Lance Tactics and Techniques Overview

Use the lance to skewer pieces that can’t move forward. This tactic, known as “Dengaku-zashi,” targets pieces like bishops and knights, which have limited forward movement. When a bishop or knight is directly in line with other pieces, place your lance behind them to create a powerful skewer.

The rook is a strong piece that can move freely both vertically and horizontally, making it challenging to capture. However, the lance is particularly effective against a fleeing rook. If you position your lance close enough where the rook cannot use a pawn to block it, you can successfully capture it.

The lance moves in a straight line, making it powerful when stacked or when cooperating with the rook. A well-known strategy in the Yagura system is called “Spearing the Sparrow (Suzume-zashi),” which involves the rook and lance working together. By aligning two pieces to break through a single point, you create a strong attack; with three pieces, you can even form a “Triple Rocket.”

The lance’s weakness is that it can only move forward, which makes it vulnerable to being blocked by enemy pawns. However, when the opponent cannot use pawns, such as when you place your lance behind their pawns, its value can increase significantly—more than double its usual worth. The same applies when the opponent has no pawns left.

There’s a saying that goes, “A pawn beneath gold is stronger than a rock.” While a pawn positioned under a gold general is very solid, the lance can still mount a strong attack. This is because the opponent cannot block the lance’s influence by placing a pawn. Remember to consider the lance when you want to break through a pawn beneath a gold general.