ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Shogi opening

Shogi is a game played by two people on a board and it has a starting stage called the "opening." This is like the beginning of a race or a game of hide and seek where both players have to decide their strategy.

During the opening, the two players take turns moving their pieces on the board. Each player has different pieces with unique names like "pawn," "bishop," and "rook." The goal is to use your pieces to control the board and eventually trap the other player's king.

One important thing to remember during the opening is to protect your king. That means you have to keep it safe and not let the other player capture it. You can do this by keeping some pieces around it and moving it to a safe spot on the board.

Another important thing to consider during the opening is to control the center of the board. That's because having some of your pieces in the middle of the board gives you more options for attacking and defending.

Players also have to be careful not to move their pieces too far away from their own side of the board at the beginning of the game. This is because they want to keep their pieces close to their king and avoid getting trapped by their opponent's strong starting pieces.

So, during the opening, you have to protect your king, control the center of the board, and be careful not to move your pieces too far away. Good luck and have fun playing shogi!
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