Shogi glossary
Pawn-drop mate
Japanese: 打ち歩詰め
In shogi, uchifuzume (打ち歩詰め, pawn-drop mate) is the rule that you may not drop a pawn from your hand to give immediate checkmate. Such a drop is illegal, while mating with a pawn already on the board is allowed.
Illegal: dropping a pawn to give immediate checkmate.
What is and is not allowed
Only one combination is forbidden: a pawn, dropped, that checkmates on the spot. A pawn drop that gives check but leaves the king an escape square, or lets the defender capture the pawn, is legal. Moving a pawn forward to mate is legal, promoted or not. Dropping any other piece to mate, such as a gold on the head, is legal too.
Getting around it
The standard workaround is to drop the pawn one square further back and push it next move, since a pawn push mate breaks no rule. If that drop leaves the king no defense, it is already a brinkmate. If you hold another piece that covers the same squares, drop that instead.
Defenders can use the rule as well: if the only mating move available is a pawn drop, the attacker may not play it, and the king lives on.
Where it comes up
The rule matters mostly in the endgame and is a frequent theme in mate problems.
Try it · from “Pawn Techniques: Dangling and Joining Pawns”
A pawn drop on 1b would be illegal pawn-drop mate. Drop a pawn so that a pawn push mates next move.
FAQ
Is it legal to checkmate with a pawn in shogi?
Yes, if the pawn moves there from the board. Only a pawn dropped from hand to deliver immediate mate is illegal.
Related
Terms:
Lessons: 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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