Shogi glossary
Capture
Japanese: 駒を取る
In shogi, to capture is to move a piece onto a square occupied by an enemy piece. The captured piece is not removed from the game: it goes into your hand, unpromoted, and you may later drop it as your own.
Moving onto an enemy piece's square; the piece goes to your hand.
How it works
Every piece captures exactly the way it moves, including the pawn, which takes straight ahead. Capturing is always optional, there is no en passant, and long-range pieces need a clear line to the target. A drop can never capture, because pieces are only dropped onto empty squares.
Count before you take
Before capturing on a square, count your attackers and the opponent's defenders, including pieces lined up behind each other on a file or diagonal. If you have more attackers, the exchange usually ends in your favor.
Order matters too: capture first with your cheapest piece and keep the most valuable attacker for last. If the opponent recaptures, you lose a pawn rather than a gold. Whatever you lose in the sequence joins their hand, ready to be dropped near your king.
Compared with chess
In chess a capture removes material for good. In shogi the swing is double: the opponent loses a piece and you gain one to use.
Try it · from “How the Pieces Move”
Capture the gold with your silver.
FAQ
What happens to a promoted piece when it is captured?
It turns back to its original side: a captured horse becomes a bishop in your hand, a captured tokin a pawn. You may promote it again later by moving it into, within or out of the promotion zone.
Related
Terms:
Lessons: How the Pieces Move · Piece Values and Trades · Counting Attackers and Defenders
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
Learn it by playing
20 interactive lessons, 10,000 tsume puzzles and eight AI rivals — and every game you play is reviewed in plain English, with terms like “capture” explained when they happen on your board.
Free on iPhone & Android. Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play. Privacy