Chu Shogi Game Analysis #1

I thought it'd be a good idea to go through one of the games I played about 10 months ago, which was the first insightful game into the new system I had developed, 昇竜 (ascending dragon).

The game already begins with a notable decision by me to offer a go-between in exchange for tempi. This is declined by sente, so I am inclined to not allow any more opportunities with 4☖8五歩. This setup already eliminates some of my favorite options, with one of the 5- and 8- pawns left unpushed. 5☗7十虎 is very tentative, which allows me to quickly set up my system's structure.

8☖5四鳳 is a standard developing move, although one I admittedly dislike in general. However, here, it is useful to discourage ☗4七仲, which for reasons that will become evident later on would not be good for me. 9☗3九馬 is inaccurate, since at best it loses a tempo, and it otherwise seems to be a fatalist attempt at eventually trading off a pair of horses. 10☖7二虎 is a standard castling move, which in this instance also is useful in anticipation of an open center to retreat the free king. Sente attempts to claim his stake in the center by advancing his lion, and I challenge with a pawn push. Note that here, gote can gain a tempo overall with a further push of the 6-pawn, so Sente's lion move was premature.

Indeed, I attack the lion with my pawn. This should obviously not be taken. Sente's best reply is to retreat with a move like 7八獅. Sente takes, a clear mistake.

I advance my lion finally. By having not moved it until now, I am 1 tempo better than normal development. I take strong control of the square 5八. Sente should admit his horse move was a mistake by bringing it back to its initial square, but this is not done. Sente has completely lost control of the center, his lion with no useful squares dancing around aimlessly, with consistent loss of tempo. He cannot challenge my advances without painful moves such as 5七馬 and 4十飛. My phoenix-horse battery is a key element of the ascending dragon system, which is difficult to deal with. Pushing the 2-pawn is an idea for Sente, but his right horse is situated very poorly, so that nothing is effective. If he trades off his vertical mover for my phoenix, my lion then essentially gets free reign over the area.

25☗2八竪 is yet another inaccuracy, a bad one at that. Sente should admit his faults and attempt to fix his position by adopting a fully defensive structure, perhaps pushing some step movers and his central two pawns. Instead, he challenges, which loses even more tempi. 26☖5八鳳 is crushing. Sente cannot save his rook (☗4十飛☖5七獅, with a double attack on his lion and horse).

I consolidate the position with the cryptic move 34☖5三麒, which defends the 5-pawn in anticipation of a challenge from Sente's right flank, while I tuck my free king away. I give my dragon a clear rank to work with, while Sente opens up a square for his bishop. Sente's lion is cut off from the action by my rook and dragon. 5九奔 followed by 6十獅 seems reasonable, but it's a safe assumption that Sente would lose even more tempi in the future with his free king exposed like that, likely having to exchange a dragon for my excellent rook.

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Thanks for sharing this, I find it inspiring.