From: Toshiya Kawakami <kawakami <at> LEAD <dot> DION <dot> NE <dot> JP>
Date: 8 apr 1999
Subject: Re: Query

Reijer wrote:
>I think the word you are looking for is "Kessen". Of course it depends
>(as always) on the context, but "kessen" is the literal translation of
>"decisive battle" ("kessen" is a combination of the kanji for "ketsu"
>meaning "decision" and the kanji for "sen" or "fight") and it is used
>in shogi terminology in this way.

I think what you wrote is right, and "kessen" can be used too.  But this
single word is a bit stilted.
It seems to me that there is no suitable single word nor expression in
some words for "decisive battle" in Japanese.

"Grimbergen matches a decisive battle against Habu today" may be
translated as "Kyou ha Grimbergen ga Habu ni kessen wo idomimasu".
This is written style (suitable on a newspaper or TV news) but spoken
not so often.  However, instead of "kessen", even if we use "ketteiteki
na issen" or "ten'nouzan", it's still stiled here. ("kessen" is literally
"decisive battle" as Reijer wrote. "issen" is "a game" or "a match")
I will say this in other words like "Kyou no Grimbergen to Habu no
taikyoku ha yuusyou no yukue wo uranau daijina issen desu."
that means "The match Grimbergen - Habu today is important (for
each or for me) and almost decides the winner of the cup"

Regards,
--
  Toshiya Kawakami
  email: kawakami <at> lead <dot> dion <dot> ne <dot> jp