From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 12 jul 2001 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 899, July 11th 2001) This week in Shukan Shogi the third game of the Kisei match between Habu and Goda. A dramatic game as Habu threw away everything with a blunder in the endgame. Shukan Shogi has a great picture of Habu deep in thought after coming back from the public post mortem analysis (in the Kisei tournament this is a special service for the fans) in which he was shown how he could have won. This is what happened: Black: Habu Yoshiharu, Kisei White: Goda Masataka, Challenger 72nd Kisei-sen, Game 3, July 6th 2001 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:01:00 4.P8d-8e 00:00:00 00:02:00 5.B8h-7g 00:00:00 00:02:00 6.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00 7.S7i-8h 00:00:00 00:02:00 8.B2bx7g+ 00:00:00 00:03:00 9.S8hx7g 00:00:00 00:03:00 The R8e Yokofudori was expected, but Goda plays it differently. He is one of the few players who still believes that the Kakugawari is playable for white. 10.S3a-2b 00:00:00 00:03:00 11.S3i-3h 00:03:00 00:03:00 12.S7a-7b 00:03:00 00:06:00 13.G6i-7h 00:06:00 00:06:00 14.S2b-3c 00:06:00 00:06:00 15.P9g-9f 00:06:00 00:06:00 16.K5a-4b 00:06:00 00:09:00 17.P4g-4f 00:09:00 00:09:00 18.P7c-7d 00:09:00 00:15:00 19.S3h-4g 00:10:00 00:15:00 20.S7b-7c 00:10:00 00:15:00 21.P6g-6f 00:13:00 00:15:00 22.S7c-6d 00:13:00 00:39:00 23.R2h-6h! 00:57:00 00:39:00 An important move. White is aiming for an early attack with P7e, but this is now answered by P6e. Keeping the king and rook apart is an well-known shogi proverb, but this is an exception. White suddenly has no positive moves anymore and must settle for a waiting game. 24.P5c-5d 00:57:00 00:56:00 25.P3g-3f 01:04:00 00:56:00 26.K4b-3b 01:04:00 00:59:00 27.N2i-3g 01:05:00 00:59:00 28.P4c-4d 01:05:00 00:59:00 29.G4i-3h 01:20:00 00:59:00 30.K3b-2b 01:20:00 01:03:00 White doesn't have a natural way to get into the castle as there is a hole on 4c. However, if white takes a slower approach, this gives black the opportunity to put his king in a safe place and attack strongly. Goda has seen that 31.B*4c G4a-5b Bx5d+ G5c wins the bishop, but he thought that Habu's following move was not possible. 31.P3f-3e! 01:41:00 01:03:00 Well judged by Habu. Goda thought it was difficult for black to start the attack with a sitting king. However, the black position has no holes for white piece to drop, so it is quite hard for white to get a good attack going. 32.G4a-3b 01:41:00 01:58:00 33.N3g-2e 01:44:00 01:58:00 34.S3c-4b 01:44:00 02:02:00 35.P3ex3d 01:45:00 02:02:00 36.P2c-2d 01:45:00 02:08:00 37.P6f-6e 02:07:00 02:08:00 38.S6d-5c 02:07:00 02:09:00 39.N2e-3c+ 02:08:00 02:09:00 40.N2ax3c 02:08:00 02:09:00 41.S4g-3f 02:08:00 02:09:00 42.G6a-5b 02:08:00 02:34:00 43.P3dx3c+ 02:39:00 02:34:00 44.S4bx3c 02:39:00 02:34:00 45.P2f-2e 02:39:00 02:34:00 46.P*3d 02:39:00 03:10:00 47.P*3e 02:51:00 03:10:00 48.P2dx2e 02:51:00 03:10:00 49.P3ex3d 02:58:00 03:10:00 50.S3cx3d 02:58:00 03:10:00 51.P*3e 02:58:00 03:10:00 52.S3d-4c 02:58:00 03:12:00 53.S3fx2e 03:02:00 03:12:00 54.P*3c 03:02:00 03:27:00 55.P*2d 03:03:00 03:27:00 56.K2b-2a 03:03:00 03:27:00 57.B*2c 03:06:00 03:27:00 58.P5d-5e 03:06:00 03:27:00 59.B2c-6g+ 03:21:00 03:27:00 60.P*2b 03:21:00 03:27:00 61.N*2c? 03:28:00 03:27:00 Black has played the attack perfectly, making a strong promoted bishop in the process. However, 61.N*2c is an overplay that gives Goda chances to counter. Improving the position of the black king was better here. 62.L1a-1b 03:28:00 03:31:00 63.S7g-6f 03:32:00 03:31:00 64.P8e-8f 03:32:00 03:42:00 65.P8gx8f 03:32:00 03:42:00 66.R8bx8f 03:32:00 03:42:00 67.P*8g 03:32:00 03:42:00 68.R8f-8b 03:32:00 03:42:00 69.S6fx5e 03:32:00 03:42:00 70.G5b-4b 03:32:00 03:42:00 71.+B6g-5f 03:38:00 03:42:00 72.P*5d 03:38:00 03:47:00 73.S5e-6f 03:38:00 03:47:00 74.B*4a! 03:38:00 03:47:00 Goda isn't ready to give this one up yet. He wants to resolve the situation at the head of his king and exchange this bishop against black's promoted one. 75.G3h-4g 03:42:00 03:47:00 76.P2bx2c 03:42:00 03:47:00 77.R6h-2h 03:42:00 03:47:00 78.N*3a 03:42:00 03:49:00 79.P2dx2c+ 03:46:00 03:49:00 80.G3bx2c 03:46:00 03:49:00 81.P1g-1f 03:49:00 03:49:00 82.G2c-2b 03:49:00 03:49:00 83.P1f-1e 03:49:00 03:49:00 84.B4a-2c 03:49:00 03:49:00 85.P3e-3d 03:49:00 03:49:00 86.P*2d 03:49:00 03:50:00 87.S2ex2d 03:51:00 03:50:00 88.B2cx3d 03:51:00 03:50:00 89.P1e-1d 03:51:00 03:50:00 90.B3dx5f 03:51:00 03:57:00 91.P5gx5f 03:51:00 03:57:00 92.B*3i! 03:51:00 03:57:00 White's counter plan has succeeded. It's no longer clear who's winning here. Some professionals in the press room believed that white had turned the tables, but Habu shows with some of his magic that this isn't the case. 93.R2h-2g 03:53:00 03:57:00 94.P*2c 03:53:00 03:57:00 95.P1dx1c+ 03:54:00 03:57:00 96.P2cx2d 03:54:00 03:57:00 97.+P1cx1b 03:56:00 03:57:00 98.G2bx1b 03:56:00 03:57:00 99.L1ix1b+ 03:56:00 03:57:00 100.K2ax1b 03:56:00 03:57:00 101.P*3b! 03:56:00 03:57:00 There it is. This move looks bad because of 101.N*3e, but after 102.Px3a+ Nx2g+ N*3e white has no defense. 102.G4bx3b 03:56:00 03:58:00 103.P*1d 03:57:00 03:58:00 104.N3a-2c 03:57:00 03:58:00 No choice. 104.G2c fails to B*4a. 105.R2gx2d 03:57:00 03:58:00 106.S*1e 03:57:00 03:58:00 107.R2d-2i 03:57:00 03:58:00 108.B3ix6f+ 03:57:00 03:58:00 109.B*3a! 03:57:00 03:58:00 A nice sacrifice that should have wrapped things up. 110.G3bx3a 03:57:00 03:59:00 111.G*1c 03:57:00 03:59:00 112.K1b-1a 03:57:00 03:59:00 113.R2ix2c+ 03:57:00 03:59:00 114.P*1b 03:57:00 03:59:00 115.G1cx1b 03:58:00 03:59:00 116.R8bx1b 03:58:00 03:59:00 117.P1d-1c+ 03:58:00 03:59:00 118.B*2f 03:58:00 03:59:00 This is close to "katachizukuri", but Goda still seemed to have some hope here. 118.P*3g Bx3g+ Gx3g L*5g is dangerous for black. 119.K5i-6i 03:59:00 03:59:00 120.S*5h 03:59:00 03:59:00 121.K6ix5h 03:59:00 03:59:00 122.+B6fx7f 03:59:00 03:59:00 123.K5h-6i 03:59:00 03:59:00 124.L*6f! 03:59:00 03:59:00 A good attempt by Goda. Forcing black to drop a lance is important as will become clear soon. 125.L*6g 03:59:00 03:59:00 126.G*2b 03:59:00 03:59:00 Now the importance of 124.L*6f becomes clear. If black would still have a lance in hand, then 127.L*1d would have been an easy win here. 127.+P1cx1b 03:59:00 03:59:00 128.G2bx1b 03:59:00 03:59:00 Ishida (9-dan) was already telling the press that Habu would win in a couple of moves. White might even resign if Habu would play a move suggested by Kubo. 129.+R2cx3c?? 03:59:00 03:59:00 A terrible blunder by Habu, which might have been a combination of time pressure and the confidence with which Goda played his previous move. Kubo had suggested 129.R*1d here and white has no defense. Both Habu and Goda had read 129.R*1d P*1c Rx1c+ Gx1c +Rx1c K2a +R2c G*2b and after G*1b K3a black takes a lot of material, but there is no mate so white wins. However, both players overlooked the simple S*3b! (instead of G*1b) Sx3b G*1b K3a Gx2b and mate. After 129.+Rx3c the black attack runs out of steam and white wins easily. 130.S4c-3b 03:59:00 03:59:00 131.N*2c 03:59:00 03:59:00 132.G1bx2c 03:59:00 03:59:00 133.P*1b 03:59:00 03:59:00 134.K1ax1b 03:59:00 03:59:00 135.P*1c 03:59:00 03:59:00 136.G2cx1c 03:59:00 03:59:00 137.+R3cx5c 03:59:00 03:59:00 138.L6fx6g+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 139.R*3h 03:59:00 03:59:00 140.L*3c 03:59:00 03:59:00 141.P*1d 03:59:00 03:59:00 142.G1cx1d 03:59:00 03:59:00 Resigns 03:59:00 03:59:00 It's only very rarely that we see Habu blunder in the endgame. Coming from behind to win is his trademark and to see this happen against him is a big surprise. Furthermore, it happened at a particularly bad moment. Losing with black and going 2-1 down in a best-of-five series suddenly makes Goda a strong favorite to win the Kisei title. He needs only one win from two games to regain the title he lost two years ago. Other shogi news: ================= * Maruyama seems determined to get out of the slump he got in after winning the Meijin title last year. His main wish for the new season is to play more games. He made an important step towards this goal last week when he beat Moriuchi in the semi-finals of the Oza challenger tournament. A good win as he seemed to see just a little bit more than Moriuchi and Maruyama now only needs one more win (against the winner of the game between Kubo and Tanigawa) to challenge Habu for the Oza title. * The challenger tournament of the Kio started with a couple of games for qualification for the final sixteen. Shukan Shogi's reporter had a big problem with the game between Shima and Yonenaga, as the players had already finished and gone home when he arrived in the late afternoon. A violent game was quickly won by Shima and the game was finished at exactly three o'clock in the afternoon. Exceptionally quick for a game at this level. Morishita also won his first round game, but that was a completely different story, as Namekata dictated the game until the end before blundering and losing. The Kansai battle between Minami and Ueno was won by Minami. This was a bit of a surprise as Inoue is in great form this season, winning 9 out 10 games so far. Minami had the better position, but it was still strange that Inoue overlooked a simple move in the endgame which ended the game almost immediately. More next week, Reijer -- 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