From: grimbergen <at> MACPOST <dot> PSYCH <dot> KUN <dot> NL
Date: 29 jan 1993
Subject: Re: Shogi terms

In response to the question of Shogi terms, here are some (in random order) that
 
I can think of without checking the excellent list of Hans Geuns, who made a
little booklet of Shogi terms with their Kanji, pronounciation and translation.
This booklet might be still available from him, so if you are interested you can
 
write to him directly: his address is Hatertse Weg 314, 6533 GM Nijmegen, The
Netherlands (he has no E-mail).
Here we go:
 
Onegai shimasu  = Formal greeting before starting the game (no proper
translation is possible, since it is just a polite form of a verb, it is
sometimes translated as "please, teach me", but there is no basis for this in
the Japanese term).
 
Sente = Black.
 
Gote = White.
 
Hirate sen = Even game.
 
Sente Yusei = Big advantage for black.
 
Naru = To promote (a piece).
 
Tsumero = Mating threat.
 
Tsumi = Mate.
 
Sokuzumi = Forced mating sequence.
 
Hisshi = Brinkmate (literally: certain death).
 
Yosekiru = Finishing of the endgame.
 
Itte itte = Forced finish of the game by playing moves to which the opponent has
 
to defend until there is no more defence.
 
Jishogi = Draw by mutual entering kings.
 
Sennichite = Draw by repetition of moves.
 
Byoyomi = Time you get for every move after the initial time is used up (in
European tournaments usually 30 seconds per move).
 
Nifu = Illegal move by dropping two pawns on the same file (literally: two
pawns).
 
Tesuji = Standard middle game combination.
 
Joseki = Standard opening sequence.
 
Furibisha = Ranging rook.
 
Ibisha = Static rook.
 
Nakabisha = Central rook opening.
 
Shikenbisha = Fourth file rook opening.
 
Sankenbisha = Third file rook opening.
 
Yokofudori = Side pawn opening.
 
Ai-gakari = Wing attack opening.
 
Bogin = Climbing silver.
 
Mino gakoi = Mino castle.
 
Funa gakoi = Boat castle.
 
Anaguma = Bear-in-the-hole castle.
 
Ote = check.
 
Otebisha = Bishop fork on king and rook.
 
Kaku suji = Bishop's diagonal.
 
Akushu = Bad move.
 
Daiakushu = Blunder.
 
Fukire = No more pawns in hand (and as the famous Shogi proverb says: "Without
pawns in hand the game is lost").
 
Muzukashii desu ne! = Difficult, isn't it (always useful when your opponent is
sweating over the position).
 
Ganbate = Do your best, success (not really a Shogi term, but a more a general
term).
 
 
These were the terms that I thought of during my lunch break, so it is almost
certain I forgot some important ones. If anyone is interested I might use Hans
Geuns' list to make this a more structured list of Shogi terms (maybe a "Shogi
terms of the week"??).
 
Reijer Grimbergen