed license fee. The rank certification standards are 4th dan for the strongest player in the prefecture, the "Prefectural Meijin" class, and 6th dan for the best player in Japan, the "Amateur Meijin" class, and those who qualify are awarded the respective ranks. In 1982, a rule was made to award 7th dan to those who have won the All Japan Amateur Meijin title three times and past winners of the Amateur Meijin Tournament, and the highest rank for amateurs was raised from 6th dan to 7th dan.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Rank difference and match allocation

All official professional matches are played on an equal footing, but in Shogi League matches and amateur matches, the higher-ranked player may drop a piece depending on the difference in rank. This is called koma ochi, or teigaiwari. There is currently no uniformity in teigaiwari, but the current rules of the Japan Shogi Association dojo are as follows: (1) one dan (class) difference - lower player plays first (lower player plays first), (2) two dan (class) difference - ka ochi (lower player drops left bishop), (3) three dan (class) difference - ka ochi, (4) four dan (class) difference - hi ochi, (5) five dan (class) difference - hi ka ochi (hi and left bishop), (6) six or seven dan (class) difference - two pieces ochi (hi and bishop), (7) eight or nine dan (class) difference - four pieces ochi (hi and bishop, both bishops), (8) ten dan (class) difference - six pieces ochi (hi and bishop, both knights and bishops).

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Tips for playing and watching games

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.

Two of the traditional banned points for games and watching games are "waiting" and "advice." Even if you discover a good move while watching games, you should not say anything during games, and it is common sense to join in and express your own opinions after the game is over.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

The life of a shogi player

There are approximately 160 active players (as of 2018) affiliated with the Japan Shogi Federation, and are composed of players from 9th to 4th dan, with masters as the top. They sign a contract with each news agency to form a tournament, and games fees are paid from the contract fee. There is a difference in contract money depending on the tournament, and individual game fees are calculated from the rank, ranking position, and years of service. It goes without saying that the higher dan and higher ranks have more games, but as the number of games progresses, the more games the more games the more. In addition to game fees, players are paid salaries from the Japan Shogi Federation. In addition to game fees, players are also paid by the Japan Shogi Federation. They also have side incomes such as promotional guidance, lectures, writing, and television appearances, so the lives of shogi players have been in the steady and improving in recent years. A female professional game was founded in 1974 (Showa 49), and as of 2018, female shogi players have been increasingly popular with over 50 female shogi players.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Conditions for aspire to become a shogi player

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Shogi equipment

The shogi board, pieces, and piece stand are combined. The dimensions of the board were set at the Shogi shogi workshop of the Shogunate, with 1 shaku 1 sun 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku 8 shaku height, and 3 sun 3 sun 3 shaku height, but now it is called "shaku 1, shaku 2" and is standard with 1 shaku 1 sun (approx. 33 centimeters) and 1 shaku 2 sun (approx. 36 centimeters). There is no stipulation on the thickness, and the thicker ones are said to be worth it. In official matches, 6 sun shaku (approx. 20 centimeters) are often used, and 8 sun shaku is also rarely used. The material is kaya (kaya) and is beautiful in color, highly elastic, and has a strong ability to restore even if a scratch is found. Particularly, the straight grained piece is prized. In addition, there are ginkgo and kaya. The length of the board's legs is determined by the thickness. The shape of the foot is said to be forbidden to imitate the gardenia flower, but it is a popular myth. There is also a belly button about 10 centimeters square on the back of the board. It is said to be used to place the advisor's neck, but this is also a popular myth, and is to prevent the resonance of the board when the piece is smashed down and the curvature of the board.

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.

[Yamamoto Kosuke, Harada Yasuo, Tanabe Tadayuki, March 20, 2019]

Major title fights

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. These titles can be called a permanent title such as Eternal Ryuo after retirement (or after he is over 60 years old) by meeting certain conditions, such as winning five consecutive terms or a total of 10 terms. Only the masters who were originally the shogi family name will be called "XX Master." By 2015, after Sekine Kinjiro abolished the hereditary system of masters in 1935, Kimura Yoshio (14th), Oyama Yasuharu (15th), and Nakahara Makoto (16th) have been attacking Masters by winning five terms, and it has been decided that Tanigawa Koji (17th), Moriuchi Toshiyuki (18th), and Habu Yoshiharu (19th), who meet the criteria, will also attack after retirement.

Official matches for professional female shogi players include the Queen (Women's Open), Women's King, Women's King, Women's King, Women's King, Women's King, and Kurashiki Fujika. The Queen and Women's King were founded in the 2000s and were new to the newest, so none of them had achieved the six-champion women's crowns by 2018, and Satomi Kana (1992-) won the five-champion title (2013 and 2016).

Ryuo Tournament <br/>It was founded in 1988 with the 9th Dan match (held 1950-1961) and the 10th Dan match (held 1962-1987). It is organized by Yomiuri Shimbun. It is a seven-game match with challenges. All players, four female shogi players, and five amateurs are divided into six groups to compete in ranking matches, and the challengers are decided in the final tournament between the top 11 players. It has 8 hours. The first one is Shima Akira.

Meijin Tournament
Founded in 1935. Hosted by Mainichi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun. A seven-game match. Challenging players are decided from 10 A-class shogi players in the qualifying round, known as the ranking match. The time is 9 hours. The first one is Kimura Yoshio.

King's Match
Founded in 1960. Hosted by the Alliance of Three Newspapers. A seven-game match between the two female shogi players. A qualifying tournament will be held between all players and two female shogi players, and the winners and seeded shogi players will be decided. The time is 8 hours. The first one is Oyama Yasuharu.

Championship
Founded in 1953. Hosted by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, it is a five-game match. The winners of the first and second tournaments, and the seeded players, are decided in a tournament match between all shogi players and four female shogi players. The time is five hours. The first one is Oyama Yasuharu.

Ki-oh Tournament
Founded in 1974. Hosted by Kyodo News. A five-game match with challenges. All shogi players, female masters and amateur masters participate in the qualifying round, and the challengers are decided in a tournament match between the qualifying round and over 30 seed players. The time is four hours. The first one is Naito Kunio (1939-).

King's Tournament
Founded in 1950. Hosted by Sports Nippon Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun. A seven-game match. Challenging players are decided in a league match between all players in the qualifying tournament and seed players. The time is 8 hours. The first player is Masuda Kozo.

Kisei Tournament
Founded in 1962. Hosted by Sankei Shimbun. A five-game match with challenges. The winners of the first and second tournaments, and the seeded players are decided in the tournament. The time is four hours. The first one is Oyama Yasuharu.

Eiou Tournament
Founded in 2015. Hosted by Dwango. A seven-time match. All players, one female player, and one amateur player, then two players who have passed the rank-specific qualifying round, and the two players who have advanced to the main tournament will compete in the seventh match (from the fourth term onwards, the winner of the main tournament will win the right to challenge Eiou). The time held is irregular (from the first game to the sixth game, one, three, and five hours will be allocated for each game, depending on the player's choice. The seventh game will be 6 hours). The first game was Yamazaki Takayuki (1981-).

Queen's Battle
Founded in 2008. The tournament was the Mynavi Women's Open and hosted by Mynavi. A five-game match between challengers. The challenger will be decided in a tournament match between female shogi players. The first one was Yanai Rieko (1980-).

Women's Championship
Founded in 2011. Hosted by Ricoh, it is a five-game match. The challenger is decided by a qualifying tournament between female shogi players, female encouragement members belonging to the Japan Shogi Association, and female amateurs who have won the qualifying round. It lasts three hours. The first one was Kato Momoko (1995-).

Women's Masters
Founded in 1974. Hosted by Hochi Shimbun, it is a five-game match. The winners of the qualifying tournaments of all female shogi players and the seed shogi players will be decided in a league match. It has three hours. The first one is Takojima Akiko (1946-).

Women's Championship
Founded in 1990. Hosted by the Alliance of the Three Newspapers. A five-game match between the winners of the qualifying tournament and seed players will decide on the challenger. The time is four hours. The first one is Nakai Hiroe (1969-).

Women's King's Battle
Founded in 1978. Hosted by Go Shogi Channel. Three-way challenges. The winners are decided in a tournament between female shogi players and selected female amateurs and the winners of the qualifying tournament and seeded shogi players. The time is three hours. The first one is Takojima Akiko.

Kurashiki Fujihana Battle
Founded in 1993. Hosted by Kurashiki City, Kurashiki City Cultural Promotion Foundation, and Sanyo Shimbun. Three-player challenges. Challengers are decided in a tournament match between all female shogi players. It lasts two hours. The first one was Hayashi Hayashi Naoko (1968-).

[Editorial Department, March 20, 2019]

"Harada Yasuo and Tengutaro, "The Story of the Great Shogi Battle" (1972, Jiji Press)" ▽ "Yamamoto Takeo, revised new edition (1976, Jiji Press)" ▽ "Kimura Yoshio, Masterpiece Kimura Yoshio, Collection of Masterpiece Kimura Yoshio (vol. 8, 1, 1978-1982, Taishukan Shoten)" ▽ "Yamamoto Kosuke, "The History of Shogi Cultural" (1980, Chikuma Shobo)" ▽ "Masukawa Koichi, "Shogi II" (1985, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Kato Jiro, Harada Yasuo and Tadayuki, "Testimony: History of Shogi Showa History" (1999, Mainichi Communications)" ▽ "Masukawa Koichi, "Why 40 Shogi pieces?" (Shueisha Shinsho)"

Chuosho chess
©Shogakukan ">

Chuosho chess

Basics of Shogi (How to read the board and arrange the pieces) [Figure A]
©Shogakukan ">

Basics of Shogi (how to read the board and how to arrange the pieces)...

How to move shogi pieces (Figure B)
©Shogakukan ">

How to move shogi pieces (Figure B)

Shogi Rules [Figure C]
©Shogakukan ">

Shogi Rules [Figure C]

Main Shogi strategies (Igo-sha tactics) [Figure D]
©Shogakukan ">

Main Shogi strategies (Igo-sha tactics) [Figure D]

Main shogi strategies (Shut-raku tactics) [Figure E]
©Shogakukan ">

Main shogi strategies (Shut-raku tactics) [Figure E]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

将棋盤を挟み2人の競技者（対局者）がルールに基づいて勝ち負けを競う室内遊戯の一つ。相手の玉(ぎょく)（王）を早く擒(とりこ)（詰める）にしたものを勝ちとする。日本以外にもチェス（西洋将棋）、中国象棋(しょうぎ)、朝鮮将棋など各国に将棋がある。

［山本亨介　2019年3月20日］

起源と歴史

将棋の誕生は文献のうえでは不詳とされている。類似の西洋将棋はインドにおこり、軍隊を構成する象、馬、戦車、歩兵の四つを駒(こま)としてさいころを用いて遊んだのが将棋の最初の形態であったというのが通説になっている。その発生期を4000年から5000年前と推定し、4世紀ごろペルシア（イラン）に渡り、チャトランガという名称で知られるようになったといわれる。チャトランガが西洋将棋の原型となり、シルク・ロードを経由して中国に伝わって中国象棋となり、日本に伝わって日本将棋になった。中国から日本に輸入されたのは8世紀ごろ、遣唐使として入唐(にっとう)した吉備真備(きびのまきび)が持ち帰ったと伝えられたが、確証はなく、それ以前に伝えられたと推定する説が有力である。

　近年、日本の各地で遺跡の発掘作業が積極的に行われ、将棋駒が数多く出土した。最古の駒は奈良市の興福寺(こうふくじ)旧境内井戸状遺構から、平安時代前期（11世紀なかば）の「天喜六年」（1058）と書かれた木簡とともに発掘され、木片に墨書されたもの。「玉将」3点、「金将」4点、「銀将」「桂馬」各1点、「歩兵」6点、不明1点の計16点で「王将」はない。興味深いのは鎌倉市の鶴岡八幡宮(つるがおかはちまんぐう)の境内から出土した中将棋の駒で、13世紀末から14世紀の駒と推定される。これらの出土駒によって、すでに10世紀以前から日本将棋の駒が現行のように五角形になっていたことが判明した。

　世界の将棋は、現行の駒数40枚の日本将棋を除いて、すべて駒は「取り捨て」のルールである。「再使用」のルールは現行の日本将棋だけで、このために世界中で類のない、内容の深い、おもしろいゲームになっている。

　日本の古い将棋のことは『二中歴(にちゅうれき)』に、平安時代に将棋（駒数36枚）と大将棋（駒数68枚）があったと書かれてあるが、不詳である。さらに後代の本には、小象棋(しょうしょうぎ)（縦横各9目・駒46枚）、中象棋（縦横各12目・駒92枚）、大象棋（縦横各15目・駒130枚）、大々象棋（縦横各17目・駒192枚）、摩訶(まか)大々象棋（縦横各19目・駒192枚）、泰(たい)象棋（縦横各25目・駒354枚）と書かれているが、実際にゲームが行われたのは、大・中・小の3種類の象棋だけであったと推定される。

　大将棋については、保元(ほうげん)の乱の発頭人である左大臣藤原頼長(よりなが)の日記『台記(だいき)』の康治(こうじ)元年（1142）9月12日の条に、頼長が崇徳(すとく)上皇の御前で、師仲朝臣(もろなかあそん)（源師仲（1115―1172））と大将棋を指して負けたことが記載されていた。鎌倉時代になると、藤原定家(ていか)の日記『明月記』にも将棋の記述がみえ、室町時代の『花営(かえい)三代記』には、宮中や将軍家でも盛んに将棋が行われたことが記載されている。『花営三代記』の記述は、中将棋であることが明らかである。

　下って、後崇光(ごすこう)院（貞成(さだふさ)親王（1372―1456））の『看聞御記(かんもんぎょき)』の永享(えいきょう)7年（1435）8月22日に、将軍足利義教(あしかがよしのり)と関白二条持基(もちもと)（1390―1445）とが小象棋を指して関白が二番負けたという記述がみえ、現行将棋の母体となる小象棋が誕生していたことがわかる。これらの史料から、駒の「再使用」のルールは室町時代に誕生したと推定される。さらに京都市の鳥羽(とば)離宮跡から出土した駒は13世紀後半から14世紀中期のもので、この出土駒によっても室町時代に新ルールの現行将棋が誕生していたことを知ることができる。

　安土(あづち)・桃山時代になると、武将たちが好んで将棋を指したことが記録され、織田信長、豊臣秀吉、徳川家康は将棋師に禄(ろく)を与えて保護奨励した。松平家忠(いえただ)の『家忠日記』の天正(てんしょう)15年（1587）2月下旬の条には、将棋の駒組み図の書き込みがあり、1607年（慶長12）には、大橋宗桂(そうけい)と本因坊算砂(ほんいんぼうさんさ)（1558―1623）との対局譜（対局の記録）が残されているが、これが現存する最古の棋譜である。

　1612年（慶長17）宗桂は家康から50石五人扶持(ぶち)を賜り、のち、算砂が兼任していた将棋所(しょうぎどころ)（名人の別称）を譲られて1世名人となった。1634年（寛永11）1世名人宗桂が没し、その子大橋宗古(そうこ)（1576―1654）が2世名人を継いだ。その翌1635年、将棋家は大橋本家、同分家、伊藤家の3家となり、江戸幕府から将棋役(やく)として改めて20石を賜り、将棋家の世襲制が確立した。1636年現行のルールや禁じ手が成文化され、1662年（寛文2）には寺社奉行(ぶぎょう)の支配に属することになった。将棋所は将棋三家から選ばれ、将棋三家の者は毎年11月17日、江戸城の黒書院(くろしょいん)で将軍家に対局譜を披露する「御城(おしろ)将棋」の行事を務めた。この行事は1861年（文久1）まで続き、将棋所は、1843年（天保14）10世名人伊藤宗看(そうかん)が死んだあとは空位のまま明治の時代を迎えた。

　明治時代は将棋界の受難期で、一部の将棋指(さ)しは賭(かけ)将棋にふけって世間の非難を浴びたが、旧将棋家の人々は自力で再建に立ち上がり、将棋会所(かいしょ)を設けて普及に努力した。1879年（明治12）10月、旧将棋家の伊藤宗印(そういん)（1826―1893）が11世名人を継ぎ、さらに2年後には『将棋新報』を発行して再建を軌道にのせた。1893年に宗印が没し、1898年には小野五平（1831―1921）が12世名人を襲位した。1921年（大正10）に小野が没し、関根金次郎が13世名人を襲位した。これに不満を抱く阪田三吉がかってに大阪で名人を唱え、将棋界は各派に分かれて対立したが、1924年、各派の対立を解消して東京将棋連盟が結成された。

　1935年（昭和10）将棋界は、従来の終身名人制を廃して実力によって名人を決める「実力名人制」の採用に踏み切った。将棋史上で画期的なできごとであり、新しい実力名人を選ぶためにリーグ戦を開始し、第1期の実力名人は関根門下の木村義雄(よしお)が獲得した。こうして隆盛をたどる将棋界は第二次世界大戦で棋戦が中断され、苦難のなかで終戦を迎えたが、翌1946年（昭和21）には早くも再建に立ち上がった。時の名人木村義雄の発案で、順位戦の新制度を採用した。所属棋士をA・B・Cに分けてランキングを決め、A級第1位を名人戦の挑戦者とし、名人位も1期を1年（戦前は2年）とするなどの大改革であった。この順位戦という新しい制度は全棋士を奮い立たせ、戦後の将棋界は将棋史上に例をみない黄金時代を築くことになった。

［山本亨介　2019年3月20日］

現況

1949年（昭和24）、日本将棋連盟は社団法人の認可を受けて組織が確立、おもな新聞社、放送局、週刊誌と棋戦の契約を結んで財政基盤も強化されて、発展を遂げた。とくに次の八大棋戦を公式タイトル戦とよび、優勝者はタイトル保持者として優遇される。(1)名人戦（名人を決める）、(2)竜王戦（竜王を決める）、(3)王将戦（王将を決める）、(4)王位戦（王位を決める）、(5)棋聖戦（棋聖を決める）、(6)棋王戦（棋王を決める）、(7)王座戦（王座を決める）、(8)叡王(えいおう)戦（叡王を決める）。

　タイトル戦に匹敵する大型棋戦に全日本プロトーナメントがあったが、2001年（平成13）から朝日オープン将棋選手権に変わり、さらに2007年からは朝日杯将棋オープン戦に衣替えした。

　1951年に始まったラジオによるNHK杯戦が1962年にテレビ放送に切り替わり、画面で専門棋士の対局を見せる新しい道を開拓した。

　最高棋戦の名人戦は第二次世界大戦前・後を通じて木村義雄が名人位をほぼ独占したが、1952年大山康晴(やすはる)が木村を倒して実力制3人目の名人になった。名人5期以上は永世名人の規定により、木村は引退して14世名人を襲位した。大山は通算18期の名人位保持の記録をつくり、1976年、現役のまま15世名人を名のる。そのタイトル獲得は計80期に達し、大山時代を築いた。

　1972年、中原誠(まこと)が大山を下して24歳で名人位に就き、1983年には21歳の谷川浩司(たにがわこうじ)（1962―　）が加藤一二三(かとうひふみ)（1940―　）名人を破って史上最年少の名人になった。その後、名人通算15期の中原は16世名人の、通算5期の谷川は17世名人の資格を獲得し、次いで森内俊之（1970―　）、羽生義治(はぶよしはる)（1970―　）がそれぞれ18世、19世名人の資格を得た。

　1988年、十段戦が竜王戦に生まれ変わり、名人戦と肩を並べる最高棋戦になった。初代竜王は島朗(あきら)（1963―　）。翌1989年（平成1）、19歳の羽生善治が島に勝って竜王位に就いた。羽生は1996年、谷川から王将位を奪い、当時の全タイトルを制して史上初の七冠王になった。

　女流プロ名人位戦を皮切りに女流棋戦も女流王将戦、女流王位戦、倉敷藤花(くらしきとうか)戦と増え続け、2000年（平成12）、清水市代(いちよ)（1969―　）が女流最高の6段に昇った。

　将棋戦術も飛躍的な進歩を遂げ、新手法も次々に生まれた。第二次世界大戦後、「腰掛銀(こしかけぎん)戦法」が流行し、続いて古くからあった「矢倉戦法」「振飛車(ふりびしゃ)戦法」が装いも新たによみがえって主流を占めた。さらに戦前はなかった「縦(たて)歩取り戦法」「穴熊(あなぐま)戦法」が台頭し、「横歩取り戦法」や「四間飛車(しけんびしゃ)戦法」にも画期的な指し方が現れ、高度の技術が駆使されるに至った。これにつれて将棋関係本の出版も活発になり、将棋ブームを形づくった。

　アマチュア棋界も年ごとに発展した。小・中・高校に将棋クラブが誕生し、将棋を正課に採り入れる高校も出てきた。「高校選手権戦」「高校竜王戦」「中学生名人戦」「小学生名人戦」も生まれた。第二次世界大戦前から続く「大学将棋」「全日本アマ名人戦」のほか、「アマ王将位戦」「アマ竜王戦」「朝日アマ名人戦」「日本将棋連盟全国支部対抗戦」「職域団体対抗戦」も行われている。

　将棋を愛好する女性も急増し、「女流アマ名人戦」などを経て女流プロ棋士を目ざす女性も多い。

　全国の将棋ファンは1000万人といわれ、国内に結成された日本将棋連盟の支部は約700、会員は2万人近くに達している。海外への普及も著しく、ニューヨーク、ロンドン、パリ、モスクワ、上海(シャンハイ)、バンコクなど約50の将棋連盟支部がある。

　コンピュータの発達、普及とともに、コンピュータで将棋を楽しむファンが急増。コンピュータの棋力がプロ棋士に追いつき、追い越したことが話題になっている。

［山本亨介・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

競技方法

将棋は2人の競技者（先手側と後手側）が、それぞれ働きの異なる8種類、計40枚の駒をルールに従って交互に指し（動かし）、最終的に相手の玉（王）を詰めたほうが勝ちとなる。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

駒の名称

駒の名称と略称は次のとおり。玉将(ぎょくしょう)（玉）または王将(おうしょう)（王）、飛車(ひしゃ)（飛）、角行(かくぎょう)（角）、金将（金）、銀将（銀）、桂馬(けいま)（桂）、香車(きょうしゃ)（香）、歩兵(ふひょう)（歩）の8種類で、玉（王）と金以外の駒は、敵陣（3段目以内）に入るかあるいは敵陣内で動くと「成る」ことができ、駒の働きが異なってくる。成る場合には駒を裏返すが、呼び名が変化する。成り駒の名称と略称は次のとおり。飛車→竜王（竜）、角→竜馬（馬）、銀→成(なり)銀、桂→成桂、香→成香、歩→と（と金）。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

盤面の読み方

盤面の枡目(ますめ)は、縦が9格、横が9格で計81格。縦の筋を算用数字、横の段を漢数字で表す。先手（図A(1)の手前）を基準として、縦の筋は右から左へ1から9まで、横の段は上から下へ一から九までの番号をつけてよび、その座標で枡目の位置を示す。その場合、縦の算用数字を先に横の漢数字をあわせて読む。図A(1)で1一香、5九玉、8二飛、8八角と読み、その地点にその駒があることを示す。また駒の動きは、次の停止地点の座標の数字で駒の動きを表す。たとえば図A(1)で5五角といえば、8八角が5五まで進出したことを示す。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

駒の並べ方

最下段の中央に玉（王）、以下左右に金銀桂香の順序で並べ、2段目に飛と角、3段目に歩を9枚並べる。江戸時代の将棋家元では図A(2)の順序で並べていた。現在でもその慣習は残っているが、通常、上手(うわて)（強いほう）が上座につき、王と玉がある場合には、上手が王を置いてから、下手(したて)が玉を置き、あとは双方が自由に並べている。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

駒の働きと動かし方

8種類の駒はそれぞれ独自の動きをする。図B(1)は玉（王）、金、銀の動きを示す。玉は周囲全部一つずつ動き、金は斜め下、銀は横と真下に動けない。玉は絶対的な駒であり、これが詰められたら負けとなる。通常、金は玉の守りにつく駒だが、敵玉に決定打を与えることも多い。銀は進退が速やかで攻め駒として重要な働きをする。図B(2)は桂、香、歩の動きを示す。桂は前方へ一つ間をおいて斜め左右に動く独特の駒で、相手や自分の駒を跳び越えることができるので、跳(は)ねるあるいは跳ぶといい、攻撃には欠かせない駒である。香は別名、槍(やり)ともいわれ、その筋の奥まできく（動かせる）。歩は前方に一歩一歩進む。歩は使用頻度が多く、使い方によって局面を大きく左右する。桂、香、歩は前に進むが、後退はできない。図B(3)は銀、桂、香、歩が成り駒となった場合の動きを示す。成銀、成桂、成香、と（と金）は、すべて金と同じ働きをする。成る、不成(ならず)は自由で、通常成ったほうが効率がよいが、局面によっては成らずに使ったほうが効果的な場合がある。図B(4)は飛車と、飛車が成った竜の動きを示す。飛車は縦と横にどこまでもきく。竜は飛車の力に加えて斜め四方に1格ずつきき、飛車あるいは竜は、敵陣内で使うと大きな効果を発揮する。敵陣内の駒をとって暴れまくり、敵玉を寄せる際の主役となる駒である。図B(5)は角と、角が成った馬の動きを示す。角は斜め四方にどこまでもきき、馬は角の力に加えて上下・左右に1格ずつきく。角も飛と同様重要な攻め駒で、とくに馬になったときは竜に勝るとも劣らない強大な力を得る。さらに馬は自陣に引き付けて使うと効果的なことが多い。「竜は敵陣に、馬は自陣に」という格言がある一方、「馬の守りは金銀3枚に匹敵する」ともいわれる。なお、金・銀・桂・香・歩を小駒(こごま)、対して飛・角を大駒(おおごま)という。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

将棋の規則

将棋を指す場合、日本将棋連盟により決められた規約に従わなければならない。規則（禁じ手）を最初に成文化したのは2世名人大橋宗古である。おもな規約は次のとおりである。

〔1〕交互に指す　先手と後手が1手ずつ交互に指し、2手続けて指すと「二手指し」の反則。

〔2〕駒を取る　味方の駒のきき筋に敵の駒がいるときは、味方の駒をその位置まで移動させて敵駒を取ることができる。

〔3〕持駒(もちごま)　取った駒は持駒となり、味方の駒として、手番（指す番）のときに盤上へ打つことができる。

〔4〕王手(おうて)　玉が次に取られる状態をいう。玉は絶対的な駒であり、王手をかけられた側は、逃げる、合駒(あいごま)（相手のきき筋の間に駒を打つこと）をする、あるいは王手となった元の駒を取ることによって、王手を解消しなければならない。

〔5〕詰み　最終的に玉が王手を解消できなくなった状態で、将棋の最終目的は相手の玉を詰めることにあり、玉が詰んだ時点で勝敗が決まる。

〔6〕禁じ手　①二歩(にふ)の禁　縦の筋に味方の歩がある場合、その筋に歩を打ってはいけない。②行きどころのない駒の禁　敵陣の1段目に桂、香、歩を打ってはならない。桂の場合は2段目もいけない。その地点に進む場合には、かならず成らなければいけない。③打ち歩詰めの禁　最終的に歩を打って詰めてはいけない。図C(1)は打ち歩詰めの例。先手から後手王に2二歩とは打てない。また後手から先手玉に8五歩とは打てない。盤上の歩を突いて詰めるのは「突き歩詰め」といって、禁じ手ではない。また玉に逃げる余地があれば、歩を打って王手をしてもよい。

〔7〕千日手(せんにちて)　同手順を繰り返すことを千日手という。同一局面が4回できて、盤面と持駒と手番が変わらない場合は、その時点で無勝負とし、改めて先手、後手を交替して指し直す。図C(2)下は後手番として7八金、同金、6七金と迫る。先手は7九金打と受けるほかない。そこで後手は7八金、同金、6七金と迫り、先手はふたたび7九金と打つ。図C(2)上も後手番で5三歩、同歩成、5二歩、5四歩とすれば、同手順が無限に続く形である。ただし連続王手の千日手は無勝負とせず、3回同手順を繰り返したところで、王手をかけている側を負けとする。すなわち千日手不成立である。図C(3)で先手番2一角成、2三玉、3二馬、1二玉、2一馬、2三玉……とすれば同手順が無限に続くが、連続王手のため、攻めているほうが手を変えなければならない。

〔8〕持将棋(じしょうぎ)　玉が敵陣に入った場合を入玉(にゅうぎょく)といい、双方の玉が入玉して詰める見込みがなくなったときは、双方の駒数で勝敗を判定する。その場合、双方の駒数が規定の枚数に達していれば、持将棋といって引き分けにする。駒数とは盤上の置き駒と持駒との合計数であるが、玉は計算に入れない。持将棋規定は次のとおり。大駒（飛・角）を5点、小駒（金・銀・桂・香・歩）を1点とし、合計24点以上あればよい。双方24点以上なら持将棋が成立。片方が24点に満たない場合は負けとなる。図C(4)は双方が入玉した一例で、双方玉を詰める見込みがなく、ここで駒数を判定する。先手は大駒3枚（15点）、小駒16枚（16点）で合計31点で、条件を満たしている。後手は大駒1枚（5点）、小駒18枚（18点）で合計23点で、規定の24点に満たず、図C(4)は持将棋が成立せず、先手の勝ちである。持将棋が成立した場合は無勝負、先後を交替して指し直しとするが、タイトル戦の場合は持将棋局も1局とみなす。たとえばタイトル戦七番勝負の第7局目で持将棋が成立したとき、次の指し直し局は第7局の指し直しではなく、第8局として記録される。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

各種戦法

将棋を指すことを手合(てあい)または対局(たいきょく)という。1局の将棋は序盤、中盤、終盤の三つの戦いに大別される。序盤は攻撃、玉の守備を含め、よりよい位置に各駒を配置して陣形をつくる駒組み戦である。攻撃形は飛・角・銀・桂が中心となり、守備は玉の周囲に金・銀3枚を配置するのが理想とされる。攻守ともにすきのない陣形を組むことはいうまでもなく、とくに玉の安泰は勝負の要件である。このことを「玉を囲う」という。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

玉の囲い方

代表形は矢倉(やぐら)囲いと美濃(みの)囲いである。矢倉囲いには金矢倉、銀矢倉、総矢倉、片矢倉、流れ矢倉、銀立ち矢倉、菱(ひし)矢倉などがある。また美濃囲いには本(ほん)美濃囲い、その発展形としての高美濃(たかみの)囲い、銀冠(ぎんかんむり)囲いなどがある。ほかに穴熊(あなぐま)囲い、蟹(かに)囲い、雁木(がんぎ)囲い、船(ふな)囲いなどがある。玉の囲い方がそのまま戦法にもつながるものがあり、双方矢倉に囲う形は矢倉戦法あるいは相(あい)矢倉戦という。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

戦法

飛車の位置によって、居飛車(いびしゃ)戦法（図D）、振飛車戦法（図E）に大別される。居飛車では矢倉戦法、腰掛銀戦法、棒銀(ぼうぎん)戦法、横歩取り戦法、縦歩取り戦法などがあり、振飛車では中(なか)飛車、四間飛車、三間飛車、向(むかい)飛車がある。穴熊にも居飛車穴熊と振飛車穴熊がある。そのほかにも袖(そで)飛車、位(くらい)取り、石田(いしだ)流、筋違い角など、局面に応じて緩急さまざまの戦法が用いられる。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

実戦の心得

将棋上達の心得としては、定跡により調和のよい駒組み（駒の陣形を組み立てること）を学ぶ、手筋を多く知って乱闘を臨機応変に戦う、一つだけでも高級な得意な戦法をもつ、自分より強い人と指して長所を吸収する、などがたいせつである。

　手の読み方は、こうやる―こうくる―そこでこう指すと3手先を考えて着手する「三手の読み」が読みの基本であり、2手目の相手の最善手を考える。将棋は人知では解決できない深さをもち、悪手で勝負がつく知能ゲームで、悪手を指さない心の修業がたいせつである。恐れず、あせらず、喜びすぎず、冷静に1手として価値のある手を指す。心得ておくとよい基本を10項目に要約すれば、(1)攻めは飛・角・銀・桂・歩の協力、(2)玉の守りは金・銀3枚、(3)玉と飛車は反対の位置に、(4)歩をたいせつに有効に使え、(5)勝負どころに勝負手を指せ、(6)遊び駒を活用せよ、(7)次の好手をねらえ、(8)捨てる手筋を考えよ、(9)玉は包むように寄せよ、(10)局後に反省せよ、などが考えられ、格言的な言い方ではあるが、これをできるだけ実戦に役だてることが要諦(ようてい)である。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

段級位の仕組み

段は数が多いほど高く、級は数が少ないほど上級である。プロの段級位とアマチュアの段級位とは内容が異なり、通常アマチュアの四段、五段がプロの4級、5級くらいに相当する。プロは6級を基点として順次昇級し、1級の次は初段となる。現在の最高段は九段である。以前は八段が最高位とされ、九段は名人と同義とされていたが、第二次世界大戦後「九段戦」が創設され、4期連続優勝した塚田正夫（1914―1977）八段が初の永世九段となった。その後大山康晴、升田幸三の両八段が抜群の強さを示したので、「名人2期、A級順位戦の好成績者に九段」の制度を創設し、3名の九段が誕生した。その後1973年（昭和48）新たに点数制の九段昇段規定がつくられた。さらに1984年に名人獲得者は1期、タイトル獲得者は3回（名人挑戦者はタイトル1回と同じ扱い）、八段に昇段してから250勝した者は九段に昇段することに改められた。さらに竜王2期で九段が追加された。ほかに引退棋士の昇段は理事会で判断することになった。

　八段以下の昇段は順位戦の成績によるほか、各段位別に一般棋戦を含めた公式戦で得た勝ち星の総数による昇段制度が決められた。順位戦の昇段は5段階に分けたリーグ戦によって決める。C級2組は四段、1年間の成績で上位3名がC級1組に昇進して五段になる。以下、順次C級1組は上位2名がB級2組に昇進して六段、B級2組は上位2名がB級1組に昇進して七段、B級1組は上位2名がA級に上がり、八段に昇段する仕組みになっている。A級順位戦優勝者は名人挑戦者となる。

　このほかに、1985年4月から、公式戦の総合勝ち星で昇段する制度が確立された。各段位別の昇段勝ち星は次のとおり。

　四段から五段には100勝が必要で、順次、五段から六段は120勝、六段から七段は150勝、七段から八段は190勝、八段から九段は250勝である。ほかにもさまざまな昇段規定がある。四段以上が選手として公式棋戦に出場する権利があり、三段から6級までは「新進棋士奨励会」の一員として、修業中の立場とみなされる。

　一般アマチュアの場合は日本将棋連盟によって段級位を認定され、規定の免状料を納めれば免状を取得できる。段位認定の基準は、県の最強者である「県名人」クラスが四段、日本一の「アマ名人」クラスが六段であり、該当者にはそれぞれの段位が授与される。1982年全日本アマ名人3回獲得者と歴代アマ名人戦優勝者に七段を贈る規定がつくられ、アマチュアの最高段は六段から七段に格上げされた。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

段級差と手合割り

プロの公式戦はすべて平手(ひらて)戦（対等条件の手合）を採用しているが、奨励会対局と一般アマチュアの対局には段級位の差に応じて、上位者が駒を落として指すことがある。これを駒落ち、あるいは手合割りという。手合割りは現在のところ不統一であるが、日本将棋連盟道場の現行規定では(1)一段（級）差―下手先（下位者先手）、(2)二段（級）差―香落（左香を落とす）、(3)三段（級）差―角落、(4)四段（級）差―飛落、(5)五段（級）差―飛香落（飛と左香）、(6)六・七段（級）差―二枚落（飛と角）、(7)八・九段（級）差―四枚落（飛と角、両方の香）、(8)十段（級）差―六枚落（飛と角、両方の桂と香）となっている。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

対局と観戦の心得

(1)盤に相対するとき、上位者または目上の者が上座につく。(2)駒を並べるとき、駒箱から駒を出すのは上座に着いた者がする。王は上手、玉は下手が持つ。上手が王を置いたことを確認してから下手が玉を置く。(3)駒落ちの場合、まず平手の形ですべての駒を並べ、そのあと上手が落とすべき駒を駒箱にしまう。駒落ちはかならず上手の先番とする。(4)先後の決定は、平手で先手・後手を決める場合、記録係がつくときは記録係が上手の並べ終わった歩を5枚振り、表の歩が多ければ上手の先手、裏のと（と金）が多ければ下手側の先手とする。記録係がつかないときは対局者自身の手で行い、歩が多く出れば振ったほうの先手、と（と金）が多く出れば相手の先手とする。これを「振り駒(ふりごま)」という。

　対局と観戦の心得として昔からとくに禁じられている2点は「待った」と「助言」である。観戦中、好手を発見しても対局中は発言すべきでなく、終局後、感想戦に加わって自分の意見を述べるのが常識である。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

棋士の生活

日本将棋連盟所属の現役棋士は約160人（2018年時点）で、名人を頂点に九段から四段までの棋士で構成されている。各報道機関と契約して棋戦を組み、対局料は契約金から支払われる。棋戦によって契約金に差があり、個人の対局料も段位、順位戦の地位、また勤続年数から計算される。高段、高位ほど対局料が多いのはいうまでもないが、勝ち進めば対局数が増えるため、おのずと対局収入が増えていく。対局料のほか、棋士には日本将棋連盟より給料が支払われる。そのほかに普及指導、講演、執筆、テレビ出演などの副収入もあり、棋士の生活は近年、安定・向上の傾向にある。1974年（昭和49）に女流プロの棋戦が創設され、2018年時点で、女流棋士は50人を超えて人気が高まっている。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

棋士志望の条件

棋士になるには日本将棋連盟所属の四段以上の棋士に師事し、奨励会の入会試験を受けなければならない。試験は、奨励会員との対局、筆記試験、書類選考の3段階があり、棋力、年齢、健康、性格、家庭状況、学力を調査したうえで合否を決める。そのうち棋力がもっとも重要な評価対象となるが、10歳前後でアマチュア四段程度の実力が必要とされる。奨励会は日本将棋連盟の付属機関であるが、会員は棋士とはみなされず、対局料、給料は支給されない。6級から三段までで構成され、月2回の奨励会対局で昇級昇段を競う。規定の成績を収めれば順次昇進していき、成績が悪いと降級もありうる。奨励会も明確な勝負の世界であり、そのなかで四段以上のプロ棋士となるのは一部である。奨励会には年齢制限があり、原則として21歳の誕生日までに初段、26歳の誕生日までに四段に昇段しない場合は退会を余儀なくされる。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

将棋用具

将棋盤、駒、駒台をあわせて一組になる。盤の寸法は、幕府の将棋所で、縦1尺1寸8分、横1尺8分、厚さ3寸8分、足の高さ3寸と決められていたが、現在は「尺一、尺二」といって、横1尺1寸（約33センチメートル）、縦1尺2寸（約36センチメートル）が標準とされる。厚さに規定はなく、厚いものほど価値があるとされている。公式戦では六寸盤（約20センチメートル）を使用することが多く、まれに八寸盤も使われる。材質はカヤ（榧）が最上とされ、色が美しく、弾力性に富み疵(きず)がついても復原力がある。とくに柾目(まさめ)の盤は珍重される。そのほか、銀杏(いちょう)、桂(かつら)などがある。盤の足の長さは、厚さによって決められる。足の形は、助言を禁じ、クチナシ（梔）の花を模したと伝えられているが、俗説である。また盤の裏には約10センチメートル四方のへそが彫られている。助言者の首を置くためのものといわれるが、これも俗説で、駒を打ち下ろしたときの響きぐあいや盤の反りを防ぐためのものである。

　駒はツゲ（黄楊）材が最上とされ、ほかにツバキ（椿）、マキ（槙）、ヤナギ（柳）などがある。柾目や虎斑(とらふ)のツゲ駒は珍重される。文字は、彫ったところに漆を埋め、その上にさらに漆を盛り上げる盛上げ駒が最高級品で、以下、彫埋め、彫り駒、書き駒（番太郎駒）と続く。普及駒は山形県天童市で90％以上が生産される。駒の書体は30種ほど伝えられているが、一般には錦旗(きんき)、水無瀬(みなせ)、菱湖(りょうこ)、清安(きよやす)などが知られている。駒台は持駒を置く台である。クワ（桑）材が最上で、他の材質も使われる。盤、駒の手入れには植物性の油を湿した布でふき、そのあと油けをふき取る。直射日光と風に当てるのはよくない。

［山本亨介・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸　2019年3月20日］

おもなタイトル戦

プロ棋士が行う公式戦は対局数や日数、持ち時間、秒読み開始時間などがタイトルによって異なる。タイトル戦では予選によってタイトル保持者に対する挑戦者を決定し、七番または五番勝負で勝敗を決することが多い。おもなタイトル戦のうち、竜王、名人、王位、王座、棋王、王将、棋聖、叡王は八大タイトルとよばれ、現役男性棋士全員に参加資格があり、一定の条件下で女流棋士やアマチュアが参加するものもある。2015年に創設された叡王を除く七大タイトルを同時に保持することを七冠と称し、1995年に羽生善治が達成している。生涯通算で七大タイトルを制することはグランドスラムとよばれ、羽生のほかには1991年に谷川浩司が達成しており、また1987年に終了した十段が竜王の前身であることから中原誠も達成者（1983年）とみなされることがある。これらのタイトルは5期連続または通算10期獲得など一定の条件を満たすことで、引退後（または60歳を過ぎた後）に永世竜王といった永世称号を名乗ることができる。もともと将棋の家元名であった名人に限り、代数を入れて「○○世名人」と名乗る。1935年に関根金次郎が名人位世襲制を廃してから2015年までに、木村義雄（14世）、大山康晴（15世）、中原誠（16世）が通算5期獲得によって名人を襲位しており、条件を満たしている谷川浩司（17世）、森内俊之（18世）、羽生善治（19世）も引退後に襲位することが決定している。

　女流プロ棋士の公式戦では女王（女子オープン）、女流王座、女流名人、女流王位、女流王将、倉敷藤花などがある。女王と女流王座は2000年代に入ってからの創設と新しいこともあって2018年までに女流六冠達成者はおらず、里見香奈（1992―　）が五冠を獲得（2013、2016年）したのが最高記録である。

竜王戦
九段戦（1950～1961年開催）、十段戦（1962～1987年開催）を前身とし、1988年に創設された。読売新聞社主催。挑戦手合七番勝負。全棋士と女流棋士4名、アマチュア5名が6組に分かれてランキング戦を行い、上位者11名による決勝トーナメントで挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は8時間。初代は島朗。

名人戦
1935年創設。毎日新聞社、朝日新聞社主催。挑戦手合七番勝負。順位戦とよばれる予選のA級棋士10名の中から挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は9時間。初代は木村義雄。

王位戦
1960年創設。新聞三社連合主催。挑戦手合七番勝負。全棋士と女流棋士2名による予選トーナメントを行い、その勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるリーグ戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は8時間。初代は大山康晴。

王座戦
1953年創設。日本経済新聞社主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。全棋士と女流棋士4名による一次、二次トーナメント戦の勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるトーナメント戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は5時間。初代は大山康晴。

棋王戦
1974年創設。共同通信社主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。全棋士と女流名人、アマ名人が参加して予選を行い、予選通過者とシード棋士30余名によるトーナメント戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は4時間。初代は内藤國雄（1939―　）。

王将戦
1950年創設。スポーツニッポン新聞社、毎日新聞社主催。挑戦手合七番勝負。全棋士による予選トーナメントの勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるリーグ戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は8時間。初代は升田幸三。

棋聖戦
1962年創設。産経新聞社主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。全棋士と女流棋士2名による一次、二次トーナメント戦の勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるトーナメント戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は4時間。初代は大山康晴。

叡王戦
2015年創設。ドワンゴ主催。挑戦手合七番勝負。全棋士と女流棋士1名、アマチュア1名による段位別予選を通過し、本戦となるトーナメント戦を勝ち上がった2名で七番勝負を行う（第4期以降は本戦優勝者が叡王への挑戦権を獲得）。持ち時間は変則（第1局から第6局までは2局ごとに棋士の選択により1、3、5時間を振り分ける。第7局は6時間）。初代は山崎隆之（1981―　）。

女王戦
2008年創設。大会名はマイナビ女子オープンで、マイナビ主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。女流棋士によるトーナメント戦で挑戦者を決定する。初代は矢内理絵子（1980―　）。

女流王座戦
2011年創設。リコー主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。女流棋士と日本将棋連盟所属の女性奨励会員、女流アマチュアで予選を勝ち抜いた者による予選トーナメントにより挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は3時間。初代は加藤桃子（1995―　）。

女流名人戦
1974年創設。報知新聞社主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。全女流棋士による予選トーナメントの勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるリーグ戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は3時間。初代は蛸島彰子(たこじまあきこ)（1946―　）。

女流王位戦
1990年創設。新聞三社連合主催。挑戦手合五番勝負。予選トーナメントの勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるリーグ戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は4時間。初代は中井広恵（1969―　）。

女流王将戦
1978年創設。囲碁将棋チャンネル主催。挑戦手合三番勝負。女流棋士と選抜された女流アマチュアによる予選トーナメントの勝ち上がり者とシード棋士によるトーナメント戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は3時間。初代は蛸島彰子。

倉敷藤花戦
1993年創設。倉敷市、倉敷市文化振興財団、山陽新聞社主催。挑戦手合三番勝負。全女流棋士によるトーナメント戦で挑戦者を決定する。持ち時間は2時間。初代は林葉直子（1968―　）。

［編集部　2019年3月20日］

『原田泰夫・天狗太郎著『将棋名勝負物語』（1972・時事通信社）』▽『山本武雄著『将棋百年』改定新版（1976・時事通信社）』▽『木村義雄著『名人木村義雄実戦集』（8巻・資料1巻・1978～1982・大修館書店）』▽『山本亨介著『将棋文化史』（1980・筑摩書房）』▽『増川宏一著『将棋Ⅱ』（1985・法政大学出版局）』▽『加藤治郎・原田泰夫・田辺忠幸著『〔証言〕将棋昭和史』（1999・毎日コミュニケーションズ）』▽『増川宏一著『将棋の駒はなぜ40枚か』（集英社新書）』