From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 17 may 2001 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 891, May 16th 2001) This week in Shukan Shogi the third game of the Meijin match. It was a strange game in two parts as the first game ended in sennichite. Maruyama didn't come out to play at all. In the sennichite game he could have started the fight with black but he decided not too and in the replay he just handed Tanigawa the game without putting up a fight. Here are the two games, the replay with comments: Black: Maruyama Tadahisa, Meijin White: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger 59th Meijin-sen Game 3 May 8th and 9th 2001 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:02:00 4.P4c-4d 00:01:00 00:04:00 5.P2f-2e 00:02:00 00:04:00 6.B2b-3c 00:02:00 00:04:00 7.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:04:00 8.P9c-9d 00:02:00 00:08:00 9.G4i-5h 00:02:00 00:08:00 10.P9d-9e 00:02:00 00:12:00 11.K5i-6h 00:02:00 00:12:00 12.R8b-4b 00:02:00 00:18:00 13.K6h-7h 00:03:00 00:18:00 14.S7a-7b 00:03:00 00:20:00 15.P5g-5f 00:04:00 00:20:00 16.S3a-3b 00:04:00 00:26:00 17.B8h-7g 00:05:00 00:26:00 18.S3b-4c 00:05:00 00:32:00 19.B7g-6h 00:06:00 00:32:00 20.R4b-2b 00:06:00 00:37:00 21.P6g-6f 00:07:00 00:37:00 22.G4a-5b 00:07:00 00:42:00 23.G5h-6g 00:11:00 00:42:00 24.P6c-6d 00:11:00 00:47:00 25.N8i-7g 00:29:00 00:47:00 26.K5a-6b 00:29:00 00:53:00 27.K7h-8i 00:29:00 00:53:00 28.K6b-7a 00:29:00 01:06:00 29.G6i-7h 00:30:00 01:06:00 30.K7a-8b 00:30:00 01:07:00 31.P3g-3f 00:31:00 01:07:00 32.P4d-4e 00:31:00 01:59:00 33.P1g-1f 00:31:00 01:59:00 34.G5b-6c 00:31:00 02:01:00 35.N2i-3g 00:35:00 02:01:00 36.S4c-5d 00:35:00 02:06:00 37.B6h-5g 00:37:00 02:06:00 38.P7c-7d 00:37:00 02:14:00 39.S4h-5i 00:39:00 02:14:00 40.P8c-8d 00:39:00 02:36:00 41.S5i-6h 00:42:00 02:36:00 42.N8a-7c 00:42:00 02:41:00 43.S7i-8h 01:11:00 02:41:00 44.S7b-8c 01:11:00 02:54:00 45.P8g-8f 01:17:00 02:54:00 46.P1c-1d 01:17:00 03:13:00 47.S6h-7i 01:43:00 03:13:00 48.G6a-7b 01:43:00 03:16:00 49.R2h-2f 01:44:00 03:16:00 50.B3c-4d 01:44:00 04:03:00 51.R2f-2i 01:58:00 04:03:00 52.B4d-3c 01:58:00 04:13:00 53.R2i-2h 02:43:00 04:13:00 54.G6c-6b 02:43:00 04:20:00 55.R2h-2g 03:01:00 04:20:00 56.G6b-6c 03:01:00 04:20:00 57.R2g-2i 03:22:00 04:20:00 58.G6c-6b 03:22:00 04:23:00 59.R2i-2h 03:22:00 04:23:00 60.G6b-6c 03:22:00 04:23:00 61.R2h-2g 03:22:00 04:23:00 62.G6c-6b 03:22:00 04:23:00 63.R2g-2i 03:22:00 04:23:00 64.G6b-6c 03:22:00 04:23:00 65.R2i-2f 03:22:00 04:23:00 66.B3c-4d 03:22:00 04:24:00 67.R2f-2g 03:22:00 04:24:00 68.B4d-3c 03:22:00 04:24:00 69.R2g-2i 03:22:00 04:24:00 Sennichite 03:22:00 04:24:00 For the first time since the match between Kato Hifumi and Nakahara Makoto in 1982, a game in the Meijin match ends in sennichite. Maruyama had the chance to start the fight by moving his rook to the fourth file. After R4b P4f Px4f Rx4f it is unclear who will end on top, but Tanigawa didn't have much confidence in that position. Maruyama's fighting spirit seemed to be lacking and this is reflected in the replay. Black: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger White: Maruyama Tadahisa, Meijin 59th Meijin-sen Replay Game 3 May 8th and 9th 2001 1.P7g-7f 04:24:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 04:24:00 03:22:00 The replay of the third game of the Meijin match start with a big time advantage for Maruyama. On the other hand, Tanigawa now has the black pieces, which is usually an advantage. 3.P2g-2f 04:25:00 03:22:00 4.P8d-8e 04:25:00 03:22:00 5.B8h-7g 04:25:00 03:22:00 6.P3c-3d 04:25:00 03:22:00 7.S7i-8h 04:25:00 03:22:00 8.B2bx7g+ 04:25:00 03:22:00 9.S8hx7g 04:25:00 03:22:00 It is a little surprising that Maruyama chooses the Kakugawari without thinking. Tanigawa knows this opening better than anyone else and probably doesn't need much time to think about all kinds of side variations. The professionals watching the game expected the R8e Yokofudori despite the bad loss that Maruyama suffered in game 2. 10.S3a-2b 04:25:00 03:22:00 11.G6i-7h 04:27:00 03:22:00 12.S7a-7b 04:27:00 03:22:00 13.S3i-3h 04:27:00 03:22:00 14.S2b-3c 04:27:00 03:22:00 15.P9g-9f 04:28:00 03:22:00 16.G4a-3b 04:28:00 03:22:00 17.P4g-4f 04:29:00 03:22:00 18.K5a-4b 04:29:00 03:22:00 19.S3h-4g 04:29:00 03:22:00 20.G6a-5b 04:29:00 03:24:00 21.G4i-5h 04:30:00 03:24:00 22.S7b-8c 04:30:00 03:24:00 23.P6g-6f 04:36:00 03:24:00 24.S8c-8d 04:36:00 03:24:00 25.P3g-3f 04:42:00 03:24:00 26.P7c-7d 04:42:00 03:25:00 27.S4g-5f 04:46:00 03:25:00 28.P6c-6d 04:46:00 03:25:00 29.K5i-6h 04:55:00 03:25:00 30.P7d-7e 04:55:00 03:25:00 31.S5f-6g 04:57:00 03:25:00 32.P9c-9d 04:57:00 03:25:00 33.N2i-3g!? 05:38:00 03:25:00 A brave decision. The head of this knight becomes a target for attack, and it is very hard to see if black has any substantial attacking chances. 34.P7ex7f 05:38:00 04:14:00 35.S6gx7f 05:38:00 04:14:00 36.P4c-4d 05:38:00 04:14:00 37.R2h-4h!? 06:02:00 04:14:00 Once Tanigawa makes up his mind, he goes for it. The head of the knight stays undefended. 38.P3d-3e 06:02:00 04:29:00 Natural attack, but it is a little strange that Maruyama played this after only 15 minutes. 39.P3fx3e 06:13:00 04:29:00 40.P*3f 06:13:00 04:31:00 41.N3g-2e 06:13:00 04:31:00 42.P3f-3g+ 06:13:00 04:33:00 Here 42.S2b seems a good alternative. After 43.G4g P2d Gx3f Px2e Px2e K3a leads to a position with chances for both sides. Maruyama took only 2 minutes here... 43.N2ex3c+ 06:13:00 04:33:00 44.K4bx3c 06:13:00 04:34:00 45.R4h-4i 06:13:00 04:34:00 46.B*2g 06:13:00 04:34:00 47.R4i-3i 06:23:00 04:34:00 48.+P3g-3h 06:23:00 04:36:00 49.R3i-6i 06:44:00 04:36:00 50.B2g-3f+ 06:44:00 04:39:00 51.P*7b! 06:51:00 04:39:00 It seemed that black was in trouble as the rook was being chased around, but this is a good move that forces the white promoted bishop away from the action. 52.+B3fx7b 06:51:00 04:51:00 53.P4f-4e 06:52:00 04:51:00 Blocks the promoted bishop. White can't take this pawn because of S*3d. 54.G5b-4b 06:52:00 04:55:00 55.K6h-7i 06:55:00 04:55:00 Black's king is now much safer than white's king. Here Tanigawa felt he was getting the upper hand. 56.K3c-2b 06:55:00 04:57:00 57.P4ex4d 06:58:00 04:57:00 58.P*4f 06:58:00 05:08:00 59.S*4c 07:17:00 05:08:00 60.+B7b-3f 07:17:00 05:16:00 61.B*2e 07:21:00 05:16:00 62.+B3fx2e 07:21:00 05:17:00 63.P2fx2e 07:21:00 05:17:00 64.P4f-4g+ 07:21:00 05:17:00 65.G5h-6h 07:23:00 05:17:00 66.B*3f 07:23:00 05:17:00 67.B*5e 07:44:00 05:17:00 68.K2b-1b? 07:44:00 05:36:00 The first move after the dinner break and a mistake that gives Tanigawa's attack a lot of extra power. The right move was 68.N*6c. Maruyama feared 69.Bx6d S*7c Sx4b+ Gx4b Bx7c+ Nx7c P*7d +P5h Gx5h Bx5h+ G*6h, but after +Bx6i Gx6i B*4g white has the better position. Morishita gives the variation 68.N*6c Sx3b+ Gx3b Bx6d S*7c Bx5c+ S*4b which is unclear. Why didn't Maruyama see all this? There is something strangely suicidal in his play in this game... 69.S4cx4b+ 07:57:00 05:36:00 70.G3bx4b 07:57:00 05:36:00 71.G*2b 07:57:00 05:36:00 72.K1bx2b 07:57:00 05:47:00 73.P4d-4c+ 07:57:00 05:47:00 74.S*3c? 07:57:00 05:48:00 The losing move. After 74.K3a +Px4b Kx4b Bx1a+ +P5h Gx5h Bx5h+ R6h +Bx6h Gx6h P*7e black is still better, but white at least has hope for attack himself. Maruyama took only one minute for 74.S*3c... From now on it is all Tanigawa. 75.+P4cx4b 08:05:00 05:48:00 76.R8bx4b 08:05:00 05:49:00 77.P3e-3d 08:05:00 05:49:00 78.S3c-4d 08:05:00 06:05:00 Here 78.G*4d is a little better, but after 79.Px3c+ Kx3c G*3e black still has on overwhelming position. 79.B5ex4d 08:06:00 06:05:00 80.R4bx4d 08:06:00 06:05:00 81.G*3e 08:06:00 06:05:00 82.+P4g-5h 08:06:00 06:11:00 83.G3ex4d 08:09:00 06:11:00 84.+P5hx6i 08:09:00 06:11:00 85.K7i-8h 08:09:00 06:11:00 86.P*3b 08:09:00 06:11:00 87.R*6b 08:11:00 06:11:00 Resigns 08:11:00 06:11:00 Black threatens mate with S*3c next and if white defends with 88.G*3a then the black attack becomes unstoppable after 89.S*4b. The final position tells it all: Tanigawa has four generals around his king and Maruyama has none and the silver on 8d looks terrible. Even more telling is the time that Maruyama still has left: 2 hours and 49 minutes! It is unclear what has come over Maruyama in this game, but he showed a complete lack of fighting spirit. Morishita even commented that he had never seen such a lackluster performance in a Meijin game before. With a mental attitude like that, Maruyama has no chance to defend his Meijin title. In other shogi news: ==================== * Ina became the first player to get out of the free class and into the C2 Junisen. He had been in limbo for a couple of years after ending third in the 3-dan league twice, which earned him a spot in the free class. If he didn't manage to promote to the C2 class within ten years, he would have to retire. For a while it looked like he wasn't good enough to make it, but halfway the season he suddenly caught fire, winning ten games in a row. Last week he got the final win he needed to meet the requirements of number of games played and winning average in a year. He had to suffer for it until the end as Ito No had a completely won position for most of the game, which was a semi-final of the 6th qualification group of the Ryu-O tournament. Resigning would not have been strange at some point, but Ina hung in there and after a grueling 210 moves, where Ito No even missed a forced mate, Ina got the biggest win of his shogi career. It seems he got it just too late to enter C2 this year, but from the 2002-2003 season he will finally be a full professional. * Yauchi had a very good start in the Ladies Osho match against Shimizu. She won a hineribisha game with black by turning a tiny advantage into a winning endgame. More than ever this was a mental victory, as Yauchi only has 4 wins out of 16 games against Shimizu, losing the last 7 games they played. Yauchi's first win against Shimizu in almost three years makes this Osho match suddenly much more interesting. 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