Objective: Make legal drops and recognize every basic drop restriction.
Quick answer: A captured piece changes sides, returns to its unpromoted form, and may be placed on an empty square instead of moving a board piece.
Best for: Beginners who know piece movement and need to understand the rule that makes shogi different from chess.
In This Lesson
- How captured pieces enter your hand.
- How a drop differs from a normal move.
- The dead-rank, nifu, and uchifuzume restrictions.
- How to check a proposed drop before playing it.
What Is a Piece Drop?
When you capture an opposing piece, it does not leave the game. Remove any promotion, turn the piece to your side, and keep it in your hand. On a later turn, you may either move a piece already on the board or drop one piece from your hand onto an empty square. A drop uses the whole turn.
A dropped piece always enters unpromoted. It cannot promote on the same turn it is dropped, even when the destination is inside the promotion zone. It may promote on a later move that satisfies the normal promotion conditions.
Practice a Legal Drop
Sente has a Gold and Silver in hand. Select a piece in hand, then choose an empty square. The board checks the destination before making the drop.
The Four Questions to Ask
- Is the square empty? A drop may never capture a piece or replace an occupied piece.
- Could the piece ever move again? A Pawn or Lance may not be dropped on the last rank. A Knight may not be dropped on either of the last two ranks.
- Would this create nifu? You may not have two unpromoted Pawns of your side on the same file.
- Is this an immediate pawn-drop mate? A Pawn may not be dropped to deliver instant checkmate. This is uchifuzume.
Correct and Incorrect Examples
| Proposal | Legal? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Drop a Gold on an empty central square | Usually yes | Gold has no dead-rank or nifu restriction. |
| Drop a Pawn onto an occupied square | No | A drop must use an empty square. |
| Drop a Knight on Sente’s rank a | No | The Knight would have no legal future move. |
| Drop a promoted Silver from hand | No | Captured pieces lose promotion before entering the hand. |
Common Beginner Misunderstandings
- A captured piece belongs to the player who captured it, not to its original owner.
- You cannot drop and then move the same piece in one turn.
- A dropped Rook or Bishop is not automatically promoted.
- Nifu counts only your unpromoted Pawns currently on that file. A Tokin is not an unpromoted Pawn.
- Uchifuzume applies only when the Pawn drop itself gives immediate checkmate. Other mating drops are not banned by that rule.
Use Drops Strategically
Drops create immediate local strength. A defender may add a Gold near the King, an attacker may drop a Rook on an open file, and either side may use a small piece to block a line. Before spending a piece in hand, compare the drop with every forcing check and capture. A piece in hand can influence many squares, so its flexibility is part of its value.
Quick Check
You capture a promoted Silver. What enters your hand?
Captured pieces lose promotion, change sides, and enter the capturer’s hand in their unpromoted form.
Key Points
- A drop is an alternative to a normal move.
- Drops use unpromoted pieces from your hand and require an empty square.
- Dead ranks, nifu, and uchifuzume are the main special restrictions.
- The interactive board announces legal destinations and keeps Japanese kanji pieces as the default.
Continue Learning
Use the complete rules guide for turn order, promotion, check, and mate. Keep the Shogi Glossary open for terms such as mochigoma, then test legal moves on the Practice Board.
References and Review
Rule details were checked against the Japan Shogi Association regulations in English and the FESA rules. Content reviewed July 24, 2026.