From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 25 may 2001 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 892, May 23rd 2001) This week in Shukan Shogi the final game of the Zen Nihon Pro Tournament match between Moriuchi and Tanigawa. Moriuchi won and that must have been a great relief after allowing Tanigawa back in the match after a 2-0 lead. On the other hand, this must have been a big disappointment for Tanigawa, who had chances to win this final game. Here is the game with comments: Black: Tanigawa Koji, 9-dan White: Moriuchi Toshiyuki, 8-dan 19th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament Game 5 May 15th 2001 1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00 Before the game, Moriuchi seemed a bit worried about being black or white. "Shuffle well and throw the pawns up high" he asked the time keeper Nojima (2-dan) on the evening before the game. Jokingly, I am sure, but I think he really wanted black in this game to be able to play as positively as possible after losing two games in a row. His hopes were dashed as the furigoma gave Tanigawa the black pieces. 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00 3.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 4.P4c-4d 00:00:00 00:00:00 5.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:00:00 6.B2b-3c 00:00:00 00:00:00 7.S3i-4h 00:00:00 00:00:00 8.P9c-9d 00:00:00 00:00:00 9.G4i-5h 00:01:00 00:00:00 10.P9d-9e 00:01:00 00:01:00 11.K5i-6h 00:01:00 00:01:00 12.R8b-4b 00:01:00 00:01:00 13.K6h-7h 00:01:00 00:01:00 14.S7a-7b 00:01:00 00:01:00 15.P5g-5f 00:02:00 00:01:00 16.G4a-5b 00:02:00 00:01:00 17.S4h-5g 00:06:00 00:01:00 18.S3a-3b 00:06:00 00:01:00 19.P3g-3f 00:06:00 00:01:00 20.K5a-6b 00:06:00 00:01:00 21.B8h-7g 00:06:00 00:01:00 22.P6c-6d 00:06:00 00:02:00 23.K7h-8h 00:06:00 00:02:00 24.P7c-7d 00:06:00 00:02:00 25.P6g-6f 00:07:00 00:02:00 26.N8a-7c 00:07:00 00:02:00 27.L9i-9h 00:09:00 00:02:00 28.K6b-7a 00:09:00 00:02:00 29.K8h-9i 00:09:00 00:02:00 30.G5b-6c 00:09:00 00:02:00 31.S7i-8h 00:09:00 00:02:00 32.K7a-8b 00:09:00 00:02:00 33.G6i-7i 00:10:00 00:02:00 34.P8c-8d 00:10:00 00:02:00 35.G5h-6h 00:20:00 00:02:00 36.P4d-4e 00:20:00 00:12:00 So far the game has developed in a similar fashion as game 4. Moriuchi with white plays the "Suzuki system", i.e. allowing black to build a full anaguma. Keeping the silver on 3b and opening the bishop diagonal with 36.P4e is a different way of playing against black's strong castle. 37.G6h-7h 00:26:00 00:12:00 38.P5c-5d 00:26:00 00:18:00 39.R2h-3h 00:40:00 00:18:00 40.B3c-4d 00:40:00 00:20:00 41.B7g-5i 00:45:00 00:20:00 42.S7b-8c 00:45:00 00:41:00 43.B5i-3g 00:49:00 00:41:00 44.G6a-7b 00:49:00 00:42:00 45.R3h-6h! 00:51:00 00:42:00 It is always difficult to attack from an anaguma position, but Tanigawa has found a good plan. If white doesn't do anything, black plays P6e Px6e Rx6e next and can easily develop his pieces. 46.K8b-9b 00:51:00 00:49:00 This move can't be helped. The king has to get out of the diagonal of the bishop and 46.K8a is not a very good alternative because of a future rook drop on the back rank. 47.R6h-4h! 00:57:00 00:49:00 Now Tanigawa switches the rook and there is nothing white can do against the following black attack in the center. 48.P1c-1d 00:57:00 00:53:00 49.P4g-4f 00:59:00 00:53:00 50.P4ex4f 00:59:00 00:53:00 51.R4hx4f 00:59:00 00:53:00 52.S3b-4c 00:59:00 00:53:00 53.R4f-4g! 01:04:00 00:53:00 The third good rook move in succession. The reasons why this rook should be on this unnatural square will soon become clear. 54.P1d-1e 01:04:00 01:01:00 55.P5f-5e 01:27:00 01:01:00 56.N2a-3c 01:27:00 01:29:00 With the black rook on 4g, it is hard for white to play 56.Px5e because of 57.S4f P5f and now black can continue his attack with S5e as the rook on 4g defends against the promotion of the pawn on 5g. Tanigawa has won the opening battle, but things are far from easy. 57.P*4e 01:33:00 01:29:00 58.B4d-7a 01:33:00 01:30:00 59.S5g-5f 01:34:00 01:30:00 60.R4b-4a 01:34:00 01:32:00 61.B3g-4f 01:47:00 01:32:00 Black has several options here, but decides to bring all his pieces into play. This looks very natural, but it is actually quite hard to break down white's position. 62.P*4d 01:47:00 01:38:00 63.N2i-3g 01:49:00 01:38:00 64.P4dx4e 01:49:00 02:08:00 65.N3gx4e 01:49:00 02:08:00 66.N3cx4e 01:49:00 02:08:00 67.S5fx4e 01:49:00 02:08:00 68.P5dx5e 01:49:00 02:08:00 69.B4fx5e 01:53:00 02:08:00 70.P*4d 01:53:00 02:08:00 71.S4e-5f 01:53:00 02:08:00 72.R4a-5a 01:53:00 02:09:00 73.P2e-2d 02:01:00 02:09:00 74.P2cx2d 02:01:00 02:11:00 75.P6f-6e 02:08:00 02:11:00 76.G6c-5d 02:08:00 02:19:00 Moving the gold out of the castle is not something white wants to do, but Moriuchi has no choice. 77.B5e-2h 02:15:00 02:19:00 78.G5dx6e 02:15:00 02:22:00 79.S5fx6e 02:15:00 02:22:00 80.N7cx6e 02:15:00 02:23:00 81.R4g-6g? 02:22:00 02:23:00 It looks like black has gotten everything he wanted. A strong castle, a good bishop and the exchange of knight and silver. Especially the white silver on 4c looks like a big difference between the two sides. However, 81.R6g is a mistake, probably caused by being a little overconfident about the strength of the anaguma castle. Giving white a free promotion of the rook is not good. After 81.N'5e instead, black still has a very good position after 82.S6d P'6b. If white doesn't respond to this, then either Rx4d or G'6a is good for black and if white takes the pawn on 6b, then P'6c is very painful. 82.R5a-5h+ 02:22:00 02:29:00 83.B2hx6d 02:22:00 02:29:00 84.P*6c 02:22:00 02:30:00 85.B6d-4b+? 02:24:00 02:30:00 The second mistake. Better was 85.Bx9a+ Kx9a Rx6e even though the game is still quite close then. After 85.B4b+ Tanigawa doesn't get another chance to win this game, but he does get another chance to win this match. 86.N6e-5g+ 02:24:00 02:31:00 87.R6g-6f 02:29:00 02:31:00 88.N*6g 02:29:00 02:37:00 89.G*6i 02:31:00 02:37:00 90.N6gx7i+ 02:31:00 02:37:00 91.G7hx7i 02:31:00 02:37:00 92.+R5hx8h 02:31:00 02:42:00 93.G7ix8h 02:31:00 02:42:00 94.G*6g 02:31:00 02:42:00 95.R6fx6g 02:34:00 02:42:00 96.+N5gx6g 02:34:00 02:42:00 97.P*6h 02:34:00 02:42:00 98.S*5h 02:34:00 02:44:00 99.G6ix5h 02:34:00 02:44:00 100.+N6gx5h 02:34:00 02:44:00 101.G*7h 02:36:00 02:44:00 102.R*6i 02:36:00 02:45:00 103.+B4bx4c 02:37:00 02:45:00 104.+N5hx6h 02:37:00 02:46:00 105.+B4cx3d? 02:37:00 02:46:00 Here Tanigawa should have cut his losses and try to go for sennichite: 105.Gx6h Rx6h+ S'7g +Rx7g Gx7g S'7i S'8h and it is hard to see how white can continue his attack. 106.S*7i 02:37:00 02:50:00 107.R*5b 02:42:00 02:50:00 108.P*5a! 02:42:00 02:55:00 Good move. 108.G'6g also looks winning, but with the black rook working on the fifth file, things are not easy. If black now plays 109.R3b+ then 110.G'6g followed by +Nx7h is winning, because neither N'8e or S'9d is a mating threat and +Bx6g +Nx6g doesn't help white at all. 109.R5bx7b+ 02:51:00 02:55:00 110.S8cx7b 02:51:00 02:55:00 111.N*8e 02:51:00 02:55:00 112.+N6hx7h 02:51:00 02:56:00 113.+B3dx7h 02:51:00 02:56:00 114.R*5h 02:51:00 02:56:00 115.S*9c 02:54:00 02:56:00 116.B7ax9c 02:54:00 02:56:00 117.N8ex9c+ 02:54:00 02:56:00 118.K9bx9c 02:54:00 02:56:00 119.B*7a 02:56:00 02:56:00 120.N*8b 02:56:00 02:57:00 121.B7ax4d+ 02:56:00 02:57:00 122.S7ix8h= 02:56:00 02:58:00 123.+B4dx8h 02:56:00 02:58:00 124.R5hx7h= 02:56:00 02:58:00 Interesting to a non-promotion of a rook at this level. Moriuchi is using every second of his remaining time to find a forced win and promoting a piece just takes a little more time. 125.+B8hx7h 02:56:00 02:58:00 126.B*5e 02:56:00 02:58:00 127.S*8h 02:56:00 02:58:00 128.S*7i 02:56:00 02:58:00 129.S*7g 02:56:00 02:58:00 130.S7ix8h+ 02:56:00 02:58:00 131.S7gx8h 02:56:00 02:58:00 132.S*7i 02:56:00 02:58:00 133.S*7g 02:56:00 02:58:00 134.G*6h 02:56:00 02:58:00 135.+B7hx6i 02:56:00 02:58:00 136.G6hx6i 02:56:00 02:58:00 137.R*5h 02:56:00 02:58:00 138.B*6g 02:56:00 02:59:00 This must have been the biggest moment for Moriuchi in this match. He has used his final minute to find a forced mate. 139.R5hx5e 02:56:00 02:59:00 140.S7ix8h= 02:56:00 02:59:00 141.S7gx8h 02:56:00 02:59:00 142.B6gx8i+ 02:56:00 02:59:00 143.K9ix8i 02:56:00 02:59:00 144.N*7g 02:56:00 02:59:00 Resigns 02:56:00 02:59:00 Mate after 145.Sx7g G'7i K9i G'8i or 145.K7h G'6h Kx7g G'6g K8f S'8e Rx8e Px8e Kx8e R'8d K9e K8c. With this win, Moriuchi wins the Zen Nihon Pro tournament for the second time. After the game he said that this time it meant much more to him than the first time. In part this is because of how the match developed with losing game three by overlooking a mate. However, when Moriuchi won the first time twelve years ago, he was only an 18 year old rookie and everything was just a great experience. At that time, he didn't realize how difficult it was to win a tournament like the Zen Nihon Pro tournament. After twelve years as a pro and quickly climbing up the ranks but still without one of the seven titles to his credit, this victory has gotten so much more importance. Also, he lost twice in straight games in the past three years (against Habu and Maruyama). Moriuchi is also the last winner of the Zen Nihon Pro tournament, as this tournament will become the Asahi Open starting next year. No less than ten amateurs will be given the chance to challenge the professionals in the new version of this tournament. These ten games will be played on the same day (a Sunday) to attract even more attention. Quite a lot of pressure on the professionals to show that they still belong in a class of their own. In other shogi news: ==================== * Goda is the challenger of Kisei Habu. In the final of the Kisei challenger tournament Goda beat Fukaura in what looked like a difficult game. Goda had a good opening with white, but the advantage was not so big and in the endgame it was really close. Only when Fukaura made a mistake in defense, Goda could convert his advantage into a winning position. Still, he had to be careful until the end, as he was only one move quicker. The Kisei match will start on June 16th. * Yashiki took a big step towards victory in the White group of the Oi leagues with a win against Hatakeyama. In a double anaguma game he showed that his positional understanding is a little better than that of his opponent, as he already felt quite comfortable with a position of which Hatakeyama thought it was just the start of the fighting. Yashiki was right and won his fourth straight game in the league. With one game to play, it is still possible that Fukaura (3-1) forces a play-off, but Yashiki only needs to beat winless Kanazawa to clinch the league victory for the third year in a row. The last two times he lost the challenger game against Tanigawa both times. This time Moriuchi will be his opponent so maybe it's three times lucky for Yashiki. 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