From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 29 nov 2001 Subject: These weeks in Shukan Shogi (no. 918 and 919, Last week I had again no time to make a report, so again two Shukan Shogi reports in one. Main event was of course the fourth game in the Ryu-O match between Fujii and Habu. Another very interesting game, won by Habu. It would be great if Fujii would be able to come back from 3-1 behind, as this would three more games like this. Here is game four with comments. Black: Fujii Takeshi, Ryu-O White: Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger 14th Ryu-O sen, Game 4, November 20th and 21st 2001 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:03:00 3.P6g-6f 00:03:00 00:03:00 4.S7a-6b 00:03:00 00:04:00 5.R2h-6h 00:06:00 00:04:00 6.K5a-4b 00:06:00 00:08:00 7.P1g-1f 00:08:00 00:08:00 8.K4b-3b 00:08:00 00:10:00 9.S3i-3h 00:17:00 00:10:00 10.P5c-5d 00:17:00 00:27:00 Only five days before this game, both players met in the fifth round of the A class Junisen. In that game, Habu played the Migishikenbisha (P6d followed by S6c, S7d and R6b) and won a very short and very wild game. In this game, Habu plays a more orthodox plan. 11.P1f-1e 00:57:00 00:27:00 12.S6b-5c 00:57:00 01:01:00 13.S7i-7h 01:38:00 01:01:00 14.G6a-5b 01:38:00 01:41:00 15.G6i-5h 02:01:00 01:41:00 16.P8c-8d 02:01:00 01:58:00 17.B8h-7g 02:10:00 01:58:00 18.P8d-8e 02:10:00 02:02:00 19.S7h-6g 02:21:00 02:02:00 20.B2b-3c 02:21:00 02:17:00 21.P4g-4f 02:36:00 02:17:00 22.K3b-2b 02:36:00 02:23:00 23.P3g-3f 02:38:00 02:23:00 24.P4c-4d 02:38:00 02:40:00 25.N2i-3g 02:45:00 02:40:00 26.G5b-4c 02:45:00 02:44:00 27.P6f-6e 02:47:00 02:44:00 28.G4a-3b 02:47:00 02:48:00 29.S3h-4g 02:51:00 02:48:00 30.L1a-1b 02:51:00 03:17:00 More than anything else, Habu seems to be playing a psychological game here. He is 2-1 up and playing white, so he is not under a lot of pressure to win this game. He has decided to face the Fujii system head on. Losing such a game would be a pity but not devastating. However, winning it would not only give him a 3-1 lead with three to play, but also send a message to Fujii that he can beat his famous system. Habu probably didn't find any technical way to fight Fujii's Furibisha opening, so psychology is his main weapon. 31.N3g-2e 02:57:00 03:17:00 32.B3c-4b 02:57:00 03:23:00 33.P4f-4e 02:57:00 03:23:00 34.P5d-5e 02:57:00 03:28:00 35.S4g-4f 03:02:00 03:28:00 36.P2c-2d 03:02:00 03:30:00 37.S4fx5e 03:03:00 03:30:00 38.P2dx2e 03:03:00 03:30:00 39.P4ex4d 03:03:00 03:30:00 40.G4c-3c 03:03:00 03:30:00 41.S6g-5f 03:05:00 03:30:00 42.P8e-8f 03:05:00 04:33:00 43.P8gx8f 03:10:00 04:33:00 44.S5cx4d 03:10:00 04:34:00 45.S5ex4d 03:12:00 04:34:00 46.B4bx8f 03:12:00 04:34:00 47.S4dx3c+ 03:12:00 04:34:00 48.N2ax3c 03:12:00 04:35:00 49.P*8e 03:33:00 04:35:00 This all looks pretty wild, but has actually been played a number of times before. Fujii and Habu also played this position before in television game in January 2000. Fujii won that game, but he was not happy with the way the opening went after 49.Bx8f Rx8f P*8h S*7i S*7g. In this game he plays 49.P*8e instead, sacrificing a pawn to pull the rook closer. 50.R8bx8e 03:33:00 05:25:00 51.S*8h 03:52:00 05:25:00 52.P*5e 03:52:00 05:29:00 53.S5f-4g 04:27:00 05:29:00 54.B8fx7g+ 04:27:00 05:49:00 55.N8ix7g 04:28:00 05:49:00 Fujii's idea. This knight now attacks the rook. After saving the rook it is black's turn to move. 56.R8e-8d 04:28:00 05:49:00 57.B*7e 05:21:00 05:49:00 58.R8d-7d 05:21:00 05:57:00 59.P*4d 05:24:00 05:57:00 60.P*4f 05:24:00 06:44:00 The first critical phase of the game. There are too many weaknesses in white's camp to play a patient game. 61.P4d-4c+ 07:06:00 06:44:00 61.Sx4f Rx4d P*4e R7d followed by B*2h next is good for white, so it was either P4c+ or S3h here. Therefore, more than anything, after the game Fujii regretted that he spent so much time on this move (102 minutes). Most of this time was spent on a move Habu didn't play and we will soon see that Fujii really could have used some extra minutes in the difficult endgame that is to follow. 62.P4fx4g+? 07:06:00 06:50:00 Played after only 6 minutes, but a mistake. Fujii feared this simple move, as black has no continuation after either 63.G*2c Kx2c B3a+ S*3b or 63.Sx4f S3b. 63.B7ex3a+! 07:12:00 06:50:00 Strong sacrifice. The attack with only generals is very dangerous. Black has the upper hand here. 64.G3bx3a 07:12:00 06:50:00 65.G5hx4g 07:12:00 06:50:00 66.S*2d 07:12:00 07:08:00 67.S*4b 07:16:00 07:08:00 68.G3ax4b 07:16:00 07:09:00 69.+P4cx4b 07:16:00 07:09:00 70.S*2c 07:16:00 07:11:00 71.G*4c 07:24:00 07:11:00 72.P*4f 07:24:00 07:13:00 Surprisingly, it is not so easy to finish off the white king. Habu even has time to put some pressure on his opponent. A tough decision here: attack or defend? 73.G*3b 07:49:00 07:13:00 In character, Fujii picks attack. 74.S2cx3b 07:49:00 07:13:00 75.+P4bx3b 07:49:00 07:13:00 76.K2b-2c 07:49:00 07:13:00 77.S*1a 07:52:00 07:13:00 Interesting way of using a silver in attack. It probably is the only move, but Habu might just survive anyway. The time difference here is a big factor: Fujii has only 8 minutes left for the rest of the game, while Habu still has 47 minutes. 78.P3d-3e 07:52:00 07:32:00 This endgame has so many variations that it is impossible to tell if this or 78.Sx1e is better. After 78.Sx1e +Px3c K2d S2b+ (a mating threat) N*1f G3g is also very difficult. 79.P3fx3e 07:52:00 07:32:00 80.S*3a! 07:52:00 07:33:00 Nice defensive sacrifice that gives white time to escape. Some thought that Habu would quickly win from here. However, this is far from over yet. 81.+P3bx3a 07:52:00 07:33:00 82.S2dx3e 07:52:00 07:33:00 83.S*3f? 07:52:00 07:33:00 Ouchi (9-dan), who is famous for his endgame strength, pointed out that 83.G3f is probably good for black. 83.G3f 84.Sx3f 85.S*3e is not a mating threat, but puts the white king in so much danger that white can't even afford to give black a knight. Moreover, 86.P4g+ is not a mating threat, so this will not help. Habu planned to play 86.G*3d, but after 87.S2b+ Kx2b Sx3d Rx3d G*3b K2c G3bx3c Rx3c Gx3c Kx3c R*3b K4d Rx3f+ black wins. 84.K2c-3d? 07:52:00 07:37:00 White has dodged a bullet, but this is making things very complicated again. Correct was pulling back the silver with 84.S2d and black has no moves to continue his attack. 85.S3fx3e 07:52:00 07:37:00 86.K3dx4c 07:52:00 07:37:00 87.P*4d 07:54:00 07:37:00 88.K4c-5b 07:54:00 07:40:00 89.S3ex4f 07:54:00 07:40:00 Habu has escaped but is still without much of a defense while Fujii's position is quite solid. It is hard to say who is better here. 90.B*8i 07:54:00 07:47:00 91.P6e-6d 07:56:00 07:47:00 92.G*6g 07:56:00 07:53:00 93.R6h-3h 07:56:00 07:53:00 94.P*3d 07:56:00 07:53:00 95.P4d-4c+ 07:56:00 07:53:00 96.K5b-6b 07:56:00 07:54:00 97.K5i-4h 07:56:00 07:54:00 98.P2e-2f 07:56:00 07:54:00 99.P2gx2f 07:56:00 07:54:00 100.R7dx7f 07:56:00 07:54:00 101.P*8d 07:58:00 07:54:00 102.R7f-8f 07:58:00 07:54:00 103.R3hx3d 07:59:00 07:54:00 104.R8fx8h+ 07:59:00 07:56:00 105.P*7h? 07:59:00 07:56:00 This is a standard pawn sacrifice to either block the rook or the bishop, but here it is a blunder. After the simple 105.K3g, Habu planned to play 106.Gx5g. Black can win after 107.Gx5g Bx3d+ S*5c K7a P*7b Kx7b G*8c K6a S5b=, but after 107.Gx5g white has a complicated mate starting with 108.P*3f. Habu thought this was his best winning chance, but he also saw that objectively jishogi is the most likely outcome after 107.+P5c Kx5c Rx3c+ K6d Gx5g K7e. If only Fujii would have had a couple of minutes more here... 106.G*2g! 07:59:00 07:56:00 Of course. Now the black king can't escape up the board anymore. 107.P6dx6c+ 07:59:00 07:56:00 108.K6bx6c 07:59:00 07:56:00 109.G4g-3g 07:59:00 07:56:00 110.+R8hx7h 07:59:00 07:56:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:56:00 111.S*5h is mate after Gx5h Gx5h +Rx5h Kx5h N*6f etc. and after 111.K4g P*3e black has no defense. Another hard battle between Habu and Fujii, but despite all this good and interesting shogi Habu now has comfortable lead of 3-1 in this match. It seems very likely that he will add an extra crown to the four he already holds. Fujii is very tough, but winning three games in a row against Habu.... In other shogi news: ==================== * A Junisen, round 5: Moriuchi-Aono 1-0, Fujii-Habu 0-1, Miura-Tanigawa 0-1 (after 198 moves!). Moriuchi leads with 5-0, followed by Tanigawa at 4-1. Sato can join Tanigawa in second place if he beats Kato. On the other end of the table, Habu got himself out of trouble for the moment as he joins Fujii at 2-3. Aono and Miura are at the bottom of the league with 1-4. They will be fighting for survival with Senzaki, who also has only a single win from five games. * B2 Junisen, round 6: Hatakeyama Nariyuki-Fukaura 0-1, Nakagawa-Urano 1-0, Ariyoshi-Suzuki 0-1, Naito-Namekata 1-0 (!), Tsukada-Tosa 1-0, Kitahama-Kobayashi 1-0. Fukaura and Nakagawa lead with 6-0. Only Tsukada and Suzuki Daisuke have a small chance to promote with 4-2 and a higher Junisen position than the two leaders. Kitahama, Tosa and Namekata also have 4-2, but because of their low position in the class, they are actually three games behind with four rounds to play. * C1 Junisen, round 6: Kimura-Shoshi 1-0, Kobayashi(6d)-Hatakeyama Mamoru 0-1, Horiguchi-Sanada 0-1, Ogura-Kitajima 1-0, Nakata Isao-Kobayashi(5d) 1-0, Sugimoto-Yashiki 0-1. Kimura leads with 6-0, followed by Hatakeyama, Sanada, Ogura, and Nakata Isao at 5-1. Still hope for promotion have Yashiki at 5-2 and Sugimoto, Hiura, Kitajima, Kanzaki and Manabe with 4-2. * C2 Junisen, Round 6: Ito Hatasu-Toyokawa 0-1, Matsuo-Kondo 1-0, Ito No-Naganuma 0-1, Tamura-Hashimoto 0-1, Yamamoto-Noda 1-0, Kosaka-Takano 1-0, Yamasaki-Sasaki 1-0. Toyokawa and Matsuo remain undefeated with 6-0. Naganuma, Tamura, Yamamoto, Takano, Yamasaki and Ito No still have good chances to promote with 5-1. * Osho league: Sato-Kubo 1-0, Yonenaga-Goda 0-1, Nakahara-Sato 0-1. In the round robin league of 7 players, Sato leads with 4-0. His only rival seems to be Kubo at 3-1. Goda only has a theoretical chance with 3-2. 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