From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 17 aug 2001 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 904, August 15th 2001) This week in Shukan Shogi the dramatic final game of the Kisei match between Habu and Goda. A great game that could have gone either way until the very end, but Goda just managed to win. Habu doesn't seem to be too depressed about losing his Kisei title, as four days later he continued his humiliation of Yashiki by winning the third game of the Oi match, taking an almost decisive 3-0 lead. These two games follow here with comments: Black: Goda Masataka, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Kisei 72nd Kisei-sen, Game 5, August 6th 2001 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:02:00 4.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 5.P2f-2e 00:01:00 00:02:00 6.P8d-8e 00:01:00 00:03:00 7.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:03:00 8.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:04:00 9.P2e-2d 00:01:00 00:04:00 10.P2cx2d 00:01:00 00:05:00 11.R2hx2d 00:01:00 00:05:00 12.P8e-8f 00:01:00 00:07:00 13.P8gx8f 00:01:00 00:07:00 14.R8bx8f 00:01:00 00:07:00 15.R2dx3d 00:07:00 00:07:00 16.B2b-3c 00:07:00 00:09:00 17.R3d-3f 00:18:00 00:09:00 18.S3a-2b 00:18:00 00:13:00 19.P*8g 00:19:00 00:13:00 20.R8f-8e 00:19:00 00:16:00 21.G4i-3h 00:24:00 00:16:00 22.K5a-4a 00:24:00 00:22:00 23.K5i-5h 00:24:00 00:22:00 24.S7a-6b 00:24:00 00:30:00 25.R3f-2f 00:28:00 00:30:00 26.G6a-5a 00:28:00 00:31:00 27.S3i-4h 00:28:00 00:31:00 28.P5c-5d 00:28:00 00:34:00 29.P3g-3f 00:42:00 00:34:00 30.P5d-5e 00:42:00 00:38:00 31.S7i-6h 00:57:00 00:38:00 32.P7c-7d 00:57:00 00:43:00 33.N2i-3g 00:58:00 00:43:00 34.B3c-4d 00:58:00 01:03:00 35.R2f-2i 00:58:00 01:03:00 36.P7d-7e 00:58:00 01:03:00 37.P4g-4f 01:05:00 01:03:00 38.P7ex7f 01:05:00 01:04:00 39.P4f-4e 01:05:00 01:04:00 40.B4d-3c 01:05:00 01:08:00 41.S4h-4g 01:05:00 01:08:00 42.P*2d 01:05:00 01:11:00 For the third time in this match the R8e-Yokofudori. This opening has many different variations that have not been explored yet, but both players have gotten through the first 40 moves quite rapidly. This is not surprising, as Goda has played this before. The move order is a little bit different, but the position after the 41st move is the same as in the game between Goda and Yashiki that was played in the Ryu-O tournament in April. Surely, Habu was familiar with that game as well. Yashiki played 42.R8d then, but Habu chose 42.P*2d. It's impossible to say which is better, but Goda was not surprised by this move. He is moving his generals up to put pressure on white's major pieces. 43.P6g-6f 01:08:00 01:11:00 44.S2b-2c 01:08:00 01:32:00 45.S6h-6g 01:56:00 01:32:00 46.R8e-7e 01:56:00 01:33:00 47.P9g-9f 01:56:00 01:33:00 48.R7e-7d 01:56:00 01:37:00 49.B8h-9g 01:57:00 01:37:00 50.P9c-9d 01:57:00 01:46:00 51.P*7e 02:00:00 01:46:00 52.R7d-8d 02:00:00 01:46:00 53.S6gx7f 02:41:00 01:46:00 54.P9d-9e 02:41:00 01:54:00 55.B9g-8f 02:41:00 01:54:00 56.P9ex9f 02:41:00 01:54:00 57.P*9e 02:41:00 01:54:00 58.P5e-5f 02:41:00 02:22:00 59.P5gx5f 02:44:00 02:22:00 60.B3cx6f 02:44:00 02:22:00 61.N8i-7g 02:44:00 02:22:00 62.P*3e 02:44:00 02:28:00 63.G7h-6g 02:55:00 02:28:00 64.B6f-3c 02:55:00 02:29:00 65.P*6f 02:56:00 02:29:00 66.P3ex3f 02:56:00 02:32:00 67.S4gx3f 02:56:00 02:32:00 68.P*3e 02:56:00 02:32:00 69.S3f-4g 02:56:00 02:32:00 70.R8d-3d 02:56:00 02:33:00 71.G3h-2g 02:57:00 02:33:00 72.B3c-4b 02:57:00 02:38:00 An interesting difference of opinion between the players here. "Looks a little bit bad" (Habu). "Unclear" (Goda). 73.P*2b 03:01:00 02:38:00 74.G3bx2b 03:01:00 02:38:00 75.P*3f 03:01:00 02:38:00 76.P3ex3f 03:01:00 02:48:00 77.G2gx3f 03:01:00 02:48:00 78.P*3e 03:01:00 02:48:00 79.G3f-4f 03:01:00 02:48:00 80.P2d-2e 03:01:00 02:49:00 An alternative is 80.P*8e followed by N7c. It's almost impossible to say which is better. 81.P4e-4d 03:09:00 02:49:00 82.P4cx4d 03:09:00 02:49:00 83.P7e-7d 03:09:00 02:49:00 84.B4bx8f 03:09:00 03:06:00 85.P8gx8f 03:09:00 03:06:00 86.G2b-3b 03:09:00 03:06:00 This can't be helped. If white starts the fight with 86.P4e, then white loses after 87.Gx4e P3f Gx3d Px3g+ Gx2c Gx2c R*4c K3b B*6e. 87.B*8b 03:18:00 03:06:00 88.L9ax9e 03:18:00 03:08:00 89.B8b-5e+? 03:18:00 03:08:00 Goda regretted this move. Better is 89.B9a+ B*6d +Bx6d Px6d P7c+ Nx7c P*7d P*7e Px7c+ Px7f +Px6b Gx6b B*8e and black seems the have the upper hand. 90.P9f-9g+! 03:18:00 03:16:00 Looks far away from the king, but Habu has judged this perfectly. 91.P7d-7c+ 03:26:00 03:16:00 92.S6bx7c 03:26:00 03:17:00 93.P*3f 03:26:00 03:17:00 94.P3ex3f 03:26:00 03:23:00 95.G4fx3f 03:26:00 03:23:00 96.R3dx3f 03:26:00 03:23:00 97.S4gx3f 03:26:00 03:23:00 98.G*3h 03:26:00 03:23:00 99.R2i-6i 03:31:00 03:23:00 100.P*7e 03:31:00 03:33:00 Habu's attack is now in full flow. 101.P*3c! 03:41:00 03:33:00 In the press room Sx7e was the only move that was analyzed. Goda realizes that he runs the risk of being blown away if he just answers Habu's moves. 102.N2ax3c 03:41:00 03:37:00 103.R*7a 03:41:00 03:37:00 104.P7ex7f 03:41:00 03:38:00 105.R7ax8a+ 03:41:00 03:38:00 106.P7fx7g+ 03:41:00 03:38:00 107.+B5ex7c 03:43:00 03:38:00 108.N*6a! 03:43:00 03:38:00 Good defense. This slows down black's attack. 109.N*5c 03:46:00 03:38:00 110.K4a-3a 03:46:00 03:39:00 111.+B7cx5a 03:46:00 03:39:00 112.G3hx3g 03:46:00 03:39:00 113.G6gx7g? 03:51:00 03:39:00 This could have been a big mistake. Better was 113.+B4a K2b S*3a K1b +Bx3b. A simple variation, but the question is if white has mate then. However, it seems that the black king can just escape. 114.G3gx3f 03:51:00 03:47:00 115.+B5ax6a 03:51:00 03:47:00 116.K3a-2b 03:51:00 03:49:00 117.K5h-6g! 03:58:00 03:49:00 Goda doesn't throw the towel. Kitahama (6-dan) thought that black could win here with 117.N*3d Sx3d +Bx3d, but Goda immediately showed that after 118.N*4f white wins. If then 119.K6h N*7f Gx7f S*6g Kx6g S*5h and mate, or 119.K5g N*4e +Bx4e (the only move) Px4e and white now has a mating threat, while black's bishop is gone. 118.P*5g 03:58:00 03:51:00 119.S*4i! 03:59:00 03:51:00 Another good defense move. Both players are really giving everything they have in this endgame. 120.S*8g 03:59:00 03:58:00 But now white is again looking very strong. The side who just played a move is looking better every time. 121.P6f-6e 03:59:00 03:58:00 122.B*8h 03:59:00 03:58:00 123.G7gx8g 03:59:00 03:58:00 124.+P9gx8g 03:59:00 03:58:00 125.K6g-7f 03:59:00 03:58:00 126.S*7d 03:59:00 03:59:00 Looks winning, but Goda has seen it. 127.G*2a 03:59:00 03:59:00 128.K2bx2a 03:59:00 03:59:00 129.+B6a-8c 03:59:00 03:59:00 130.P*3a 03:59:00 03:59:00 131.+B8cx7d 03:59:00 03:59:00 Perfect defense by black. The vital silver on 7d is gone. 132.+P8g-7h 03:59:00 03:59:00 133.R6i-6g? 03:59:00 03:59:00 This could have been costly. 133.K8e right away was the right move. 134.+P7h-7g 03:59:00 03:59:00 135.K7f-8e 03:59:00 03:59:00 136.+P7gx6g 03:59:00 03:59:00 137.N5c-4a+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 138.G*9c 03:59:00 03:59:00 139.L9ix9e 03:59:00 03:59:00 140.P*8d 03:59:00 03:59:00 141.+B7dx8d 03:59:00 03:59:00 142.G9cx8d 03:59:00 03:59:00 143.K8ex8d 03:59:00 03:59:00 144.B8h-6f+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 145.P*7e 03:59:00 03:59:00 146.+B6fx7e? 03:59:00 03:59:00 This move hands over the Kisei title. Habu had two moves that might have won him the game: 146.P*7a and 146.B*5c. After both 146.P*7a *Rx7a B*5c or 146.B*5c N*8g G7a the black dragon is no longer a threat and white seems to be winning. Instead, Habu sacrifices the promoted bishop to make a hisshi. Unfortunately for him, Goda has something better... 147.K8dx7e 03:59:00 03:59:00 148.G*7c 03:59:00 03:59:00 149.+N4ax3a 03:59:00 03:59:00 150.G3bx3a 03:59:00 03:59:00 151.+R8ax3a 03:59:00 03:59:00 152.K2ax3a 03:59:00 03:59:00 153.N*4c 03:59:00 03:59:00 154.K3a-4a 03:59:00 03:59:00 155.P*4b 03:59:00 03:59:00 156.K4a-5b 03:59:00 03:59:00 157.S*4a 03:59:00 03:59:00 158.K5b-5c 03:59:00 03:59:00 159.L*5e 03:59:00 03:59:00 160.N*5d 03:59:00 03:59:00 161.L5ex5d 03:59:00 03:59:00 162.K5cx5d 03:59:00 03:59:00 163.G*5e 03:59:00 03:59:00 164.K5d-5c 03:59:00 03:59:00 165.B*7a 03:59:00 03:59:00 Resigns 03:59:00 03:59:00 Mate after 166.L*6b S*5d Kx4b G*5b or 166.Kx4c Gx4d Kx4b B5c+ K4a G*4b. A magnificent game. Habu came within an inch of keeping his Kisei title and will regret overlooking a mate in the third game that could have finished this series early. However, more than Habu's mistakes, one should congratulate Goda on his fighting spirit. At the start of this match he said that more than playing his own shogi, he wanted to win and that resilience was clear in this series. As a reward, Goda not only gets his third Kisei title, but also promotion to 9-dan. Black: Yashiki Nobuyuki, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oi 42nd Oi-sen, Game 3, August 9th and 10th 2001 1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:04:00 00:02:00 4.P4c-4d 00:04:00 00:02:00 5.P2f-2e 00:04:00 00:02:00 6.B2b-3c 00:04:00 00:02:00 7.S3i-4h 00:05:00 00:02:00 8.S3a-3b 00:05:00 00:09:00 9.P5g-5f 00:11:00 00:09:00 10.R8b-4b 00:11:00 00:15:00 This was not a surprise. Both Habu and Yashiki are all-round players, so this match was expected to have a number of different openings. After the Yagura and the Yokofudori, Habu now plays the Shikenbisha. 11.K5i-6h 00:17:00 00:15:00 12.S7a-7b 00:17:00 00:20:00 13.K6h-7h 00:17:00 00:20:00 14.P9c-9d 00:17:00 00:20:00 15.P9g-9f 00:23:00 00:20:00 16.G4a-5b 00:23:00 00:42:00 17.G4i-5h 00:25:00 00:42:00 18.K5a-6b 00:25:00 00:55:00 19.B8h-7g 01:14:00 00:55:00 20.P6c-6d 01:14:00 01:25:00 21.P3g-3f 01:42:00 01:25:00 22.K6b-7a?! 01:42:00 01:50:00 A little bit dangerous, as this gives black a chance for an early attack. 23.B7g-6h 02:07:00 01:50:00 Yashiki accepts the invitation to attack. 24.P4d-4e!? 02:07:00 02:50:00 Habu also shows his intention to fight early. After 24.S4c white can keep the game in a slow pace, but that would give black the opportunity to play P6f and make a really strong castle. 25.S7i-8h 02:25:00 02:50:00 26.S3b-4c 02:25:00 02:52:00 27.N2i-3g 03:18:00 02:52:00 28.S4c-5d 03:18:00 02:53:00 29.B6h-7g 03:57:00 02:53:00 This bishop returns with a vengeance. White seems to be in trouble. 30.P4e-4f 03:57:00 03:46:00 This type of shogi is not for the weak at heart. 30.R2b is a reasonable looking alternative, but Habu plays the sharpest variation, which is his natural game. 31.P4gx4f 03:58:00 03:46:00 32.R4bx4f 03:58:00 03:46:00 33.P2e-2d 04:23:00 03:46:00 34.P2cx2d 04:23:00 04:30:00 35.B7gx3c+ 04:30:00 04:30:00 36.N2ax3c 04:30:00 04:30:00 37.R2hx2d 04:31:00 04:30:00 38.N3c-4e 04:31:00 05:15:00 39.N3gx4e 05:01:00 05:15:00 40.S5dx4e! 05:01:00 05:15:00 This eventually leads to the loss of a silver, but Habu has no choice here. After 40.Rx4e, black simply shuts out the rook with P*4g after which he can take his time to attack. 41.R2d-2a+ 05:26:00 05:15:00 Not 41.S4g Rx4g+ Gx4g because white has a nice dancing pawn variation: P*4f G5g N*6e G5g-5h P4g+ Gx4g P*4f and G4h fails to B*1e. The black wall silver on 8h makes defense impossible. 42.S4ex5f 05:26:00 05:19:00 43.P*4g 05:33:00 05:19:00 44.R4fx3f 05:33:00 05:32:00 45.B*4d 06:13:00 05:32:00 46.R3f-3h+ 06:13:00 06:23:00 47.P*5d 07:00:00 06:23:00 This position looks very painful for white. The diagonal to the king seems a big problem... 48.B*3e! 07:00:00 06:38:00 Stops the black attack. 49.Bx1a+ N*5g G6i-6h N4i+ is good for white, so black must exchange bishops. 49.B4dx3e 07:05:00 06:38:00 50.+R3hx3e 07:05:00 06:38:00 51.P5dx5c+ 07:12:00 06:38:00 52.G5bx5c 07:12:00 06:38:00 53.B*2f 07:23:00 06:38:00 54.+R3e-5e 07:23:00 06:55:00 55.P*5g 07:25:00 06:55:00 56.S5f-6e 07:25:00 06:56:00 57.+R2ax1a 07:25:00 06:56:00 Black is a lance up and the white pieces are stretching to keep everything defended. Surely, black must have the advantage here... 58.K7a-8b 07:25:00 06:56:00 59.+R1ax1c? 07:42:00 06:56:00 Habu feared 59.N*7g P3e Nx6e +Rx6e S7g after which black is also a silver up, but the bishop can play an active role in the active by moving to 1e. 60.G5c-5b 07:42:00 06:58:00 61.L*5f 07:43:00 06:58:00 62.S6ex5f 07:43:00 06:58:00 63.P5gx5f 07:43:00 06:58:00 64.+R5ex5f 07:43:00 06:58:00 65.B2f-3g 07:50:00 06:58:00 Black is a full silver up and even in shogi material doesn't often lie. Here is the exception to this common sense. Black has no way to effectively use this silver. Furthermore, Yashiki is not helped by the situation on the clock. He has only ten minutes left, while Habu has more than an hour. 66.B*2g! 07:50:00 07:12:00 After this move, the professionals in the press room started to realize that black is not so good as previously thought. Black has no effective attacking moves. 66.Bx6d is bad because of P*6f and with only one pawn in hand the edge attack is also not very promising. Habu has judged incredibly well that his stack of pawns is good compensation for the silver. 67.S8h-7g 07:51:00 07:12:00 68.B2g-6c+ 07:51:00 07:18:00 The white defense is now an iron wall. From here on Yashiki moves around with promoted rook and bishop but none of his moves has any effect. The game from now on gives the feeling that only Habu is playing and Yashiki is just passing. 69.+R1c-1a 07:53:00 07:18:00 70.P*2f 07:53:00 07:20:00 71.B3g-4f 07:56:00 07:20:00 72.P2f-2g+ 07:56:00 07:24:00 73.B4f-1c+ 07:56:00 07:24:00 74.L*5c 07:56:00 07:26:00 75.+B1c-6h 07:57:00 07:26:00 76.+R5f-2f 07:57:00 07:27:00 77.S4h-5g 07:57:00 07:27:00 78.+P2g-3g 07:57:00 07:28:00 79.P9f-9e 07:57:00 07:28:00 80.P9dx9e 07:57:00 07:28:00 81.P*9d 07:57:00 07:28:00 82.+R2f-2h 07:57:00 07:31:00 83.N*9c 07:58:00 07:31:00 84.N8ax9c 07:58:00 07:34:00 85.P9dx9c+ 07:58:00 07:34:00 86.L9ax9c 07:58:00 07:34:00 87.S7g-8f 07:58:00 07:34:00 88.N*6e 07:58:00 07:34:00 89.N*7e 07:58:00 07:34:00 90.+B6c-4e 07:58:00 07:38:00 All of white's pieces are now in perfect attacking positions. Black has nothing but a last desperate attack that is clearly not strong enough. 91.N7ex8c+ 07:58:00 07:38:00 92.K8bx8c 07:58:00 07:38:00 93.P*9d 07:58:00 07:38:00 94.L5cx5g+ 07:58:00 07:39:00 95.P9dx9c+ 07:58:00 07:39:00 96.K8cx9c 07:58:00 07:42:00 97.L*8e 07:58:00 07:42:00 98.P*8d 07:58:00 07:47:00 99.L8ex8d 07:58:00 07:47:00 100.+L5gx6h 07:58:00 07:47:00 101.G6ix6h 07:58:00 07:47:00 102.P*8c 07:58:00 07:47:00 103.S*7a 07:59:00 07:47:00 104.P8cx8d 07:59:00 07:51:00 105.S8fx9e 07:59:00 07:51:00 106.K9c-8c 07:59:00 07:53:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:53:00 107.P7e or 107.L7e is a mating threat, but simply countered by 108.P7d. On the other hand, if black doesn't play a mating threat, white ends the game with +Rx5h. A strange game in which Habu's mind over matter prevailed. Yashiki must feel like a mere mortal after Habu beat him with a silver handicap in. 3-0 down and playing an opponent with superior skills: not much chance that Yashiki will dig himself out of this hole. In other shogi news: ==================== * Habu may have lost the Kisei title, but he seems on his way to replacing this with the Ryu-O crown. He beat Nakamura in the semi-finals and is the first player to advance to the challenger final. Furthermore, he was helped greatly by young Kimura, who beat Tanigawa to advance to a semi-final game with Hatakayema Mamoru. Kimura is having an astonishing season so far, but neither he nor Hatakeyama seems to have enough experience to beat Habu in a three game match. It seems we are on our way to another Fujii-Habu match. * In the A class the game between Sato and Senzaki was played. Sato had won his first game against Habu, while Senzaki had lost his first game against Tanigawa. Sato looked the clear favorite to win this game, but Senzaki showed why he is in the A class. It was close until the very end and when Senzaki had no less than 8 minutes left to find a win, the press room was buzzing with expectation of an upset. However, after using half of his remaining time, Senzaki picked the wrong move and lost. A lucky win for Sato, but a perfect start to have a go at another Meijin title. On the other hand, Senzaki might find at the end of the season that this endgame mistake was decisive. He now has relegation rivals Kato and Aono in the next two rounds and I think he has to win both games to have a chance to stay in the top divison. * Iizuka likes the Kio title. He has been close to challenging a couple of times and this year he advanced to the quarterfinals of the challenger tournament by beating Shima after a win against Aono in the first round. He will need more than that to keep in the tournament as he faces either Meijin Maruyama or Sato Yasumitsu next. -- Reijer Grimbergen Department of Information Science Saga University 1 Honjo-machi, Saga-shi, 840-8502 Japan E-mail: grimbergen fu is saga-u ac jp URL: http://www.fu.is.saga-u.ac.jp/~grimberg/ Tel: +81-(0)952-28-8821 Fax: +81-(0)952-28-8650