Shogi glossary
Pawn
Japanese: 歩兵
In shogi, the pawn (fuhyō, 歩兵, usually fu) moves one square straight forward and, unlike the chess pawn, also captures straight forward. Each player has nine, the cheapest and busiest pieces on the board.
Moves and captures one square straight forward.
How it moves
Shogi pawns have no double first step, no diagonal capture and no en passant. They start on rank g for Black and rank c for White, with three empty ranks between the two lines. Because a pawn moves and captures straight ahead, it always stays on its own file.
In the opponent's three ranks a pawn may promote to a tokin, which moves like a gold; on the last rank promotion is compulsory.
Rules only for pawns
You may not have two unpromoted pawns of your own on the same file (nifu), and you may not drop a pawn to give immediate checkmate (uchifuzume). Pushing a pawn forward to mate is fine.
How it is used
A captured pawn returns as a drop, which makes pawns the tool for shogi tricks: tapping a piece to pull it forward, dangling a pawn one square short of promotion, blocking a check, or trading the rook pawn to open a file. Strong players try to keep at least one pawn in hand at all times.
FAQ
Do shogi pawns capture diagonally?
No. A shogi pawn captures exactly the way it moves, one square straight ahead. That is the most common surprise for chess players.
How much is a pawn worth in shogi?
It is the unit of the usual scale: pawn 1, lance 3, knight 4, silver 5, gold 6, bishop 8, rook 10.
Related
Terms:
Lessons: How the Pieces Move · Check, Checkmate and Illegal Moves · Pawn Techniques: Dangling and Joining Pawns
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
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