From: "'Mirnik, Boris'" <Boris.Mirnik <at> SCHERING <dot> DE>
Date: 11 nov 2002
Subject: Is joseki really so importend?

Hi all,

Last week there was some discussion about the difference in strength between
japanese and western shogi players of equal rank. I was surprised to see that
everybody seems to agree, that the opening is the most importend weekness
of western players. I do not share this point of view. Well, to be honest I
usually do
have bad positions after the opening against Japanese. But then again it happans
to
me quite often in Europe too.

There certenly is a difference in the way shogi is played, but I do not see what
is so
special about the opnening of the game. I would rather think, that  opening is
only  an example
for a more general rule. The difference is, in my opinion based on the way shogi
is learned.
Let us look at somebody who start playing shogi without former experience in
other board
games. His calculating abilities will develop together with his shogi knowledge.
Somebody
who achieved some strength in a different game before starting shogi will on the
other hand
soon play quite well using his general calculating power alone, without any deep
shogi knowledge.
So I would think, that a western player will usually prefer positions with
forced variations,
while Japanese would rather prefer positions where they can use theire knowledge
and expirience.

The part of the game wich is most difficult to learn by books is the middle
game. You can study
joseki and tsume and accuire a lot of knowledge in this parts of the game. In
the middle game it
is much more hard, because there seems to be no easy way to find clear patterns.
So this is the
part of the game where western players have the best chance to find some winning
tactics.

I think this is the explanation for the japanese domination in the opening. And
it also explains,
Gerts impression, that westerners are generally better in calculating, then
japanese of equal strength.
Westerners simply have to depend on theire calculating power, while Japnese can
add theire supirior
shogi knowledge.


Boris Mirnik