Kiai

Kiai is an assertive style or attitude in which a player responds energetically and chooses forceful, demanding moves during a fight. It is expressed through active resistance, sharp reading, and a willingness to engage in complicated or severe variations when the position calls for them.

The purpose of kiai is to seize the initiative, maintain pressure, and avoid passive or submissive play. It describes the fighting spirit and assertiveness behind a player’s decisions, not a single move or fixed tactical pattern. Assertiveness alone does not make a move good: kiai must be supported by accurate reading and appropriate judgment of the position.