From: Takako Noda JA2 SO-NET OR JP> Date: 9 feb 1997 Subject: "QUEST" Tsukata Special (1) Tsukata Special: wonderous new discovery (1) Tsukata Special deserves to be called revolutionary, in the sense that its blitz-attack concept made a strong impact not only on the aigakari (double wing attack) but also on many other strategies. For instance, the furi-bisha openings which used to be regarded as rather passive strategies are now recognized as something that can be quite aggressive against slow tactics. Thus, offence is considered more important in today's game theory. The idea behind all this may well have been the Tsukata Special. The diagram 1 shows a very early stage of the game, which gives an impression that the players are yet to decide their openings. But here already, lurks a possibility of skirmish. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 +--------------------------------------------+ White in hand: | wL | wN | | wG | wK | | wS | wN | wL | a +------------------+ +--------------------------------------------+ | | | | wR | | wS | | | wG | wB | | b | | +--------------------------------------------+ +------------------+ | wP | | wP | | wP | wP | wP | wP | wP | c +-------------------------------------------- | | | | wP | | | | | | d +--------------------------------------------+ | | wP | | | | | | | | e +--------------------------------------------+ | | | | | | | | bR | | f +--------------------------------------------+ | bP | bP | bP | bP | bP | bP | bP | | bP | g +--------------------------------------------+ Black in hand: | | bB | bG | | | | bS | | | h +------------------+ +--------------------------------------------+ | P | | bL | bN | bS | | bK | bG | | bN | bL | i | | +--------------------------------------------+ +------------------+ Diagram 1. P-6d. Tsukata(b) vs Nakahara(w) After Diagram 1: (from black) P*2d, Px2d; Rx2d, P-1d; P-7f, P-8f; Px8f, Rx8f; P-1f, To drop P at 2d right after its exchange is a clever move, aiming at, of course, snatching P on 6d. After the above: (from white) R-8b; P-1e, Px1e: P*1d, P*2c; Rx6d, I can never forget the day I witnessed what was going to be called the Tsukata Special. It was one of the Osho League games, played by Yasuaki Tsukata and Makoto Nakahara, on August 22, 1986. I was right there next to them, because I was a record keeper. When I saw Black's P*2d, the honest reaction on my part was, "Tsukata-sensei doesn't know the joseki!?" It is not even joseki, but joshiki(obvious reasoning) that snatching P on 6d through P*2d, Px2d, Rx2d is impossible when S is at 3h, because White then will respond as P-1d, thereby claiming Black's N by P*2h in exchange for giving P on 6d. Therefore the Black Silver has to be at 3i. Tsukata-sensei, however, looked brim with confidence, making P-7f. White then took a natural course, P-8f, Px8f, Rx8f, instead of S-6c, which would have met Black's B-7g to refuse P exchange. It was not until I saw Tsukata-sensei's P-1f that his intention dawned on me. For White's S-6c, he would attack from the first file as P-1e, Px1e, P*1d. What the Tsukata Special aims at are 1) snatching a P on 6d, and 2) a far-wing attack from P-1e. Nakahara carefully pulled his R back to 8b, but Tsukata determinedly proceeded, P-1e, Px1e, P*1d. At White's P*2c, Black made Rx6d. Moves afterwords: (from white) Rx8h+; Rx6b+, Gx6b; Sx8h, I was still dazed about those unusual opening moves, when suddenly White made Rx8h (if (b)Sx8h, then the famous B*8f), giving me another surprise. It was still before the lunch break. Tsukata-sensei undauntedly made Rx6b+ and then took R by Sx8h, which left me wondering which side was leading the game. (TO BE CONTINUED)