From: Takako Noda JA2 SO-NET OR JP> Date: 19 aug 1997 Subject: "QUEST" yagura (2) Suzume-zashi (Continued) The very first attempt of suzume-zashi created by Kozo Masuda was a success. That it was played by the white player seems, in hindsight, to be more than suggestive of what followed afterwards. In the current context of yagura, the suzume-zashi(played by Black) usually takes the following configuration. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 +---------------------------+ White in hand: nothing |wL wN * * * * * wN wL |a | * wR * * * * wG wK * |b |wP * * wS * wG wS wP wP |c | * wB wP wP wP wP wP * * |d | * wP * * * * * * bP |e | * * bP bP bP * bP bP * |f |bP bP bS bG * bP bN * bL |g | * wK bG bB * bS * * bR |h |bL bN * * * * * * * |i Black in hand: nothing +---------------------------+ Diagram 2. Basic formation of Black's suzume-zashi; up to (w)B-8d. You might have misgivings about its effectiveness because 1c position is guarded by three pieces (L, N and K), which equal the Black's attacking pieces (L,R and B), but you'll see... >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 * wR 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. Black began his attack by P-6e, first making White's B go away from 6d, but he just couldn't follow the same procedure as what followed Diagram 2 because of White's B on 4b. But Black's two Ls dropped on the same file, on 2f and 2h, look successfully threatening to White's camp. Only a month before this, exactly the same phase appeared (up to White's B*3f) in the game played by Yonenaga(b) and Hifumi Kato(w). Instead of dropping L on 2f, Black dropped S on 2g, which was to be countered: (w)Bx2f, (b)Lx2f, (w)N*1e. The last move, N*1e, was a goodie, which undermined Black's attack. Back to this game, White's N*2e gives an impression of a thought-out defence, but Black's R-1f surpassed it. You might say, why proceed to 1f position when you know the opponent will drop P on 1e, then Black's R will be forced to retreat, thereby Black makes one move in vain? But lo and behold. By dropping P on 1e, White can't make P*1g, which was his original plan. In the actual game, after Diagram 3, Yonenaga moved his K to 7i, which made the game a very difficult one. Yonenaga lost the game in the end. Instead of K-7i, however, he should have made S*1d, which would certainly have put White in plight. But nobody knows for certain. A month later, a brilliant counter-punch devised by Kato carried the day... (To be continued) Takako Noda