From: Reijer Grimbergen ETL GO JP> Date: 14 nov 1997 Subject: Re: This week in Shukan Shogi (no.712, November 12th 1997) Patrick Davin LYRA VEGA OR jp> writes: > Thanks, Reijer. As usual, an excellent report. > I beg to differ, however, on a point very early on in the Ryuo game. Thanks, criticism is always welcome. > Reijer writes: >> Black: Sanada, Challenger >> White: Tanigawa, Ryu-O >> 10th Ryu-O sen, Game 3, November 6th and 7th 1997 >> 1.P7g-7f 1/1 0/0 >> 2.P3c-3d 0/1 4/4 >> 3.P2g-2f 1/2 0/4 >> 4.P4c-4d 0/2 0/4 >> 5.S3i-4h 19/21 0/4 >> >> This is a bit unusual in modern professional practice. The move P2f is >> considered a minus point when playing the Yagura opening by black. So, >> black players play P2e here to force B3c, after which white has almost >> no choice but to play Furibisha (Ranging Rook). This was what Tanigawa >> had planned for this game. The differences are very subtle, and it is hard >> to say if they have any influence on the outcome of the game. Sanada ignores >> this reasoning and plays the opening differently. > Actually, in this ubiquitous opening position, the more flexible 5. S4h > is the main line and not at all unusual. 5. S4h occurs here over 70% of > the time; 5. P2e is played in the remainder. Of course you are right. I should have used the word "unexpected" instead of "unusual", since both moves are normal in this position as you point out. > It's not a question of which move is better. They are both excellent. > As Reijer says, the differences are subtle. 5. P2e discourages the Yagura > but allows a playable Mukaibisha. 5. S4h allows a very wide choice > between Yagura and Furibisha. Indeed. I might add these comments to the web page text. > Some pros thus choose 5. S4h against opponents who are known to be strong > in the Furibisha and 5. P2e against Ibisha players. Given that Tanigawa > has proven to be strong in _any_ opening, and that Sanada probably feels > slightly more comfortable in the Yagura than vs Furibisha, his choice of > 5. S4h seems natural. Well, I do not think that Furibisha is Tanigawa's natural opening. His attacking style seems to be ill-suited for the waiting game the Furibisha style usually plays. Of course Tanigawa can win in any opening, but still most commentators expected P2e in the position. That is why I added the comment. > If Sanada had played 5. P2e, Tanigawa would almost certainly have played > a Furibisha and the game would have been entirely different. Whether it > would have affected the result is another question. Very few games are > decided in the first 5 moves... > Sorry to be such a nitpicker... We amateurs probably shouldn't be > bothered by such subtleties in the first few moves... Probably not. Still, even though it is not of any consequence for one's own play, it is interesting to see how professionals look at opening play. I think the difference between Shogi opening play and chess opening play is quite big. Thanks for the comments, I hope this will bring others out to challenge the things I write about the games. There is undoubtedly a lot more that can be discussed. Reijer -- Reijer Grimbergen Electrotechnical Laboratory 1-1-4 Umezono Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305 JAPAN E-mail: grimberg etl go jp WWW: http://www.etl.go.jp:8080/etl/suiron/~grimberg Tel: +81-(0)298-54-3316 Fax: +81-(0)298-54-5918