From: Pieter Stouten <Pieter.Stouten <at> EMBL-HEIDELBERG <dot> DE>
Date: 23 dec 1991
Subject: Spearing the Sparrow

Some time ago Paul DeMartino <BA06346 <at> BINGVAXA <dot> bitnet> asked for more
information about "Spearing the Sparrow." Below you'll find an example
of a double yagura opening that leads to spearing the sparrow:
 
1.P7f P8d 2.S6h P3d 3.S7g S6b 4.P2f S4b 5.S4h G3b 6.G7h P5d 7.P5f K4a
8.K6i G5b 9.G5h S3c 10.B7i B3a 11.P6f P4d 12.G5h-6g G5b-4c 13.P1f P9d
14.P9f P7d 15.P3f P8e 16.P1e S7c 17.N3g B4b 18.L1g K3a 19.R1h
 
Now the standard attacking formation known as spearing the sparrow has
been reached. The following shows how the actual attack can be carried
out. Note the crucial "sacrifice" 21.Nx1c+.
 
19... K2b 20.N2e S2d 21.Nx1c+ Sx1c 22.P1d Sx1d 23.Lx1d Lx1d 24.Rx1d
L'1a 25.P'1c Lx1c 26.Bx1c+ Nx1c
 
This is the natural way of attacking, but considering the fact that
black's king is very weak in this case it is premature.
 
27.P3e B'3f 28.P2e Bx2e 29.R1i B6d
 
>From now on white's rook will be harassed all the time and his attack
will peter out.
 
30.R2i N'3f 31.L'2f Nx4h+ 32.Lx2e S'2h 33.Rx2h Bx2h+ 34.K7i Nx2e
35.Px3d R'3i 36.K8h Rx3d+ 37.B'6a R6b 38.Bx4c+ Gx4c 39.G'2f +R3i
40.Gx2e B'6i etc.
 
In game 3 of the last Oza title match (OZA MATCH-91) Fukuzaki Bungo makes an
attempt to spear the sparrow. Worth checking out if you want to know the pros
and cons of this attacking system.
 
Pieter Stouten.
 
P.S. (automagically appended to all my mails)
* Until the end of March I will not or seldom be in a position to reply to
  mails due to a fellowship in Osaka, Japan. Sorry for any inconvenience.
* EMBL will withdraw from bitnet as of 31 December 1991. Please send mail
  to stouten <at> embl-heidelberg <dot> de or pieter.stouten <at> embl-heidelberg <dot> de.