From: Patrick Davin LYRA VEGA OR JP> Date: 18 mar 1997 Subject: Re: Habu and his Castles Patrick Davin wrote: >> Habu Meijin plays a wide variety of openings. In the past two years, he >> has certainly played all the major openings... Manabu Terao replied: >Correct me if I'm wrong, but the openings Habu Meijin has not chosen for >these 2 years are > > Double Ranging Rook, > Ranging Rook but Fourth File Rook > King's Head Vanguard Pawn against Ranging Rook > Central Vanguard Pawn against Ranging Rook Well, maybe I overstated. On the other hand, I can't think of a player (offhand) who plays a wider variety of openings. Also note the word "major". I would hesitate to call the Aifuribisha major. The two slow strategies Mr. Terao mentions against the Furibisha perhaps used to be major, but nowadays have all but died out. Habu has played Nakabisha and Mukaibisha, though I'd have to check as to whether it was in the last two years. Dipping into my Shogi Nenkan for last year, I find that Habu played both sides of the Yagura, Furibisha, Aigakari, Yokofudori and Kakugawari openings. Only 2 other pros (Moriuchi 8-dan and Miura Kisei) did the same last year. Best wishes, -Patrick