Shogi glossary
Defense (uke)
Japanese: 受け
In shogi, defense (uke) means the moves that stop or slow the opponent's attack, from capturing an attacking piece or blocking a check to moving the king or adding a defender beside it.
Moves that stop the opponent's attack.
The three basic tools
Under attack, look first for a capture that removes the attacking piece, then for a block that cuts the line, then for a king move. Check each one: a capture only helps if the piece is not protected, and a block must not simply hand material to the opponent. Capturing has an extra benefit in shogi, because the attacker you take goes into your hand and can be dropped later.
Defend only what is real
Defending costs moves, and in the endgame every move matters. Before reacting, count how many moves the opponent needs to mate you and how many you need. If your attack is faster, the best defense is often to ignore the threat and keep attacking. When a threat is real, stop it with the fewest moves possible.
Defense in the middlegame
Earlier in the game, defense means keeping the castle compact, reacting in time to pawn pushes against it and trading off the opponent's most dangerous attacking pieces.
Try it · from “Defense Basics: Interposing and Running Early”
White's silver next to your king threatens a gold-drop mate. Defend.
FAQ
Is defense a passive style in shogi?
Not necessarily. Because every captured attacker becomes a piece in hand, a solid defense often turns directly into a counterattack.
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
Learn it by playing
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