From: Pieter Stouten EMBL BITNET> Date: 11 sep 1990 Subject: Comments on the E-mail game Grinch-Olufsen Please find below the E-mail game between Asle Olusen and Mr. Grinch, posted to SHOGI-L by the former on Sat, 8 Sep 1990 19:49:55. As Asle invited, I added some comments of my own. Hopefully, others can comment too, so we might end up with a consensus analysis. I should say that I did not do a very thorough analysis, and I think that much more than I said can be said. Cheers, Pieter Stouten. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grinch Olufsen 1 P-7f P-3d 2 P-2f G-3b PS: 2. ... G3b is much too early when white plays ranging rook. Normally, this gold would be used in defence of the King. 3 S-3h R-5b PS: 3. ... R5b: it is better to close the bishop's diagonal first. Black might exchange bishops and play B'5f. Not only to capture a pawn, but also to induce bad shape, when white has to defend the pawn on 8c. Or he might keep the bishop in hand to use it later somewhere in white's camp. In general, the ranging rook side should avoid an early exchange of bishops. 4 K-6h K-6b 5 K-7h K-7b 6 S-2g K-8b 7 S-1f G-7b PS: 7.S3f is much better. It has more scope there. A later P1d by white would render 7.S1f useless, anyway. 7. ... G7b closes the escape routes for the king. 7. ... S7b would be much better. 8 G4-5h P-5d (PS: G4i-5h is the preferred notation) 9 P-2e Bx8h+ Too careful. 10 Sx8h G-3c 11 S-1e S-2b 12 P-2d P-5e 13 Px2c Sx2c (PS: shouldn't it be 13.Px2c+ ?) 14 P-3f P-5f 15 Px5f I believe 15.G-6h is better. Now he looses at least a Pawn. PS: This is not true. Allowing 15. ... Px5g+ probably loses immediately: 15.G6h Px5g+ 16.G5hx5g B'3i and now: 17.R3h Bx5g+ 18.Gx5g Rx5g+ and without generals in hand black will have a hard time defending or: 17.R5h P'5f 18.G4f (or6f) P5g+. 15 ... P-1d I got a bit worried about B'2b and wanted the silver away. 16 S-2f Rx5f 17 G-6h I would have defended the 7f pawn. 17 ... Rx7f 18 S-7g Rx3f 19 B'2b P'3g or S-3f first must be better. 19 ... R-3i+ 20 S-3g P-3e PS: 20. ... P3e is too slow. 20. ... P'5g to break down the defence is the better move. Mating is important and attacking directly and near the king is preferred. 21 R-2g P-3f 22 S-4h +R-3h 23 R-2f P'2e I must make some space for my rook. 24 Rx2e S-2d 25 P'3i Otherwise he must displace his rook and lose his knight. PS: Losing the knight is no problem: - 25.R5e threatens to break through - After 25. ... +Rx2i, P'5i defends solidly - Blacks four generals all work in defence. The white generals on 3c and 2d are completely idle. - If needs be black can capture a lance and knight too. Seizing the initiative and letting white capture the knight is best. 25 ... Rx4h 26 Gx4h Sx2e 27 Bx1a+ R'2h 28 G-3h Rx2i+ 29 R'3a P-3g+ 30 Rx2a+ G-3d 31 Gx3g +Rx3i 32 G-4f N'6e I had more faith in my attack than it deserved, otherwise I would have done +Rx1i 33 S-6f S'5g 34 Sx5g Nx5g+ 35 Gx5g B'6i 36 K-7g S'7h 37 N'5c Starting a slow attack after I have domolished his castle. It must be better to defend 8g even if I get the knight at 8i. 37 ... Sx8g= 38 N-6a+ After S'7i my attack almost stops. Therfore 37. ... Sx8i is perhaps better. (PS: S'7i -- is this correct ?) 38 ... B-7h+ 39 K-6f Rx8i 40 +Nx7a Gx7a 41 R-3b N'6b In many variants the black king ecapes through 5d ! Now I may cover that square by a defensive move. And the black bishop seems vulnerable. 42 N'5d S-7f= 43 G-5h Kx7f is blacks last chance, and my best move then is perhaps +B-8g and +Bx5d PS: white skillfully finishes black off. As I went over this game, I noticed that the level of play at the end of the game had increased quite a bit compared to the beginning. This shows that E-mail games can be useful to increase playing strength. 43 ... +B-7g 44 K-5g If K-5f then +R-6i 44 ... Sx6g+ 45 Gx6g +R-5i 46 P'5h N'6e 47 K-5f +Rx5h 47 Kx6e +Rx5d 48 K-7e +R-7d mate