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Pawn Race Shogi Strategy and Tips

Here is how to think about winning at Pawn Race 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.

Hunt pawns first

Lesson 1

In pawn race shogi, the whole game hinges on capturing pawns. Taking a rook, bishop, gold or silver does not add to your pawn count. Before weighing the value of a piece, ask which of your pieces can attack an enemy pawn.

Here an enemy pawn sits on 5e. Moving the bishop from 6f to 5e reaches it directly along the diagonal and captures it. A straight run at a pawn beats a roundabout attack with a rook or knight.

Get in the habit of counting pawns from the opening. Whenever you spot an undefended enemy pawn, make attacking it your top priority.

Remove the threat before it lands

Lesson 2

In this game, losing one of your own pawns hands your opponent progress toward victory. More than in ordinary shogi, get used to checking whether an enemy piece already attacks the square your pawn stands on.

Here an enemy rook on 5d is aiming at your pawn on 5f. Your silver on 5e currently blocks the line, but capturing the rook with that same silver removes the threat entirely.

Removing a threat protects your pawn and often sets up your next attack as well. Always keep an eye on both which enemy pieces threaten your pawns and which of your pieces are guarding them.

A promoted pawn still counts

Lesson 3

A pawn that promotes becomes a tokin and moves like a gold general. Its look changes, but capturing it still adds one to your captured-pawn count, exactly like capturing an ordinary pawn.

Here an enemy tokin sits on 5e. Capture it with the silver on 5f and your count grows by one, just as if it were still an unpromoted pawn. Do not let the change in appearance fool you.

Promoting a pawn for extra defence does not make it safe from your count. Track tokin squares as well as pawn squares when you choose your next target.

Play differently depending on the score

Lesson 4

The "Pawns ◯–◯" chip above the board always shows both counts (dropping pawns does not lower them). If you have captured four, capturing one more wins the game, so chasing that pawn outranks any other exchange on the board.

Here you have already captured four pawns. Capturing the pawn on 5e with the gold on 5f makes five and wins on the spot — no other trade on the board matters more right now.

The reverse is true when your opponent reaches four: protecting your own pawns becomes the top priority. Get used to checking both counts so you always know whether it is time to push or to defend.

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

Play with friendsLearn how to play (3 min)

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