Shogi glossary
Edge attack
Japanese: 端攻め
In shogi, an edge attack (hashizeme) is an attack on the 1st or 9th file, the outermost columns of the board, usually aimed at a castle whose king sits near that edge, such as a Mino or an Anaguma.
Attacking on the 1st or 9th file, often against a castle's corner.
Why the edge is a target
Castles like the Mino (king on 2h) and the Anaguma (king on 9i) put the king close to an edge file. Their golds and silvers protect the king's side and front, but the outermost file is often held only by a pawn and a lance. Opening that file brings the attack straight to the king's corner, and a king pressed against the edge has no squares beyond it to run to.
Typical technique
The attacker pushes the edge pawn and trades it, often with the lance behind it on the same file; the lance, which only moves straight ahead, is a natural partner for an edge push. Follow-ups include dropping pawns again on the edge to pull the defending pawn forward, dropping a lance on the file, or jumping a knight toward the edge.
Edge pawns in the opening
In many openings an early edge-pawn push is answered by one on the other side, as in 1g-1f met by 1c-1d. How far each edge pawn has advanced affects how quickly an edge attack can arrive later.
FAQ
Which castles are most vulnerable to edge attacks?
Castles with the king near the edge, such as the Mino and especially the Anaguma, whose king sits in the corner. They resist attacks from the side well but must keep watch on the outer file.
Related
Terms:
Lessons: The Mino Castle · The Anaguma (Bear-in-the-Hole) · The Boat Castle and Breaking Castles
Openings: Mino and Boat Castles · Static Rook Anaguma
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
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