ShogiStep: Learn Openings

Learn openings. Play with confidence.

Know how the pieces move, but feel lost in the opening? Remember a sequence in practice, then forget it in a game?

ShogiStep: Learn Openings helps you study Japanese chess openings by moving pieces on a board with your cat coach.

Developed by a Learning Engineering PhD and amateur shogi 2-dan, with commentary supervised by a shogi 5-dan. Understand the ideas, recall the moves, and build your opening knowledge through hands-on practice.

UNDERSTAND WHY EACH MOVE MATTERS
Openings are sequences refined through games and study. Memorizing moves alone can leave you unsure when an opponent chooses a different line. Learn what a move prepares, what threat it prevents, and how it helps your pieces work together.

Your cat coach explains the ideas alongside the board, making positions easier to follow than notation alone.

LEARN MODE: ONE MOVE AT A TIME
Highlights show which piece to move and where to place it. Tap or drag to play while reading the commentary. Tap a square reference in the explanation to light up that square on the board. Enlarge the commentary for easier reading.

TEST MODE: RECALL, PLAY, REVIEW
Try the opening without move guides. A mistake does not end your attempt: after two mistakes, a hint helps you continue. Review the commentary after a correct move. At the end, check your first-try accuracy and mistakes, then practice again.

FIND YOUR OPENING AMONG 53 LESSONS
Start with Primitive Climbing Silver, Bishop Exchange Reclining Silver, and Double Wing Attack. Explore familiar systems and surprise attacks through five optional packs of 10 lessons each:

• Static Rook: Side Pawn Capture, Yagura, Gangi, Twisting Rook, Right King, and more.
• Ranging Rook: Opposing Rook, Third File Rook, Fourth File Rook, Fujii System, Quick Ishida, and more.
• Central Rook: Sente and Gote Gokigen Central Rook, Horned Silver Central Rook, Superfast S-37, and more.
• Opposing Strategies & Study: Double Ranging Rook, Right Fourth File Rook, Quick-Attack Climbing Silver, Maruyama Vaccine, and more.
• Surprise & Fighting Openings: Pac-Man, Demon Slayer, New Demon Slayer, Iijima's Bishop Pullback, Tsukada Special, Ureshino, and more.

FOLLOW THE PROS BEYOND THE OPENING
Step through professional games or watch them autoplay. Choose Sente or Gote and move the pieces yourself to follow the game. Try the first game free; the Pro Games Pack adds 10 more.

PRACTICE IN YOUR SPARE MOMENTS
Learn and Test progress is saved separately so you can resume later. Switch sides to practice your opponent's moves, too.
Commentary is provided for the recommended side only; it is not shown when practicing the opposite side.

Available in Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese. Adjust background music and sound effects in Settings.

START FREE. CHOOSE ONE-TIME PURCHASES.
Three opening lessons and the first professional game are free. Optional purchases include:
• Five opening packs, with 10 lessons each
• Pro Games Pa