Chapter 3 Kaku-Kawari (Bishop Exchange Opening)

SECTION 3 Suji-chigai-kaku (Wrong Diagonal Bishop)

Let me begin with the basics of the wrong diagonal Bishop drop---what it aims at, and how to prevent it.

Moves from the very beginning:
1.P-7f 2.P-8d
3.P-2f 4.P-8e
5.P-2e 6.G-3b
7.B-7g 8.P-3d
9.S-8h 10.Bx7g+
11.Sx7g 12.S-2b
13.B*4e (Diagram 1)

Diagram 1  After B*4e.

White in hand: B 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN wS wG wK  *  * wN wL |a
| * wR  *  *  *  * wG wS  * |b
|wP  * wP wP wP wP  * wP wP |c
| *  *  *  *  *  * wP  *  * |d
| * wP  *  *  * bB  * bP  * |e
| *  * bP  *  *  *  *  *  * |f
|bP bP bS bP bP bP bP  * bP |g
| *  *  *  *  *  *  * bR  * |h
|bL bN  * bG bK bG bS bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black in hand: nothing

The opening moves are not in any way different from the normal Bishop exchange, until the last move, B*4e. Now there will be two different positions you can get to, depending on which way you pull your Bishop back, to the right or the left.

1) To the left

Sample moves after Diagram 1:
14.S-6b
15.Bx3d 16.S-3c
17.B-5f 18.P-5d
19.P-6f 20.P-5e
21.B-7h 22.S-5c
23.S-3h 24.S-5d
25.S-2g 26.G-5b
27.S-2f 28.P-4d
29.S-3e 30.G5b-4c (Diagram 2)

Diagram 2  After  G5b-4c.

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

When you pull your Bishop back to your left, you should aim for breaking through on the second file by moving your Silver as is required in the bo-gin, i.e., 3h, 2g, 2f, 3e.

But White will, in the meantime, have time to place his Silver on 5d, a good post. Diagram 2 shows a position with which Black is far from happy. So, the moves thus far were thought no good for Black, and abandoned. What if Black plays P-2d after the Diagram 2, you say? There could follow:

Px2d, Sx2d, Sx2d, Rx2d.

White would then play P*2b, which would stop your advance. With Bishop in hand, White may come up with an effective attack, for which you would be hardly prepared. No, this is not the way to play.
How about, then, pulling the Bishop back to your right?

2) To the Right

Sample Moves after Diagram 1:
14.S-6b
15.Bx3d 16.S-3c
17.B-5f 18.P-5d
19.P-4f 20.P-5e
21.B-4g 22.S-5c
23.R-8h (Diagram 3)

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

The 8th file is the target here. After Diagram 3, Black plays P-8f, which is likely to be followed by: Px8f, P*8c, R-5b, Rx8f. This is a possibility.

Now let me show you a real game played by professionals: Kiyosumi Kiriyama(b)-Koji Tanigawa(w) in the Kio preliminary, on July 17, 1979. In Diagram 4, Tanigawa, omitting P-5e, has just played R-8d in response to Kiriyama's R-8h.


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

Moves after Diagram 4:
1.G-6h 2.S3c-4d
3.P-8f 4.Px8f
5.Sx8f 6.S-5e
7.S-8e 8.R-8b
9.B-3h 10.Sx4f
11.P*8d 12.B*5e (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5. Up to B*5e. White in hand: P2 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 +---------------------------+ |wL wN * wG wK * * wN wL |a | * wR * * * * wG * * |b |wP * wP wP wS wP * wP wP |c | * bP * * wP * * * * |d | * bS * * wB * * bP * |e | * * bP * * wS * * * |f |bP * * bP bP * bP * bP |g | * bR * bG * * bB * * |h |bL bN * * bK bG bS bN bL |i +---------------------------+ Black in hand: P
The above is a successful position for White. Anticipating P*8c, Tanigawa played R-8d before exchanging Pawns. What you should keep in mind here: to apply pressure on the Bishop is the best policy in this opening.

After Diagram 5 there followed: P-6f, Bx6f, N-7g, Sx5g. The position looked quite promising for White. But Tanigawa made a blunder in the endgame which cost him the victory.

Thus, the wrong diagonal Bishop drop has been proven to be a difficult opening to play. Feasible countermeasures were devised against a quick attack, no matter which way you pull back your Bishop.

Let me show you one example, however, which was a dream-come-true for the wrong diagonal bishop side.

The following was played between Kiriyama and Nakahara as a preliminary of the Kisei-sen on March 22nd, 1973.

Moves from the beginning:
1.P-7f 2.P-8d
3.P-2f 4.P-8e
5.P-2e 6.G-3b
7.B-7g 8.P-3d
9.S-8h 10.Bx7g+
11.Sx7g 12.S-2b
13.B*4e 14.G-5b
15.Bx3d 16.S-3c
17.B-5f (Diagram 6)

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

Nakahara, White, moved his Silver to the forefront, but Diagram 6 shows his Silver is about to be taken, which proves his idea was totally wrong. Kiriyama won the game with only 55 moves.

Moves after Diagram 6:
18.P-5d
19.P-4f 20.P-5e
21.B-4g 22.S-4d
23.S-4h 24.S-3e
25.B-3h 26.Sx4f
27.P-2d 28.Px2d
29.Rx2d 30.P*2c
31.R-3d 32.N-3c
33.R-3f 34.P-8f
35.Px8f 36.B*2h
37.Rx4f 38.Bx1i+
39.S*3d 40.R-8d
41.P*4d 42.Px4d
43.B-6e 44.L*4c
45.R-2f 46.P*8h
47.Sx2c+ 48.P*2e
49.+Sx3b 50.Px2f
51.+Sx3c 52.Px8i+
53.+Sx4c 54.R-6d
55.L*5c Resign

When I studied games using this opening, I was convinced that it is quite deep in its variation. Kiriyama, among others, seemed to have a magical touch when he dropped his Bishop in the square where it could not be without the drop rule.

In spite of Kiriyama's brilliant trailblazing, there is practically no one who actually plays this opening now. The reason: it seems difficult to steer the game to victory.

Let me expound on this. Offensive strategy has made remarkable progress, what with broadened possibilities of attack, speed, and ways of opening fire. The wrong diagonal Bishop opening used to be regarded as even, on the grounds that the player who drops the Bishop can have a Pawn in hand which should lead to a level position even if the opponent still has a Bishop to drop anywhere he likes. But now a Bishop in hand means a lot more. It gives much wider selection of offensive plans, and therefore the whole situation looks worse for the side dropping the Bishop. This holds true also for other old josekis.
Against the more sophisticated offensive plans of the present age, the player with the "raw" Bishop on board has a lot to worry about. The wrong diagonal Bishop drop seems to habe been left behind by the fast development of the offensive.

One thing more. The wrong diagonal Bishop drop can be sometimes used against a confirmed ranging Rook player. Dropping a Bishop right after taking one at the third move from the beginning would, verbally translated, be tantamount to "You couldn't dare play ranging Rook, could you?" But there is always a person who would respond, "Why not?" The following game shows such an obstinate White player: an Osho preliminary game between Manabe(b) and Kubo(w), played on May 19, 1995.

Moves from the beginning:
Black: Manabe
White: Kubo

1.P-7f 2.P-3d
3.Bx2b+ 4.Sx2b
5.B*4e 6.R-6b!
7.Bx3d 8.R-4b! (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7. Manabe(b)-Kubo(w), up to R-4b.


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

Kubo insisted on defending with the Rook: R-6b and R-4b, thereby he forced his way to build the 4th file Rook at the cost of losing tempo. The game got into a wild fight with Manabe enjoying dominance throughout until Kubo came from behind and won.

Another example is Game 2 of the Kisei-title match between Kiriyama(b) and Yonenaga(w) played on July 1, 1986. Kiriyama took the Kisei crown from Yonenaga in this series.

Diagram 8 shows a rather slow game that started with the wrong diagonal Bishop drop. Kiriyama had pulled his Bishop to the right.


Diagram 8. Up to S-3g.

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

Moves from Diagram 8:
P-7d
G-7h N-7c
K-6h S-5d
G-5h G-6c
K-7i K-4b
P-3e P-7e
Px7e N-6e
S-6f P-8f
Px8f Rx8f
P*8g R-8d
G5h-6h P*7g
G-8h P-4d
B-3f G-5c
P-7d P-4e
P-7c+ G-4d
P*7e K-5c
+P-7d R-8a
Nx7g Nx5g+
Sx5g P*7f
S-6f Px7g+
Sx7g P-5f
N*7f N*5b
Bx4e Sx4e
Px4e Gx4e
R-4h P*4g
Rx4g S-4d (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9. Up to S-4d. White: Yonenaga White in hand: B2 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 +---------------------------+ |wL wR * * * * * wN wL |a | * * * * wN * wG * * |b |wP * * * wK * * wP wP |c | * * bP+wP * wS * * * |d | * * bP * * wG bP bP * |e | * * bN * wP * * * * |f |bP bP bS bP * bR bS * bP |g | * bG * bG * * * * * |h |bL * bK * * * * bN bL |i +---------------------------+ Black: Kiriyama Black in hand: S P5
Although the position seemed to have been favorable for Yonenaga throughout the game, it was Kiriyama who played with persistence and eventually won the victory.

For the last example, we will look into the Yonenaga(b)-Awaji game, in which Yonenaga showed his mean streak and ruthlessly bully the dropped Bishop. Played on Sept. 30, 1977, in the Judan-sen.

Moves from the start:
1.P-7f 2.P-3d
3.Bx2b+ 4.Sx2b
5.S-8h 6.B*6e
7.G4i-5h 8.Bx7f
9.G-7h 10.P-4d
11.S-7g 12.B-3b
13.S-4h 14.R-4b
15.P-5f 16.K-6b
17.S-5g 18.K-7b
19.P-5e 20.K-8b
21.P-6f 22.G4a-5b
23.S-5f 24.P-6d
25.P-5d 26.Bx5d
27.S-5e 28.B-3b
29.Sx6d 30.S-7b
31.P-6e 32.Bx6e
33.S-6f 34.B-3b
35.N-7g (Diagram 10)

Diagram 10. Up to N-7g.

White: Awaji
White in hand: P3 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  * wG  *  *  * wN wL |a
| * wK wS  * wG wR wB wS  * |b
|wP wP wP  * wP  *  * wP wP |c
| *  *  * bS  * wP wP  *  * |d
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |e
| *  *  * bS  *  *  *  *  * |f
|bP bP bN  *  * bP bP bP bP |g
| *  * bG  * bG  *  * bR  * |h
|bL  *  *  * bK  *  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black: Yonenaga
Black in hand: B P

See how Black loses his Pawns thereby gaining momentum for his attack.

Then there followed:

36.P*6c
37.S6d-7e 38.S-3c
39.P-8f 40.P-4e
41.P-8e 42.P-2d
43.G-5g 44.P-3e
45.G7h-6g 46.B-8g+
47.P-8d 48.Px8d
49.S-6e (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11. Up to S-6e.
White: Awaji
White in hand: P3 
  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
+---------------------------+
|wL wN  * wG  *  *  * wN wL |a
| * wK wS  * wG wR  *  *  * |b
|wP  * wP wP wP  * wS  * wP |c
| * wP  *  *  *  *  * wP  * |d
| *  * bS bS  * wP wP  *  * |e
| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |f
|bP wB+bN bG bG bP bP bP bP |g
| *  *  *  *  *  *  * bR  * |h
|bL  *  *  * bK  *  * bN bL |i
+---------------------------+
Black: Yonenaga
Black in hand: B P

Yonenaga allowed Awaji's Bishop to promote, only to capture it by playing S-7f (after Diagram 11). That did it. He took advantage of the weakness of the dropped Bishop.

The wrong diagonal Bishop-drop opening features a quick attack. When this attack is precisely met, you are bound to have a long, slow game. With a raw Bishop on board, against the opponent who will do his utmost to repress it, you will have a tough game. You might even want to call it the wrong idea instead of the wrong diagonal Bishop. The general opinion now is that the fastest Bishop drop, i.e., immediately after the Bishop exchange on the third move from the beginning, is simpler and better , because then the player who drops his Bishop has a wider choice in his subsequent moves.

I remember reading in a shogi magazine long time ago that the immediate Bishop drop following the 3rd-move Bishop-exchange is typical of amateurs, and that professionals first assume the Bishop-exchange formation and then proceed to the wrong diagonal Bishop drop. But now, professionals seem to have completely abandoned what used to be "professional". Am I the only one who senses a touch of irony here?