Side Pawn Capture

In shogi, Side Pawn Capture (横歩取り yokofudori, also Side Pawn Picker or simply Side Pawn) is a Double Static Rook opening.

The side pawns referred to are the pawns (歩) that are advanced in order to open both players' bishop diagonal (角道 kaku michi). In this opening, this pawn is captured by an opponent's rook in a gambit move. (This is one of the few gambits in shogi.)

Usually Black (先手) captures the side pawn while White (後手) may or may not also capture Black's side pawn depending upon the variation. It is also possible that Black may reject the side pawn gambit allowing the White the possibility to take Black's side pawn resulting in a Reverse Side Pawn Capture (逆横歩取り gyaku yokofudori or 後手横歩取り gote yokofudori) opening.^[1]

The term Side Pawn (横歩取り) can also refer to an older joseki for a Static Rook position played against Central Rook. (See: Central Rook vs Side Pawn.)

Initial development

1. P-7g. Black opens their bishop diagonal. This is the most flexible first move.

This pawn that was put forward is Black's so-called side pawn (横の歩 yoko no fu). It is termed side since White's rook may capture this pawn from the eighth file (when positioned on the 8f square) by moving sideways to the seventh file (that is, R8fx7f).

1. ... P-3d. White responds by opening their bishop diagonal as well.

This is White's side pawn.

The Side Pawn opening is typically started with both players attacking each other's bishop (although transpositions with later moves are possible).

2. P-2d P-8d. Both players give an early indication of choosing a Static Rook opening by advancing their rook pawns. Thus, the game will likely be a Double Static Rook opening.

3. P-2e P-8e. Both continue their rook pawn advances to the middle e rank. Thus, the likelihood of a Double Static Rook game increases.

Furthermore, this board configuration gives a strong indication of the Side Pawn opening.

4. G-7h. Black moves their left gold to the seventh file protecting the 8h square from a later possible bishop attack and protecting the 8g square in preparation for White pawn exchange on that file.

4. ... G-3b. White mirrors Black's move for the same reasons.

Both players have symmetrical positions.

This board is highly suggestive of Side Pawn Capture. However, a Double Wing Attack opening is still possible depending on whether either player actually takes the side pawn in the subsequent moves. Furthermore, a One-Turn Loss Bishop Exchange opening is also possible.

5. P-2d. Black initiates a pawn trade on the second file by attacking White's pawn.

5. ... Px2d, 6. Rx2d. Pawn trade clearing off the pawns on the second file and giving each player a pawn in hand.

Black's rook is positioned on 2d square. From this position, Black may capture White's side pawn on 3d in subsequent moves leading directly into the Side Pawn Capture opening.

Transpositions

The Side Pawn opening position above can be reached by several different move sequences, some of which are shown below.

	Black[2]	White		Black[3]	White		Black[4]	White		Black[5]	White
1.	P-2f	P-8d		P-2f	P-8d		P-7f	P-8d		P-7f	P-3d
2.	P-2e	P-8e		P-2e	P-8e		P-2f	G-3b		P-2f	G-3b
3.	P-7f	P-3d		P-7f	G-3b		G-7h	P-3d		P-2e	P-8d
4.	G-7h	G-3b		G-7h	P-3d		P-2e	P-8e		G-7h	P-8e
5.	P-2d	Px2d		P-2d	Px2d		P-2d	Px2d		P-2d	Px2d
6.	Rx2d			Rx2d			Rx2d			Rx2d

The first transposition recalls the Double Wing Attack opening while the third transposition is similar to the beginning of a Bishop Exchange opening. The second transposition has similarities of both Double Wing and Bishop Exchange. The last transposition is yet another possibility.

Variation without gold development

4. P-2d. After both players advance their rook pawns to the middle e rank, there is a variation in which Black immediately attacks on the second file without the usual left gold fortification (4. G-7h) shown in the main lines above.

This may still develop into a standard Side Pawn Capture opening. However, there are other possible options which diverge from Side Pawn.

Subsequent variations

At Black's pawn trade on the second file (move 11), White has two main options.^[6][7] The most common option is for White to initiate a pawn trade on their rook's file. This will most likely lead to the Side Pawn Capture opening. (See § White's eighth file pawn trade below.)

The second option is for White to attack Black's rook with a drop on the second file. This option can still lead to a Side Pawn Capture opening and was the older preferred option. (See following § △ Pawn-2c.) However, White's 2c pawn drop move is also likely to lead to a Double Wing Attack opening.

△ Pawn*2c variation

6. ... P*2c. White drops their pawn in hand on the 2c square attacking Black's rook – a striking pawn tactic.

7. Rx3d. Fleeing from attack, Black can now take White's side pawn.

White's eighth file pawn trade variations

6. ... P-8f, 7. Px8f Rx8f. White trades their rook pawn on the eighth.

This is the most common move to transition to a Side Pawn Capture opening.

After this, both players have two pawns in the hand and their rooks are fully activated.

8. Rx3d. Black captures White's pawn on the third file ending up with three pawns in hand. This is the defining characteristic of Side Pawn Capture openings.

Following Black's side pawn capture, White has several options that will determine both White and Black's strategies. One option is for White to prevent Black from initiating a bishop trade by moving a piece to the 3c square. This includes either the set of △ Bishop-3c strategies or a Knight-3c strategy. (See § Variations with White blocking Black's bishop trade below.) Another option is for White to initiate a bishop trade, which leads to Double Side Pawn Capture and Bishop*4e strategies among others. (See § White's bishop trade variations below.)

Blunder: Allowing Black's bishop trade

After Black captures White's side pawn, White must prevent Black from initiating a bishop trade. Otherwise, Black will make the bishop trade leading to a trap that puts White in a poor structure.

Variations with White blocking Black's bishop trade

One of the major options of Side Pawn Capture is to block Black from initiating a bishop trade. Either a bishop or a knight can be used for this purpose. However, blocking with a bishop is most popular variation. These strategies are known simply as Bishop-3c and Knight-3c variations.

△ Bishop-3c

Using the bishop to block Black from trading bishops is the most common main variation of Side Pawn Capture.

△ Knight-3c

8. ... N-3c.

White's bishop trade variations

8. ... Bx8h+, 9. Sx8h. Rather than preventing Black's bishop trade, White can instead initiate the bishop trade.

Following the trade, White can initiate several different options including taking Black's side pawn (Double Side Pawn Capture), dropping their pawn on 2h and bishop on 4e (△Bishop*4e), dropping their pawn on 3h and bishop on 4d (△Bishop*4d), and dropping their bishop to 3c (△Rapid Attack Bishop*3c).

Double Side Pawn

△ Bishop*4e

The △ Bishop*4e Side Pawn variation is one of the Side Pawn variations that starts with bishop trade initiated by White (that is, 8. ... Bx8h+, 9. Sx8h). It is named after the bishop drop position – the 4e square – that White makes three moves after the bishop trade.^[8]

△ Bishop*4d

9. ... P*3h.^[9]

10. Sx3h.

10. ... B*4d.

△ Rapid Attack Bishop*3c

The Rapid Attack Bishop*3c variation of Side Pawn Capture (横歩取り急戦△３三角) has White dropping their bishop to 3c right after making the bishop trade.^[9]

This is not to be confused with the more common Bishop-3c variation that does not trade the bishops first. (See: Side Pawn Capture Bishop-3c.)

See also

• Double Side Pawn Capture
• Static Rook

References

Bibliography

• Aono, Teruichi (1983). Guide to shogi openings: Unlock the secrets of joseki 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. 
• Fairbairn, John (1986). Shogi for beginners (2nd ed.). Ishi Press. ISBN 978-4-8718-720-10. 
• Hosking, Tony (1997). The art of shogi. The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0-95310-890-9. 
• 飯島, 栄治 (2014). 横歩取り超急戦のすべて. マイナビ出版. 
• 飯島, 栄治 (2016). 横歩取りハメ手裏定跡. マイナビ出版. 
• Kitao, Madoka (2011). Joseki at a glance. Translated by Kawasaki, Tomohide. Nekomado. ISBN 978-4-9052-2501-0. 
• Kunio, Naito (1979). Translated by Fairbairn, John. "Hypermodern shogi: Aerial combat". Shogi (19): 4–6. 
• Segawa, Shoji (2013). 横歩取りマップ. マイナビ出版. ISBN 978-4-8399-5000-2. 

External links

• HIDETCHI's YouTube videos:
  • Side Pawn Picker #1
  • Side Pawn Picker #2
  • Side Pawn Picker #3
  • Side Pawn Picker: P*3h Strategy #1
• Professional player Akira Nishio's blog Shogi Openings:
  • Side Pawn Picker (1)
  • Side Pawn Picker (2)
• Yamajunn's Basic Shogi Opening: Yokofutori
• Shogi Shack: Yokofu Dori 1
• Shogi Opening:
  • Side Pawn Picker: Common Opening
  • Side Pawn Picker: King-58 strategy
• Yet Another Shogi Site:
  • Side Pawn Picker: Basics
  • Side Pawn Picker: △P23 Variation