From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 1 dec 1999
Subject: Unusual Opening

     A shogi fan recently asked me a question which I could not answer, so
I am referring his question to the list.
     He says that a certain Japanese opponent playing static rook meets his
ranging rook with the following setup (assume ranging rook is sente): Pawns
on 3d, 4d, 5d, 6d, 7d, and 8e, King on 5b, Golds on 4b and 6b, Silvers on
4c and 6c, knights on 3c and 7c, Rook on 8a.  The rook may then be
transferred to 2a to support P-2d-2e-2f.  The Japanese player claims this
is a new fad in Japan, though I myself have never seen it (though a similar
strategy is known for handicap games of two piece and up).  He asks whether
anyone knows anything about this strategy, for example name, history,
whether it is played by pros, and how it should be combatted.
     Does anyone out there know anything about this?

     Larry Kaufman