No-Pawn Shogi Strategy and Tips

Here is how to think about winning at No-Pawn Shogi, split into short lessons. Each one reads on its own, and each one comes with a real position: press Try it on the board and you play the move yourself.

The bishop gets to work immediately

Lesson 1

In ordinary shogi, a bishop's diagonal is usually blocked by pawns on both sides, so it rarely reaches far into enemy territory early on. No-pawn shogi has no pawns at all, so from the very first move the bishop already looks straight across the board.

This position is the very start of a game of no-pawn shogi. Move the bishop from 8h to 2b: the six squares in between are all empty, so you can simply take the enemy bishop.

The same is true for your opponent's bishop — its diagonal is just as open. From the opening, keep an eye on which file and rank the enemy bishop is aiming down, or you may lose a piece to a move you did not expect.

You have to build your own king's shield

Lesson 2

In ordinary shogi, a row of pawns in front of your king naturally blocks rook and bishop attacks. No-pawn shogi has no such wall, so the file and rank in front of your king are open from the very start.

Here the enemy rook is staring down your king from the far end of file 5. Move the gold from 6i to 5h and you close that line, keeping your king safe.

In no-pawn shogi, bringing a gold or silver in front of your king early to build your own wall matters even more than in regular shogi — get attacked before you build it, and you can be driven back in a hurry.

A knight can jump from move one

Lesson 3

A knight jumps two squares forward and one across, hopping over anything in between. In regular shogi, your own pawn usually sits on the square it would land on, so you must push that pawn first.

No-pawn shogi has no pawns to begin with, so a knight's landing square is open from the start. Here, jumping the knight from 2i to 3g already brings it close to enemy territory on move one.

A knight that has jumped is also easy to capture unless a gold or silver defends it. Since it can jump so early, start thinking about how to protect it just as early.

The lance also strikes in a straight line

Lesson 4

A lance slides straight ahead as far as it likes. In regular shogi it is blocked by your own pawn, so from its starting square it can move at most eight squares forward.

No-pawn shogi has no pawn to stop it, so the whole file ahead of a lance is open from the start. Here, sliding the lance from 9i to 9a captures the enemy lance and promotes along the way.

A promoted lance moves like a gold. Since there is no pawn wall, an edge lance's reach is a real weapon — but remember your own edge is just as open to the enemy lance.

Try it on the board

Pick a lesson and the board starts from that position. Start over as often as you like.

Now put it to work

Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.