| Quest of the lost systems |
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| Chapter One: Yagura |
| Section 1: suzume-zashi, or attack a la sparrow shish kebab |
From the diagram 2 (from Black):
N-2e, S-2d; Nx1c+, Sx1c; P-1d, Sx1d; Lx1d, Lx1d;
Rx1d, L*1a; P*1c, Lx1c; Bx1c+, Nx1c; P-3e, ...
The third move, (b)Nx1c+, is the pivotal idea. Then, for (b)P-1d, if
White's S comes to 2d instead of taking P, you can push your P to 2e. If
(w)Sx2e, then (b)P-1c+. You won't suffer either way. At the last move, (b)P-3e,
you have S and 2Ls in your hand, while White has B and N. Material disadvantage,
you say? Just look what P-3e will do for you. If (w)Px3e, then (b)L*3d,
(w)N*3c, (b)L*3i. Your next move is Lx3e, which will set the game in your
favor.
This is the basic idea of suzume-zashi. It certainly looks like a devastating
strategy, doesn't it? But now it is not so popular as it used to be. We
will see its vicissitude, beginning with the game played by Kunio Yonenaga(b)
and Makoto Nakahara(w),on April 11 & 12, 1979, as the third game of
the Meijin-sen.
Nakahara's countermeasure for suzume-zashi was his B placed on 6d.
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
+---------------------------+ white in hand: nothing
|wl wn * * * * * wn wl |a
| * wr * * * * wg wk * |b
| * * ws wp * wg ws wp wp |c
|wp * wp wb wp wp wp * * |d
| * wp * * * * * * bp |e
|bp * bp bp bp * bp bp * |f
| * bp bs bg * bp bn * bl |g black in hand: nothing
| * * bg * * bs * * br |h
|bl bn bb bk * * * * * |i
+---------------------------+
Diagram 3. Yonenaga(b) vs Nakahara(w); up to (w)s-7c.
The last move on the diagram, (w)S-7c, could have been S-2d instead.
If Black moves N to 2e, White's S can take it this time. Then will follow:
(b)Px2e, (w)N*2f. See for yourself that Black's R is sure to be captured.
Moves from the diagram 3: (from Black)
P-6e, B-4b; N-2e, S-2d; Nx1c+, Sx1c; P-1d, Sx1d;
Lx1d, Lx1d; Rx1d, L*1a; P*1c, Lx1c; Bx1c+, Nx1c;
P-3e, B*3f; P-2e, Bx2e; R-1i, Px3e; L*2h, B-3f;
L*2f, N*2e; R-1f, P*1e; R-1i, P-4e;
The Meijin-sen in 1979, when this game was played in, was also known
as the suzume-zashi series, which indicates how popular this strategy was
among top players at that time.
