Shogi glossary
Yagura castle
Japanese: 矢倉囲い
In shogi, the Yagura is the classic Static Rook castle for games where both players keep their rooks home. In the standard Gold Yagura the king sits on 8h behind golds on 7h and 6g and a silver on 7g.
Static Rook castle: king 8h, golds 7h and 6g, silver 7g.
The shape and building order
Pawns on 8g, 7f and 6f complete the front wall. A safe order is silver to 6h and then 7g, left gold to 7h, right gold to 6g, and finally the bishop steps aside so the king can walk to 8h. Push the 6th-file pawn to 6f early: once the left silver leaves 7i, nothing guards the bishop on 8h, and closing the diagonal stops White from capturing it.
Strengths and weaknesses
Yagura is thick in front, which is where attacks come from when both rooks stay home. Its drawback is time: it needs more moves than the Boat castle or the Mino, so the opponent may launch a rapid attack while construction is still underway. Against Ranging Rook, Static Rook players usually choose the quicker Boat castle or the deeper Anaguma instead.
The name
Yagura is the Japanese word for a tower or turret. In Yagura openings both players often build the same castle before the first real fight.
Try it · from “The Yagura Castle”
Put the silver in its Yagura position.
FAQ
What is the difference between Yagura and Anaguma?
Both are Static Rook castles on the left, but the Yagura king stays on 8h behind a wall of golds and pawns, while the Anaguma king goes all the way into the 9i corner behind the lance. Yagura meets frontal pawn attacks well; Anaguma is harder to check.
I don't do defense. Hope you brought a castle!
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