Shogi
Four-piece handicap
The stronger player gives up rook, bishop and both lances — and moves first.
What is different here
Yonmai-ochi, the four-piece handicap, removes gote’s rook on 8b, bishop on 2b and both lances, 9a and 1a. What is left is a king, four generals, two knights and nine pawns.
Losing the lances as well as the big men matters more than the point count suggests. Both corners of uwate’s camp are now defended by nothing that stands behind them, so both edges are open roads.
A gap of six grades or so. This is where a genuine beginner can start to expect to win by playing sensibly rather than by being handed the game.
- Removed: gote’s rook 8b, bishop 2b, and lances 9a and 1a.
- Gote — uwate — moves first.
- Both of uwate’s edge files are soft.
- Shitate should attack an edge with rook, silver and a pawn in hand.
- The rules are otherwise exactly those of the even game.