Climbing Silver

Climbing Silver (棒銀 bōgin, literally "pole-silver") is a shogi strategy.

Climbing Silver involves advancing a silver upward along with an advanced or dropped pawn supported by the rook aiming to break through the opponent's camp on their bishop's side.

Many different Static Rook shogi openings include a Climbing Silver component. For instance, Climbing Silver can played as part of Double Wing Attack, Yagura, or Bishop Exchange openings. (However, there are other variants of these openings that don't include Climbing Silver.)

Positioning

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In the diagrams to the right, the Black's silver advances to the e file.

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Once the silver has reached the e file (S-1e in the adjacent diagram), Black can attempt to attack White's bishop pawn at 2c by advancing their pawn (P-2d). White can capture Black's pawn, but the silver can recapture White's pawn. Because White did not properly defend their bishop's head here, White's camp is somewhat weaker and more susceptible to subsequent attacks from Black.

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Similarly, it's also possible to play Climbing Silver when Black has no pawn on the second file. Here the silver can climb to the empty 2e square. And, if there's a pawn in hand, then that pawn can be dropped to 2d.

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In the board diagram to the right, the Black's silver has successfully climbed to the e rank on the first file (1e).

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A subsequent attack by Black, for example, could aim to sacrifice this silver in order to remove White's lance and then drop a Dangling Pawn within White's camp that threatens to promote.

Climbing Silver formations may be used with several different Static Rook openings such as Yagura, Double Wing, and Bishop Exchange.

See also

• Double Wing Attack
• Shogi opening
• Shogi strategy and tactics

Bibliography

• Aono, Teruichi (2009) [1983]. Better moves for better shogi. Translated by Fairbairn, John (2nd ed.). Ishi Press. ISBN 978-4-87187-999-6.
• Aono, Teruichi [in Japanese] (1983). Guide to shogi openings: Shogi problems in Japanese and English 将棋定跡のカギ: 和英 定跡問題集. Translated by Fairbairn, John. 山海堂. ISBN 4-381-00598-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Fairbairn, John (1984). Shogi for beginners. Ishi Press. ISBN 978-4-8718-720-10. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Hosking, Tony (1997). The art of shogi. The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0-95310-890-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Kitao, Madoka [in Japanese] (2011). Joseki at a glance. Translated by Kawasaki, Tomohide. Nekomado. ISBN 978-4-9052-2501-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

• YouTube: HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings: Rapid Encountered Yagura, Primitive Climbing Silver · Climbing Silver played by White in Yagura
• YouTube: HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings: Bishop Exchange #1 · Climbing Silver played by Black in Bishop Exchange (from 11 min 58 sec to 19 min 40 sec)
• YouTube: HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings: Bishop Exchange #2 · Merits of Climbing Silver vs other silver strategies in Bishop Exchange
• YouTube: HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings: Bishop Exchange #4 (white's one-turn loss bishop exchange) · Climbing Silver in One-Turn Loss Bishop Exchange (from 8 min 24 sec to 9 min 54 sec)