Fukusho strategy - Highschool 23

Fukusho can be the most difficult position in some conditions of team score. Player in this position has to calculate score and play expected role. Compared with chuken, fukusho is close to the end. So, it tends to be either lead or behind.

If behind, player has to catch up and if lead, player has to keep or increase the lead.

The following is good example of Fukusho’s role. The youtube video is from 2014 spring season all japan high school kendo tournament, quarterfinal. The red team Mitokiryo and white team Shimabara.

Red player is Yasui and white player is Fujino. The score before the match was 0(0) – 1(1). So, Shimabara lead a bit. However, red player is very famous strong player (and red Taisho player, too).

So, even white player had lead, it is not optimistic situation.

Red player fiercely attacked from first. But, white player also push back his gut and stroke like 0:54 Kote.

I don’t know the reason, but somehow in this match, red player didn't look fine and allowed white player to invade to his territory. Probably white player made pressure faster than red player’s favorite pace.

As a result, gradually white player dominated the match. His defense is also steady, especially in Tsubazeri attachment. So, he never made careless points and red player couldn’t find place to hit effectively.

At 2:58, red player’s shinai was blown off. Here he also dominated one foul play.

At 4:23, white player’s gyaku-Do was good aim.

And finally at 4:58, white player caught Men. At that moment, red player looked already consumed his energy probably unfavorable match flow. And it was difficult to defend any more.

Kote Men at 5:15 was also good point even after getting ippon. He succeeded to keep his ippon.

The great thing of white player in this match was he decided team victory. The score became 0(0) – 2(2). So, even if red taisho player win, white team won.

Good fukusho player always calculates, understands and plays as expected in each condition. This position is quite demanding, and it is a challenging position.

(By the way, Taisho match in this video is also interesting to watch.)