The 8-Piece (八枚落ち hachimai-ochi) handicap in shogi has both of White's major pieces, the rook (飛) and the bishop (角), removed as well as their lances (香), knights (桂), and silvers (銀).
Contents
Black has the usual setup of twenty pieces.
Opening
The first couple of moves by White are crucial. The fastest attack that Black can initiate is via their bishop. Once their bishop's diagonal is open, the bishop is directly attacking White's pawn on 3c. Therefore, White must address this threat in their first two moves. Additionally, once the bishop is mobile, Black may also threaten White's edge pawn on 9c. White must accordingly address this in their first two moves as well. If these two points are not defended properly, then Black will succeed in breaching White's camp very early in the game.
1. ... G-3b. White prepares for the bishop attack on 3c by defending the pawns on 2c, 3c, and 4c.
Alternately, White's king may move to 4b defending 3c if White intends to position the king on the left side of their board as suggested by Hosking.
2. P-7f. Black opens their bishop's diagonal.
2. ... G-7b. White moves their gold (金) to defend the 6–8 file pawns. Additionally, Black is also threatening to move their bishop to 6f attacking White's edge. If White does not move their gold to 7b by their second move, then White will not be fast enough to actually defend 9c. (See example in next subsection.)
The first two moves by White may also be transposed to the order 1. ... G-7b, 2. P-7f G-3b (or 1. ... G-7b, 2. P-7f K-4b). What is essential is that the 3b and 8b squares are defended before Black's second move (or the third move of the game).
Failing to defend ninth file
To the right is an example of White failing to defend the eighth file pawn by their second move and the ninth file pawn by their third move. Since White's gold was not moved, Black breaks through White's camp.
Climbing Silver attack
After the initial three moves, the general strategy for Black that professional player Kazuharu Shoshi (所司和晴) recommends is to activate both the bishop and the rook and start a Climbing Silver attack (下手棒銀戦法 shitate bōgin senpō).
He offers the two variations shown below. The first variation positions White's king on the right side while the second positions the king on the left.
3. P-2f. In order to build a Climbing Silver structure, Black must create an open space in their line of pawns so that their right silver can climb out. The general idea of Climbing Silver to create an attack with their (second file) rook pawn, right silver, and rook with the bishop also thrown in for good measure. The initial pawn push on the second file accomplishes this as well as signaling to White what Black is planning.
Soshi variation 1
3. P-2f K-5b, 4. P-2e.
8. S-3e. The Climbing Silver formation is complete with Black's silver on the e rank.
Edge attack
Another strategy for Black is an edge attack (端攻め).