A Tokin is Faster Than You Think.
(Tokin no oso haya.)

Vocabulary: Tokin=promoted Pawn, no=of, oso=(basic form, osoi) be slow, haya=(basic form, hayai) be fast


(1)

The proverb, literally meaning that Tokin is slow but fast, teaches that it may take time to drop a Pawn and promote it, but once you've made a Tokin, you may be surprised at how it gives impetus to the attack.

Diagram 1 is from an actual game. White has dropped a Pawn on 4a blocking Black's Dragon's path. How would you play here?

White in hand: B P 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  * wG  * wP bR+ *  * |a
| * wK wS  *  * wR  *  * wL |b
| * wP wP  * wP wG  *  * wP |c
|wP  *  * wP  * wS wP  *  * |d
| *  *  *  *  * wN  *  *  * |e
|bP  * bP  * bP bS bP  * bP |f
| * bP  * bP  * bS  *  *  * |g
| * bB bK bG bG  *  *  *  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: P2 
Diagram 1. Up to P*4a.

P*2c
Strikes you as slow? But actually it's a very good move.

Moves after Diagram1:
...      B*2h
P2b+  Bx1i+
+P3b
Seeing there was no way to prevent Black from playing P2b+, White dropped a Bishop on 2h, while Black went on with his intended course.

Further moves:
...     R6b
Rx4a  G5d
+P4b  +Bx2i  
+P5a   --->Diagram 2

White in hand: N L P 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  * wG bP+bR+ *  *  * |a
| * wK wS wR  *  *  *  * wL |b
| * wP wP  * wP  *  *  * wP |c
|wP  *  * wP wG wS wP  *  * |d
| *  *  *  *  * wN  *  *  * |e
|bP  * bP  * bP bS bP  * bP |f
| * bP  * bP  * bS  *  *  * |g
| * bB bK bG bG  *  *  *  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  * wB+ * |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: P2 
Diagram 2. Up to +P-5a.
White cannot allow Black to capture his valuable piece in exchange for a Tokin. Even if the Tokin attack may seem to start from a distance, it is fast enough as long as the opponent has to respond to it.

Moves after Diagram 2:
...      G7a
+P5b  R6c
Sx4e  Sx4e
N*7e  --->Diagram 3

White in hand: S N L P 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN wG  *  * bR+ *  *  * |a
| * wK wS  * bP+ *  *  * wL |b
| * wP wP wR wP  *  *  * wP |c
|wP  *  * wP wG  * wP  *  * |d
| *  * bN  *  * wS  *  *  * |e
|bP  * bP  * bP  * bP  * bP |f
| * bP  * bP  * bS  *  *  * |g
| * bB bK bG bG  *  *  *  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  * wB+ * |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: P2 
Diagram 3. Up to N*7e.
Black succeeded in capturing a Rook, leading the game to a winning position.

The Tokin attack, when successfuly applied, is fast enough to give you a pleasant surprise.


(2)

White in hand: P 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  *  *  *  *  * wN wL |a
|wR  *  *  *  * wB wG wK  * |b
| * wP  * wP  * wG wS wP wP |c
|wP  * wS  * wP wP wP  *  * |d
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| * bS  * bP bP  *  *  *  * |f
|bP bP  * bG bS bP  * bP bP |g
| * bK bG  *  *  * bR bB  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: P2 
Diagram 1. Up to S7d.
Diagram 1 shows where both players have adopted the double fortress opening. With White's S7d, there is a hole in White's camp. How would you play here?

P*7b

White cannot take this Pawn. If he does, you can play Bx9a+.

You may think P*7c will be equally good. In this case, however, White can play P6d, good defense.

Moves from Diagram1:
P*7b    B-5c    
P-7a+   Bx7a    
P*7e    --->diagram 2

White in hand: P2 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN wB  *  *  *  * wN wL |a
|wR  *  *  *  *  * wG wK  * |b
| * wP  * wP  * wG wS wP wP |c
|wP  * wS  * wP wP wP  *  * |d
| *  * bP  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| * bS  * bP bP  *  *  *  * |f
|bP bP  * bG bS bP  * bP bP |g
| * bK bG  *  *  * bR bB  * |h
|bL bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: nothing
Diagram 2. Up to P*7e.
If White plays B5c like above, he may be able to defend Black's P7a+, but after P7a+, Bx7a, Black can play P*7e, claiming the Silver for free.

After Black's P*7b, White may play P6d, which will launch the following moves: P7a+, N7c, +P8a. Thus, this is the least destructive position for White, but he will certainly lose the Lance.

Creation of a Tokin may not be powerful enough to lead to an overwhelming predominace at once, but it will certainly get you to a favorable position. This is the spirit of the proverb: The Tokin may seem slow, but is fast.

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