AI rival · default level 4 (adjustable 1–10)
Kenji
“The Wall” · Loves to defend
Knock all you want. The door stays shut.
Kenji, “The Wall”, is the Rival Road's patient defender. He rarely starts a fight; he keeps adding golds and silvers around his king and waits for your attack to run out of steam.
How Kenji plays
Kenji's AI weighs his own king's safety far above attack. He favors moves and drops that put a gold, silver or other non-pawn piece right beside his king, and he gets more cautious when you hold pieces in hand while his castle has gaps.
His default level is 4, adjustable 1–10.
How to beat Kenji
You have time, so use it. Finish your castle, then bring more attackers than he has defenders to one file, as in the Climbing Silver. Hit his king's head with pawns or try the edge. Avoid half-prepared attacks: every piece you lose goes into his hand, and he likes dropping pieces beside his king.
What he teaches you
Patience and counting. Breaking a castle is a matter of numbers and preparation.
Tips
- Stack pawn, silver and rook on one file before you break through.
- Trade a tokin for a silver or gold beside his king; he gets only a pawn back.
- Use cheap pawn tricks such as the dangling pawn to loosen his castle.
What Kenji says
- “Break through if you can. I don't mind waiting.”
- “Solid. Very solid.”
- “The wall stands. Try again.”
- “You broke through. Impressive.”
Opening to study before you play Kenji: Climbing Silver
FAQ
What level is Kenji?
Default level 4, adjustable 1–10 in the app. His attack is mild, but his king is much harder to reach than Hana's.
Does Kenji ever attack?
Rarely on his own initiative. The real danger is a careless attack of yours that hands him pieces.
Prepare
Lessons: Counting Attackers and Defenders · The Boat Castle and Breaking Castles · Pawn Techniques: Dangling and Joining Pawns
Openings: Climbing Silver · Right Fourth-file Rook
Terms:
Break through if you can. I don't mind waiting.
Challenge Kenji in the app
Kenji waits on the Rival Road at level 4 — or set any level from 1 to 10. Win to earn stars, and get every game against Kenji explained in plain English.
Free on iPhone & Android. Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play. Privacy