Shogi glossary
Drop
Japanese: 打つ
In shogi, a drop (utsu, 打つ) is a move in which you take a captured piece from your hand and place it on any empty square, instead of moving a piece on the board. Drops are what most separates shogi from chess.
Placing a piece from your hand onto an empty square as your move.
The rules
A drop is your whole move. The piece always arrives on its unpromoted side, wherever it lands, and faces the opponent like your other pieces. Three restrictions apply: no piece where it could never move (pawn or lance on the last rank, knight on the last two ranks), no pawn on a file that already holds your unpromoted pawn, and no pawn drop that gives immediate checkmate.
Why it matters
Material never leaves the game, so the board never empties and endgames stay sharp. A piece in hand can appear exactly where it hits two targets, which is why most shogi forks are drops. In defense, drops let you block long-range checks and plug holes beside your king.
Drops also change how you judge trades and safety. Before calling a position safe, look at what your opponent holds: a gold or silver in hand can land next to your king in one move.
Try it · from “Captured Pieces and Drops”
Drop your knight to give check.
FAQ
Can a dropped piece give check or checkmate?
Yes. Any drop may check or mate, and gold on the head is a drop mate. The single exception is the pawn: dropping a pawn to give immediate checkmate is illegal.
Can I drop a piece on the same turn I capture it?
No. The capture is your move. The piece waits in your hand until a later turn.
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
Learn it by playing
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