| Quest of the lost systems |
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| Chapter One: Yagura |
| Section 3: The Morishita System |
The R-2i formation was a waiting game. Some of you may say that rings
a bell. Yes, the Morishita system, which was a craze in the pro shogi world
for a certain period, shared exactly the same conception. The reason the
R-2i formation got less popular was that the modern yagura (with the immobile
P on the second file) was taken for granted. But its idea of waiting was
the backbone of the Morishita system, the fad that went as suddenly as it
came. In other words, the R-2i formation gave its way to the N-3g position
which shares the concept of the R-2i.
According to Morishita himself, the system with his name on is not just
a formation but a "thought". Though the Morishita system is for
Black, who is supposed to have initiative, to play, the main idea is "always
to be prepared" while watching the opponent's deployment. Only after
seeing what White is about to do, Black decides the eventual formation to
take. He says, "It's more like a mind set to be prepared for any attack
or trick White may resort to."
Let me explain a little further, from the technical side. Yagura, as the
suzume-zashi shows, is originally meant for Black to take the offensive,
and for White to be on the defensive. The Morishita system, however, gives
priority to castling the king tightly, omitting the P move on the second
file. Then, and only then, in response to White's plan, Black decides his
offensive formation, and sometimes his defensive formation. Always be alert
to find a way to give a fatal blow one move before the opponent does. This
is the idea.
This formation itself was not the first to appear in the yagura history.
Teruichi Aono (now 9-dan) and Hitoshige Awaji (now 8-dan) both played it
before him. But Morishita gave his own elaborate investigations to it, developing
it into what was to be called the Morishita system.
Let me give you three prototype games of the Morishita system. White's plans
basically fall into three types below.
- passive tactics
- the bo-gin with S-7c
- attack on the fifth file
The diagram 1 is from a Ryu-O-sen preliminary match between Taku Morishita(b)
and Michio Takahashi(w), on May 17th, 1993.
