Tenshukaku Mino Guide: How to Use Shogi Castling
| Your Strategy | Static Rook |
| Opponent’s Strategy | Ranging Rook |
| Pros | Strong against attacks from the sides. |
| Cons | Weak against attacks from above. |
| Move count | 11 |
The Tenshukaku Mino Castle / 天守閣美濃 (aka Tower Mino Castle) is mainly used in Static Rook vs. Ranging Rook battles. It is strong against attacks from above but has a weakness against attacks from the side.
The “Tenshukaku” refers to the central tower or keep of a Japanese castle, often the tallest and most fortified structure. It served as a symbol of the lord’s power and acted as the final defensive stronghold during sieges.
In this formation, the king is in an unusual position, sitting atop the castle tower above the bishop in the Mino Castle setup.
How To Build A Tenshukaku Mino formation
- Open the bishop’s diagonal.
- Advance the right silver and make sure it is ready for use.
- Move the king closer to the castle.
- Move the right gold general to the second rank to strengthen defense against side attacks.
- Move the bishop’s head pawn up and bring the king into the castle.
- Move the left silver general up to the second rank to strengthen the position.
- Advance the edge pawn to prepare for edge attacks.
As the name suggests, Tenshukaku Mino is an adaptation of Mino systems such as Boat Castle and Left Mino Castle. The formation progresses similarly to Boat Castle in its early stages.
By not moving the bishop from its starting position and keeping its diagonal control, the king can be safely surrounded deeper. The defensive power of the gold and silver generals against lateral attacks is similar to the Left Mino. However, even after the defense is breached, the king is already positioned in the middle rank, making it harder for the opponent to deliver effective checks or threats.
Many players first set up the Boat Castle and then change it into the Tenshukaku Mino or Left Mino. Let’s make decisions while fighting.
You know that since shogi is a competitive game against an opponent, it is often the case that you cannot follow your planned moves exactly. In such situations, this flexibility is one of the advantages of the Mino castle system.
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