From: Victor Contoski <victorcontoski <at> EMAIL <dot> MSN <dot> COM>
Date: 22 jan 1999
Subject: Re: JT Shougi Series '98

Dear Mr. Nagaura:

Thank you very much for your translation from "Shogi Sekai."  I am studying
both the Japanese language and shogi.  Unfortunately I am not very good at
either.  But your translation is a big help to me.

Sincerely yours,

Victor Contoski
-----Original Message-----
From: Satoshi Nagaura <snagaura <at> MXC <dot> MESHNET <dot> OR <dot> JP>
To: SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il <SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il>
Date: Sunday, January 17, 1999 4:33 AM
Subject: JT Shougi Series '98


>I have just translated an article on Shogi-Sekai (Feb'99 edition).
>Please bear with my awkward English.
>
>
>
>JT Shougi Series '98
>Semifinal second game at Hiroshima
>Yoshiharu Habu (four crowns holder) VS. Nobuyuki Yashiki (7-dan)
>
>A Game of typical Anaguma (bear in the hole castle)
>        commentator: Y.Habu
>
>I faced the game with a will that I shall make it this time since I often
>had lost games at JT's semifinals and considered them as a large barrier
>whereas I played a game at Hiroshima after an interval of 7 years.
>I was anticipating that fourth file rook opening was one of the strategies
>he
>might take this time because it was so popular this year although he did
>any.
>This formation is still in a stage of studying through trial and error for
>the first 20 moves, and I do not yet have a conclusion about it although I
>also often take the opening whichever side (black or white) I take.
>The sequence of the real game made me realize his study.
>
>Black: Yoshiharu Habu
>White: Nobuyuki Yashiki
>
>  1.P-7f   P-3d     2.P-2f   P-4d     3.P-2e   B-3c     4.S-4h   S-3b
>  5.P-5f   R-4b     6.K-6h   S-7b     7.K-7h   G4a-5b   8.G4i-5h P-9d
>  9.B-7g   S-4c    10.K-8h   S-5d    11.P-6f   P-6d    12.S-5g   P-7d
>13.L-9h   N-7c    14.K-9i   P-9e    15.S-8h   P-6e
>
>  Although more games used to reserve Bishop exchanges from Pw-4e by
>withholding Sw-4c, recently more games watch for Sw-6e by quickly moving
>from Sw-4c and Sw-5d. It is Mr.Yashiki's contrivance to watch out the
>decisive fight from Pb-6e rather without moving Pw-4e.
>
>16.G-6g   S7b-6c  (Diagram-1)
>
>    (Daiagram-1)
>White: Nobuyuki Yashiki
>White in hand: nothing
>  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
>+---------------------------+
>|wL  *  * wG wK  *  * wN wL |a
>| *  *  *  * wG wR  *  *  * |b
>| * wP wN wS wP  * wB wP wP |c
>| *  * wP  * wS wP wP  *  * |d
>|wP  *  * wP  *  *  * bP  * |e
>| *  * bP bP bP  *  *  *  * |f
>|bP bP bB bG bS bP bP  * bP |g
>|bL bS  *  *  *  *  * bR  * |h
>|bK bN  * bG  *  *  * bN bL |i
>+---------------------------+
>Black: Yoshiharu Habu
>Black in hand: nothing
>up to 16...S7b-6c.
>
>
>
>
>Sw7b-6c (Diagram-1) was the move which perhaps  Mr.Yashiki really wanted.
>
>17.G-7h   P-7e
>
>Gb-7h was quite sensuous to prepare for the fight from the upper part
>although Gb-7i was rather common.
>
>18.Px6e   Px7f
>
>Against Pw-7e, Pbx7e is also strong, followed by Nw-8e, Bb-8f, Pw-4e, Pbx6e
>and Nwx9g+ although it is a difficult offensive and defensive battle.
>If Nwx6e against Pbx6e in this game, Pb-2d after Rb-6f, Nwx5g+, and Bbx5g
is
>so severe that it would made Anaguma's stride. In addition, it was also
>welcome it would deprive of edge attack although it was Silver-Knight
>exchange.
>
>19.Gx7f   Sx6e    20.G-7e   S6e-7d
>
>Since Gbx6e was impossible against Swx6e, Gbx7e must be moved. Then, Sw-7d
>was really a soft move in his character.
>
>21.B-5e (Diagram-2)   Sx7e
>
>    (Diagram-2)
>White: Nobuyuki Yashiki
>White in hand: P2
>  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
>+---------------------------+
>|wL  *  * wG wK  *  * wN wL |a
>| *  *  *  * wG wR  *  *  * |b
>| * wP wN wS wP  * wB wP wP |c
>| *  * wS  *  * wP wP  *  * |d
>|wP  * bG  * bB  *  * bP  * |e
>| *  *  *  * bP  *  *  *  * |f
>|bP bP  *  * bS bP bP  * bP |g
>|bL bS bG  *  *  *  * bR  * |h
>|bK bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
>+---------------------------+
>Black: Yoshiharu Habu
>Black in hand: P2
>up to 21.B-5e.
>
>
>
>Against the next Bb-5e(Diagram-2), Swx7e was, however, a questionable move.
>On behalf of Sx7e, I was anticipating G6a-6b, Gbx7d, Swx7d, Pb-2d, Pwx2d,
>and
>Sb-6f, then it would be a difficult game because the sitting king of White
>was not in bad shape. Although he might taken the gold from his mental
>power, this move was a decisive point.
>
>22.Bx7c+  G6a-6b  23.+Bx9a  P-4e  24.P-5e   P*6f
>
>Although I also wanted to drop Nb-5e on behalf of Pb-5e, since Pw-5d,
>Nbx6c+, Gw6bx6c, then Nw-7f was an unpleasant diagonal, I restrained from
>doing so. If the game became slow, my Bishop+ was getting effective.
>
>25.L*6i   S-7d    26.Sx6f   Sx6f    27.Lx6f   P*6e
>28.P*7e (Diagram-3)   Px6f
>
>        (Diagram-3)
>White: Nobuyuki Yashiki
>White in hand: G S
>  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
>+---------------------------+
>|bB+ *  *  * wK  *  * wN wL |a
>| *  *  * wG wG wR  *  *  * |b
>| * wP  *  * wP  * wB wP wP |c
>| *  * wS  *  *  * wP  *  * |d
>|wP  * bP wP bP wP  * bP  * |e
>| *  *  * bL  *  *  *  *  * |f
>|bP bP  *  *  * bP bP  * bP |g
>|bL bS bG  *  *  *  * bR  * |h
>|bK bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
>+---------------------------+
>Black: Yoshiharu Habu
>Black in hand: S N P2
>up to 28.P*7e.
>
>
>
>Nb-8f might be also effective on behalf of Pb-7e (Diagram-3)
>I was not sure how was exchanging S and N after dropping Sw-8e.  I wanted
to
>think about this sequence more if more time was available.  The drop of
P-7e
>suddenly brought us to end-game without middle-game.
>
>29.Px7d   L*7e    30.P-7c+  Lx7h+   31.+Px6b  Gx6b    32.Rx7h   P-6g+
>33.R-7a+  G*6a    34.L*4c   Gx7a
>
>Although Rb+7f was common for its own escape against Gw*6a, Pw*7g was so
>severe after Sw*7h.  Besides, I would loose even if Pb-7i, high-handily
>followed by Swx8i+, Kbx8i, Gw-6f, Rb+7d, Nw-7f.  Even Anaguma is quick to
be
>checkmated when in a shape to be checked. So, I judged that I couldn't
>defend it, then dropped Lb*4c. Since Rwx4c would lead him to threating mate
>by Sb-3b, Gw-7a, and Sb-4c+, he must take the Rb+ then.
>
>35.Lx4b+  Kx4b    36.S*5a   Kx5a
>
>Although the first glance told me Bb+6d, it did not look like threatmate.
>Thus, decided Sb*5a in order to make the King down to the back range. Black
>was then fine even if many pieces were delivered to White.
>
>37.S*3b (Diagram-4)  G*4a
>
>        (Diagram-4)
>White: Nobuyuki Yashiki
>White in hand: R G S2 L P
>  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
>+---------------------------+
>|bB+ * wG  * wK  *  * wN wL |a
>| *  *  * wG  *  * bS  *  * |b
>| * wP  *  * wP  * wB wP wP |c
>| *  *  *  *  *  * wP  *  * |d
>|wP  *  *  * bP wP  * bP  * |e
>| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |f
>|bP bP  * wP+ * bP bP  * bP |g
>|bL bS  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |h
>|bK bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
>+---------------------------+
>Black: Yoshiharu Habu
>Black in hand: R G N P2
>up to 37.S*3b.
>
>
>
>The prospect became clear at Sb*3b (Diagram-4) and Gw*4a. White should have
>defended with Lw*4a on behalf here.  Then, after Rb*3a and Sw*5b, Nb*4c
>would make White loose because Kw-6a and Sbx4a+ was not threatmate.
>So, although it should be Nb*6d after Rb*3a and Sw*5b, it would be followed
>by toughly Sw*6c, Nb-5b+, and Swx5b (Diagram-A).
>
>    (Diagram-A)
>White in hand: R G S P
>  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
>+---------------------------+
>|bB+ * wG  * wK wL bR wN wL |a
>| *  *  * wG wS  * bS  *  * |b
>| * wP  *  * wP  * wB wP wP |c
>| *  *  *  *  *  * wP  *  * |d
>|wP  *  *  * bP wP  * bP  * |e
>| *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |f
>|bP bP  * wP+ * bP bP  * bP |g
>|bL bS  *  *  *  *  *  *  * |h
>|bK bN  *  *  *  *  * bN bL |i
>+---------------------------+
>Black in hand: G N P2
>up to 38...S*5b.
>
>
>Then, if Sb*4c, Gw*4b, which would give me hard time.
>It was manifested afterward that White would still win with Sbx4a+, Swx4a,
>Sb*3b, Sw*5b, and Lb*4c from Diagram-A. For instance, if Nw*4b, Lbx4b+,
>Bwx4b, and Nb*4c. If Gw*4b, then
>
>(44.Sx4a+  Sx4a
>45.G*3b   S*5b    46.Lx4b+  Bx4b    47.Gx4b   Kx4b    48.Rx2a+)
>
>It is threatmate and winning of Black as follows:
>
>(49.S*3c   K-5a    50.N*6c   Gx6c    51.G*4b   K-6a    52.Gx5b   Kx5b
>53.+Rx4a  Kx4a    54.S*4b   K-5b    55.B*4a)
>
>However, if Lw*4a had been made in the real game, I did not know whether I
>could finish the king off since I could not see ahead completely. For, the
>above variations were the conclusion made afterward, spending many hours.
>
>
>38.G*4c   Gx3b
>
>In the real game, the general situation was determined with Gw*4c, which
can
>take the Bishop at 3c, after Gb*4a.
>
>39.Gx3b   S*4a    40.N*4c   K-6a
>41.Gx3c   S*8b    42.R*5a   K-7b    43.Rx7a+  Kx7a    44.G*8a   K-6a
>45.G*5a   K-7b    46.+Bx8b  K-6c    47.B*8e   resigns
>
>Overall, I think this game was a typical Anaguma's winning game.
>I will be in the final after 8 years' interval, and the opponent is Mr.Sato
>(mejin), who is very good at quick game.
>I wish I could win the final with playing such a game as to satisfy the
>coming audience.
>
>
>
>
>
>-----------------------------------------
>Satoshi Nagaura
>Mail: snagaura <at> mxc <dot> meshnet <dot> or <dot> jp
>HP: http://www2a.meshnet.or.jp/~snagaura/
>-----------------------------------------
>