From: Pieter Stouten <STOUTEN <at> EMBL <dot> BITNET>
Date: 18 jul 1990
Subject: The use of pawns and centre control.

On 10-th July Chris Steritt <chris <at> ADMS-RAD <dot> UNISYS <dot> COM> asked:
 
>We were all trying to figure out how to deal with the
>Shogi-style pawns, and it seems that one of their major capabilities is
>to support stronger pieces so that the stronger pieces can control the
>middle rows.
>So two questions, I guess:
>
>       1) is this a resonable thing to do with pawns?
>       2) How important is control of the central rows (as opposed to the
>               center, horizontally and vertically)?
 
1) Normally, it is the other way round. You advance pawns as a means to
   a) put pressure on your opponents' position,
   b) create space behind them for your own pieces to move more flexibly, and
   c) give your major pieces a larger scope.
   Since pawns cannot cover each other they need support from stronger pieces,
   either behind them or beside them. When the time has come to attack, the
   pawns can be advanced again, supported by the pieces between and beside
   them. In many cases, pawns are sacrificed by pushing them, only to create
   holes in the opponent's position. Or the opponent's pawn which captures
   your pawn is left alone for the time being and will only be recaptured when
   the time is there. If you do not use your pawns as the first pieces to
   attack, there is no way that you can break down your opponent's defences.
   He/she will probably use pawns to build the frontmost layer of his/her
   position. Attacking without (small) initial sacrifices happens rarely.
   So if your stronger pieces make up your frontmost layer, you will have to
   sacrifice them and the only pieces you will get in return are pawns. This
   also implies that once the fighting starts, you must have your pawns in
   position, because you might not get the chance to do it later.
   The skill of using pawns is of vital importance in Shogi. There is even a
   three-volume work devoted solely to the pawn, this humble yet powerful piece.
 
2) the second questions was more or less answered some time ago on this list
   and I take the relevant pieces from that posting:
   The centre control in Shogi is important, but not directly in the initial
   stages. There are three (entangled) reasons for this:
   a) pawns cannot advance two squares, so controlling the centre requires
      more moves.
   b) one cannot form a pawn-phalanx (is this the word ?) because pawns
      cannot cover each other diagonally. This means that pawns have to be
      supported by other pieces, which slows down their development.
   c) since each player has only two long-range pieces (one rook and one
      bishop) a quick advance of pawns can only be sound when they are
      supported by these pieces. This would normally concern pawns which
      are somewhat outside the centre.
 
    So this implies that centre control is important. However, it is not
    limited to the centre squares, but focuses on the whole central horizontal
    row. In many cases the end of the opening is signalled by starting an
    attack at one of the two edges.
 
    In that same posting John Kenney said the following about controlling the
    centre: In Shogi control of territory is less stressed than in Chess, and
    the edges are just as important as the center (in fact the rule of thumb
    is to control the entire fifth rank); and by the middle game this no longer
    matters - only the attack the king matters. This may sound a bit strange,
    but try playing a game and you'll quickly (esp., if you play Chess) see
    what is happening.
 
Hope this helps. It is merely my opinion of course, so if you think differently
about this, let's hear you !
 
Pieter Stouten <stouten <at> embl <dot> bitnet>