Shogi glossary
Fourth-file Rook
Japanese: 四間飛車
In shogi, the Fourth-file Rook (shikenbisha) is a Ranging Rook opening in which Black moves the rook to 6h, the fourth file from Black's left, closes the bishop's diagonal with a pawn on 6f and castles in a Mino.
Ranging Rook with the rook on 6h (4th file counted from the left).
What the name means
Shi is the Japanese word for four. The name counts the rook's file from the player's own left, so Black's rook lands on 6h, and White's, in the mirror-image version, on 4b.
The defining setup
The usual order is pawn to 7f, pawn to 6f, then rook to 6h before the king moves, because a king on 4h would block the rook's path along rank h. The king then walks 4h, 3h, 2h, the silver goes to 3h and the left gold to 5h, completing the Mino. If White pushes the rook pawn to 8e, the bishop steps to 7g so that 8f stays guarded. Lifting a gold to 4g later makes it a High Mino.
Its character
This is a waiting, counterpunching system: it lets the Static Rook player commit to an attack, then strikes back where that attack lands, with the rook on the 6th file and the bishop on 7g ready. Common Static Rook answers include a quick Boat castle with a rapid attack, the slow Anaguma and the Right Fourth-file Rook.
Try it · from “The Fourth-file Rook”
Set up the Fourth-file Rook.
FAQ
Why is it called the Fourth-file Rook if the rook goes to 6h?
Ranging Rook names count from the player's own left side, not from the file numbers. Files 9, 8, 7 and 6 are the first four from Black's left, so 6h is the fourth.
Related
Terms:
Lessons: The Fourth-file Rook · The Mino Castle · Static Rook vs Ranging Rook
Openings: Fourth-file Rook
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
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