Ureshino opening

Ureshino
☖ pieces in hand: –
987654321 
香桂銀金王金銀桂香1
 飛     角 2
歩歩歩歩歩歩 歩歩3
      歩  4
         5
         6
歩歩歩歩歩歩歩歩歩7
   銀   飛 8
香桂角金玉金銀桂香9
☗ pieces in hand: –

In shogi, the Ureshino (嬉野流 ureshino-ryū) opening is a newer aggressive Static Rook opening characterized by moving the right silver to the sixth file and then pulling back the bishop to the silver's start position.[1]

It has an element of surprise as the move sequences are nonstandard and not found in professional play.

Ureshino can be played against both Static Rook and Ranging Rook opponents.

The opening is named after amateur player Hiroaki Ureshino (嬉野宏明) who invented it.

Development

1. S-68. The opening move of Ureshino. This is the surprise move as almost all shogi games start with P-76, P-26, or P-56 as the first move. (See: Shogi opening sequences § First move.)

1...P-34. For White's next move, it is most likely that they will open their bishop's diagonal by advancing their third file pawn. This move prevents Black from opening their bishop diagonal (2. P-76) as their right silver is no longer positioned to defend their bishop on 88. That is, if 1. S-68 P-34, 2. P-76?, then 2...Bx88+![lower-alpha 1]

It is also possible for White to push their rook pawn (1...P-84) instead of opening the bishop diagonal. In this case, Black may subsequently attempt a Double Yagura opening by opening their bishop diagonal (2. P-76). Then, this move sequence is just a transposition of the usual 1. P-76 P-84, 2. S-68 order.

2. B-79. Since their bishop is now confined behind Black's camp (due to the pressure from White's bishop), Black must quickly move their bishop into a position in which the bishop can be used effectively. Thus, the bishop is pulled back to the seventh file aiming at the 57 square, which Black will open in a future move. This move, however, does leave their eighth file pawn vulnerable, tempting White to start a Static Rook attack on that file, which is part of Black's plan.

Against Static Rook

2...P-84. White plays Static Rook.

3. G-78. Therefore, Black must protect their eighth file pawn with their left gold.

Note that Black's 3. G-78 could logically be transposed with 2. B-79 to result in the same position (that is, 1. S-68 P-34, 2. G-78 P-84, 3. B-79). However, at the moment of 2. G-78, White has not given any indication that they will play a Static Rook position (there was no 2...P-84 yet). Therefore, it is more prudent to wait to play G-78 after seeing White's strategy as it may be more beneficial for Black to develop their pieces toward the center or right side if White chooses a Ranging Rook strategy.

3...P-85. White continues with their rook pawn aiming to trade the pawns to get a pawn in hand and fully activating their rook.

4. S-48. Right silver advances.

Although Black needs to push their central pawn (P-56) to activate their bishop, it cannot be done at this time since after the pawn exchange on the eighth file White's rook will be positioned on rank 6 forking Black's left knight and central pawn on 56. After protecting their knight with a pawn drop, White will capture Black's central pawn: 3...P-85, 4. P-56? P-86, 5. Px86 Rx86, 6. P*88 Rx56!

4...P-86, 5. Px86 Rx86. White initiates the pawn exchange.

Note that although White does get a pawn in hand, they will lose their tempo in order to do so. (See: Piece exchange and tempo loss.)

6. P*88. Black protects their knight from White's rook with a pawn drop.

The pawn is dropped on the rank 8 instead of the rank 7 since this leads to the 87 square being defended by two pieces (the pawn and the gold). If Black dropped the pawn to 87, then only the gold would defend 87 allowing White to break into the eighth file with a Climbing Silver strategy where White's right silver advances to the 87 square.

7. P-26. Black pushes their rook pawn up the second file.

7...S-72. White aims for a Climbing Silver attack on the eighth file.

8...B-33. White must defend the 24 square to prevent Black from trading the second file pawns.

9. P-56. Black advances their central pawn giving an opening to the left silver which can pass through the line of pawns and clearing a path to free their bishop.

11...S-85. White moves their silver to the middle rank aiming for the 86 square in order to support a pawn drop on 87.

Against Ranging Rook

The Ureshino opening can also be played against the various Ranging Rook positions.

Central Rook

Unlike the Ureshino formation used against a Static Rook opponent, Ureshino against a Central Rook opponent does not need to move the left gold early to 78 since Central Rook will not attack along the eighth file.

Instead, when White advances their central pawn, the Ureshino player must respond immediately with their own central pawn push in order to prevent White from pushing their central pawn further to the 55 square. If White's pawn is positioned at this vanguard position on the middle rank, it will create problems using Black's bishop through the 57 square since it can become easy for White to position their central pawn even further on 56 preventing Black's bishop from being positioned on 57.

5...K-62. As is typical of Ranging Rook, White starts castling their king after moving the rook.

6. P-26 K-72, 7. P-25. Black advances their rook pawn while White castles their king toward the eighth file.

7...B-33. White prevents Black from trading pawns on the second file.

8. S-46. Black quickly develops their left silver to fourth file. This is the initial positioning of Diagonal Climbing Silver.

8...P-44. White pushes their fourth file pawn in order to give their left silver a position on 43 so that the 34 pawn at the head of their bishop will be defended.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The board position after 2...Bx88+ would be the following:
    ☖ pieces in hand: 角
    987654321 
    香桂銀金王金銀桂香1
     飛      2
    歩歩歩歩歩歩歩歩3
         歩  4
            5
      歩     6
    歩歩歩歩歩歩歩歩7
     馬 銀   飛 8
    香桂 金玉金銀桂香9
    ☗ pieces in hand: –
    2...Bx88+!
    After this, Black would lose a bishop and be forced to protect their left knight with 3. G-79. However, White could still capture Black's left lance with their horse (3...+Bx99), and, more importantly, Black's camp is breached very early in the game. This blunder is clearly a losing position for Black.

References

  1. ↑ 天野 2015, pp. 8–138, 嬉野流VS居飛車.

Bibliography

  • 天野, 貴元 (2015). 奇襲研究所: 嬉野流編. マイナビ出版.
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