From: Doug Dysart KASPAROVCHESS COM> Date: 25 jun 2000 Subject: Re: Shogi game for comments I didn't see any comments on Gardner-san's game, so I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring. Any refutations to my analysis are welcome (sort of). [TITLE Jim Gardner Game] [If as a kyu player I may be so bold, I would like to submit a game of mine for comments. My main question is on white's 48th move, how does white handle his rook in order not to completely lose momentum. Any comments would be appreciated on any aspect of this game.] 1. P-7f 2. P-3d 3. P-2f 4. P-8d 5. P-6f 6. S7a-6b 7. S7i-6h 8. S3a-4b 9. G4i-5h 10. G4a-3b 11. S6h-7g 12. K-4a 13. G6i-7h [Sente is playing the opening extremely passively.] 14. G6a-5b 15. K-6i 16. P-7d 17. P-5f 18. P-6d [This move looks premature. A better pawn move would be 18. P-6d.] 19. P-2e 20. B2b-3c [This cannot be best. The Silver belongs on this square.] 21. S3i-4h 22. S6b-6c 23. P-3f 24. S6c-5d 25. G5h-6g 26. R8b-6b 27. S4h-3g 28. N8a-7c [Gote's attacking strategy is very interesting. It may not be the correct way to go, but anything can work when your opponent does nothing aggressive.] 29. R2h-6h [Sente senses danger. This was a critical moment. But does the hisha really belong on this file? Gote's attack is probably helped after 29. R-6h. A big problem is that now Black cannot get in the castle he has built. Unfortunately, routine development may be even worse than the text. This is the sort of thing that happens when you play only defensive maneuvers. White's formation is rare because it's not supposed to be allowed by Black. Sente could have tried 29. P-8f, hoping for G-8g and K-7h, when he has made an wrong-rank Crab Castle (which is better than no castle)! However, White should get lots of play on the 8th file. Another try was to shift the pieces around to adjust to the white knight's advance. 29. B-7i can help avoid problems on the long diagonal and facilitate the castling of the king. 30. N-8e 31. S-8g might be playable, but Gote can get a good attack for his keima with 32. P-6e 33. Px6e 34. Sx6e 35. P-8f 36. P*6f.] 30. P-9d 31. S3g-4f [This move would be stronger with the Rook on 2h. ] 32. N7c-8e [Now this move seems very strong.] 33. S7g-8f 34. P-6e 35. S4f-5g 36. Px6f 37. S5gx6f 38. S5d-6e 39. P-5e 40. S6ex6f 41. B8hx6f 42. P-7e [White had a tactical shot. 42. Rx6f!? 43. Gx6f 44. S*5g 45. R-6g (or 45. R*6a 46. G-5a) 46. B*5h 47. K-7i 48. P*6e. The text move only seems to help Black.] 43. S8fx7e [Now how does Gote proceed with his attack? Things are looking bright suddenly for Sente.] 44. P*7g 45. N8ix7g 46. N8ex7g+ 47. B6fx7g 48. K-3a [With the Crab Castle looking good, this move wasted some critical time. This might have been a good time to try 48. N*6e. Then 49. B-8h 50. S*5g 51. Gx5g would open up chances to exchange rooks with advantage to Gote, while 51. R-2h 52. B-1e would give Gote hope of renewing his attack. 49. B-6f seems more logical. But now Gote can go full-steam ahead with 50. S*5g! 51. Gx5g 52. Nx5g+ 53. Bx5g 54. Rx6h+ 55. Kx6h 56. R*2h, when Gote seizes the initiative. It was asked, Where to put the rook on this move?" 48. R-7b allows 49. S*6a. 49. R-6c speeds up Black's attack. Worth trying, would be 48. R-9b, when the Silver drop would be a slower attacking device. Another idea is 48. R-6a, when 49. S*7b 50. R-6b is better than the text.] 49. S*7c [Now Sente has a big advantage.] 50. R6b-6a 51. S7c-7b+ 52. R6a-4a 53. N*6d 54. G5b-5a 55. P*6c 56. S*6a 57. +S7bx6a 58. G5ax6a 59. S*5b 60. G6ax5b 61. N6dx5b+ 62. R4a-8a 63. G6g-5f 64. P-5d 65. P-6b+ 66. Px5e 67. B7gx5e 68. B3cx5e 69. G5fx5e 70. S*5g [White's only hope is to counterattack with drops.] 71. R6h-6c+ 72. P*7g 73. G*4a [Now this move works with the dragon seed-piece on 6c.] 74. K-2b 75. +N5bx4b 76. G3bx4b [Taking the gold on 7h with check is much better, and it may even win directly!] 76. Px7h+ 77. Kx7h 78. N*6f! 79. Sx6f 80. G*6h! This will be followed by a rook sacrifice on 4a and further entrapment of the king, the order of moves depending on which way the king goes.] 77. G4ax4b 78. N*6g [The previously mentioned attack does not work at all, since there's no sacrifice of rook for gold to be made. The text move threatens a cute tsume in one move.] 79. G*3b [Sente also had the amusing 79. B*4d!?] 80. K-1b 81. +R6cx6g 82. S*5h [The best try.] 83. +R6gx5h 84. S5gx5h+ 85. Kx5h 86. Px7h+ 87. S*3a [There was the crazy attack 87. N*2d 88. Px2d 89. S*2c, but there doesn't appear to be a tsume, or even a hisshi. Thus, there's no way for Sente to avoid the upcoming race.] 88. R*2h 89. K-5g 90. R8ax3a [Premature. This move can wait until Gote is out of attacking moves.] 91. G4bx3a 92. R2h-6h+ 93. K-5f [The only hope was 93. B*6g. It looks like Sente can escape with very precise king moves, though.] 94. +R6h-5h 95. P*5g 96. P-1d 97. R*2b 98. K-1c 99. S*2d [Resign] Doug Dysart Ohio Shogi Club founder Great chess, great e-mail: http://www.KasparovChess.com