From: Reijer Grimbergen <grimbergen <at> NICI <dot> KUN <dot> NL>
Date: 27 jun 1995
Subject: Re: openings

>I'm looking for some good suggestions on books or resources for the
>classic openings and
>follow-up strategies.  Or perhaps someone out there has a file with
>them listed?
>
>Either way, I'd be more delighted to hear something on the topic.
>Anyone out there have
>an opinion on which openings are superior (or personal favorites)?
>I know there was
>a mention last month of the "Tandem Silvers" opening, which I
>(unfortunately) haven't
>found a reference to in my books.
>

I think the best way to study openings is to buy the yellow "gaido" (=
guide) series published by Mainichi communications. Of course it is in
Japanese (but I guess it is easy to learn to read the moves and thus
comprehend the variations). The advantage of this series is that it uses
the chess type notation to evaluate the position at the end of a variation
(for example "=" means "equal position" and the infinity symbol means
"unclear position"). From the top of my head there are two books on Fourth
File ranging rook, two on Yokofudori (Side Pawn), two on Aigakari and one
each on Yagura, Third File Rook, Central Rook and Bishop Exchange (I may
have missed some, all in all there are about 12). I have read almost all of
them (some several times) and I think they are good basic books on the
openings they describe. Further advantages: the books are rather cheap (I
guess something between 1000 and 1500 Yen) and they can be ordered by the
Shogi Renmei, which gives fewer communication problems. Disadvantage: they
are not complete. There are no books on widely used openings like
Hineribisha and Opposing Rook (quite popular with professionals these
days). Of course the general disadvantage of all opening books goes for
this series as well: some of the variations are incorrect, especially in
openings like Side Pawn with its many sharp variations.

By the way, I always recommend players upto 1-kyu to play Ranging Rook (and
preferably Fourth File Rook). If you play this opening you will learn most
about the use of pieces and about the difference between good and bad shape
which is very important in Shogi. It is also a good opening to learn about
attack and defense, since your opponent will be most likely the one to
attack first. Once you have required the basic strategic Shogi skills you
can try the double Static Rook (Ibisha) openings. Yagura is probably the
best choice to start with, since this is a very strategic opening as well.
Aigakari is much more based on tactics and if you are in for an all-out
battle from move one, Side Pawn is the right opening. I have always feared
the sharp variations of the Side Pawn and judged the opening to risky to
use in tournament play. It should be noted, though, that Arend van Oosten,
who is renowned for his positional play, is probably the leading European
expert on sharp Yokofudori. I hope these thought are of some use to
kyu-level players.

Reijer Grimbergen