From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 9 aug 2002 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 953, July 31st 2002) In this Shukan Shogi report the second game of the Oi match between Habu and Tanigawa and some other shogi news. Tanigawa played another outstanding game to take game two as well. Surprisingly is the lack of resistance that Habu is able to give the steamrolling Tanigawa. Here is the game with comments: Black: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oi 43rd Oi-sen, Game 2, July 23rd and 24th 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:04:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:04:00 4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:07:00 5.P2f-2e 00:03:00 00:07:00 6.P8d-8e 00:03:00 00:07:00 7.G6i-7h 00:03:00 00:07:00 8.G4a-3b 00:03:00 00:12:00 9.P2e-2d 00:05:00 00:12:00 10.P2cx2d 00:05:00 00:12:00 11.R2hx2d 00:05:00 00:12:00 12.P8e-8f 00:05:00 00:28:00 13.P8gx8f 00:05:00 00:28:00 14.R8bx8f 00:05:00 00:28:00 15.R2dx3d 00:06:00 00:28:00 16.B2b-3c 00:06:00 00:33:00 Some expected Habu to strike back with either the Shikenbisha or a Kondo-style Nakabisha of his own. If he would win such a game, this would wipe out the psychological advantage Tanigawa got from his comfortable win in the opening game of this match. Instead, Habu plays the Yokofudori, the other popular white opening. 17.K5i-5h 00:32:00 00:33:00 18.K5a-4a 00:32:00 00:48:00 19.P3g-3f 01:20:00 00:48:00 A new move that Aono played against Tanigawa in their A class Junisen game. Aono won that game and Tanigawa must have been impressed by the impact of this move or he wouldn't have tried it himself here. For good measure, it should be added that the position is slightly different. In the Aono-Tanigawa game, the white king was still on 5a and the white silver on 2b. 20.G6a-5a 01:20:00 02:03:00 Habu took 75 minutes for this move. It may be that he thought that 19.P3f was not good with the king on 4a, but that seeing the actual position in front of him he lost confidence. Be that as it may, both players now advance very cautiously. 21.N2i-3g 01:31:00 02:03:00 22.S7a-6b 01:31:00 02:23:00 23.S3i-3h 02:16:00 02:23:00 24.S3a-2b 02:16:00 02:37:00 25.R3d-3e 02:50:00 02:37:00 26.R8f-8d 02:50:00 03:27:00 27.R3e-2e 03:39:00 03:27:00 28.P7c-7d 03:39:00 03:45:00 An alternative is 28.P5d. Then 29.P*8g P5e B6f R5d is a normal development, but Habu didn't think that such a "dull" variation would be a good idea. Instead, he aims at developing the knight. 29.P*8e!? 04:05:00 03:45:00 The sealed move after on 29 moves. Like in game 1, both Habu and Tanigawa take their time in the opening. 29.P*8e is a risky move, as this pawn becomes a point of attack after the simple 30.R8b. Therefore, in the press room 29.P*8g was expected. Tanigawa didn't like the fact that white can then move the rook to the centre without any problems. 30.R8d-8b 04:05:00 03:51:00 31.N8i-7g 04:07:00 03:51:00 The theme of the position is now clear. Black has developed both of his knights and if he can use them actively for attack he will win. On the other hand, if white is able to activate his rook by capturing the pawn on 8e he will win. 32.B3c-4d 04:07:00 04:28:00 33.P9g-9f 04:39:00 04:28:00 34.N2a-3c 04:39:00 04:49:00 35.R2e-2d 04:41:00 04:49:00 36.P6c-6d 04:41:00 05:38:00 37.P4g-4f 05:01:00 05:38:00 38.P7d-7e 05:01:00 06:12:00 39.G7h-8g 05:22:00 06:12:00 40.P7ex7f 05:22:00 06:13:00 41.G8gx7f 05:22:00 06:13:00 42.P*7e 05:22:00 06:15:00 43.G7f-8f 05:22:00 06:15:00 Putting the gold here is not pretty, but the black position is actually quite strong and white has problems to find any attack. For example, aiming at the head of the knight with 44.R7b fails to 45.P8d P7f P8c+ and the black promoted pawn is faster. 44.S6b-6c? 05:22:00 06:16:00 Probably the wrong decision. The alternative is to go after the black rook with 44.P*2e. Then after 45.S7h S2c Rx4d Px4d Gx7e K3a P8d S7c white has two clear plans with Sx8d and P2f followed by P2g+ and R*2i. On the other hand, the black attack is far from clear. Habu dismissed P*2e almost on sight as a bad looking move, but had to admit after the game that there was more to it than he thought at first: "With a rook in hand, a number of nice things become possible". 45.R2d-2i 05:46:00 06:16:00 Tanigawa acknowledges the danger and pulls the rook back into his own position. 46.S6c-5d 05:46:00 06:24:00 47.P*7d 05:53:00 06:24:00 48.P*8g 05:53:00 06:38:00 49.G8fx8g 05:54:00 06:38:00 50.R8b-7b 05:54:00 06:38:00 51.P8e-8d 06:26:00 06:38:00 52.R7bx7d 06:26:00 06:38:00 53.N7g-8e 06:26:00 06:38:00 54.P7e-7f 06:26:00 06:51:00 55.B8hx4d 06:29:00 06:51:00 56.P4cx4d 06:29:00 06:51:00 57.P*2c 06:29:00 06:51:00 58.S2b-3a 06:29:00 06:52:00 59.P*7e 06:29:00 06:52:00 60.R7dx8d 06:29:00 06:55:00 61.G8gx7f 06:29:00 06:55:00 62.P*3e 06:29:00 06:56:00 63.N3g-2e 06:37:00 06:56:00 64.P*2d 06:37:00 07:02:00 65.N2ex3c+ 06:39:00 07:02:00 66.G3bx3c 06:39:00 07:02:00 67.P3fx3e 06:39:00 07:02:00 68.B*8g 06:39:00 07:25:00 And black looks in trouble, as 69.G6f is answered by 70.P6e P*8h Px6f Px8g Px6g+ Kx6g R6d and the white attack looks unstoppable. 69.N*6h! 06:49:00 07:25:00 Good defence based on the fact that 70.Bx7f+ Nx7f Rx8e fails to B*7d. 70.P*8h 06:49:00 07:30:00 No choice. Black threatened to win the bishop with P*8h. 71.P6g-6f! 07:12:00 07:30:00 The second blow. Now black threatens to win the rook again with G7g. 72.S5d-5e 07:12:00 07:38:00 73.P3e-3d 07:16:00 07:38:00 74.G3cx2c 07:16:00 07:41:00 75.P*2e 07:19:00 07:41:00 76.P8h-8i+ 07:19:00 07:49:00 77.P*8h 07:23:00 07:49:00 78.+P8ix8h 07:23:00 07:50:00 79.S7ix8h 07:23:00 07:50:00 80.B8g-7h+ 07:23:00 07:50:00 81.P2ex2d 07:23:00 07:50:00 82.G2cx3d 07:23:00 07:51:00 83.S8h-8g! 07:27:00 07:51:00 Tanigawa has thus far played the game rather quietly, a little bit in Maruyama style. Finally, the time is come to show some typical Tanigawa endgame fireworks. White has no choice but too accept this sacrifice, even though it means a speed-up of the black attack and a slowing down of his own attack. 84.+B7hx8g 07:27:00 07:52:00 85.B*2c 07:27:00 07:52:00 86.K4a-5b 07:27:00 07:52:00 87.B2cx3d+ 07:27:00 07:52:00 88.S*4c 07:27:00 07:52:00 89.+B3d-2e 07:32:00 07:52:00 90.P*2b 07:32:00 07:54:00 91.G*7d 07:41:00 07:54:00 92.R8d-8b 07:41:00 07:54:00 93.P*8d 07:43:00 07:54:00 94.P*7g 07:43:00 07:54:00 95.P8d-8c+ 07:46:00 07:54:00 96.P7g-7h+ 07:46:00 07:54:00 97.G7d-6c! 07:47:00 07:54:00 Another Tanigawa special. The simple 97.+Px8b is a mistake as after 98.+Px6h K4h +Bx7f black is suddenly in trouble. Because the bishop on 7f defends the silver on 4c, the gold sacrifice on 6c is no longer possible. In contrast, if white takes the gold (97.G6c 98.Kx6c), then after 99.+Bx4c the gold on 7f is defended. On top of this, 100.Rx8c fails to S*7d and black wins. 98.K5b-4b 07:47:00 07:56:00 99.+P8cx8b 07:51:00 07:56:00 100.+P7hx6h 07:51:00 07:56:00 101.K5h-4h 07:51:00 07:56:00 102.+B8gx7f 07:51:00 07:56:00 103.P*3d 07:51:00 07:56:00 The decider. The white king has no hope of escape anymore. 104.S5ex4f? 07:51:00 07:56:00 The last fighting chance was 104.S3a-3b and hope for a miracle after 105.R*7a N6a R7b+ K3a. Now the game is over quickly. 105.P2d-2c+ 07:53:00 07:56:00 106.P2bx2c 07:53:00 07:57:00 107.+B2e-1e 07:53:00 07:57:00 108.N*2d 07:53:00 07:59:00 109.R2ix2d 07:53:00 07:59:00 110.P2cx2d 07:53:00 07:59:00 111.+B1ex2d 07:53:00 07:59:00 Resigns 07:53:00 07:59:00 Mate after 112.K4a +Bx5a Kx5a R*6a Kx6a G*6b or 112.K3b P3c+ K2a P*2b etc. A perfect game by Tanigawa, who takes an unexpected 2-0 lead in the match. More than that, he has completely outplayed Habu in both games and seems to be in top shape. Habu on the other hand, seems to be seriously lacking in fighting spirit, not even coming close to using his magical endgame skills. He must regroup fast, or he will find himself stripped from another title quickly. In other shogi news: ================ * In the challenger finals of the Ryu-O tournament, the game between Nakata Hiroki (2nd place in group 3) and Nozuki (winner group 4) was played. The game was a Yokofudori game that followed the final game of the Meijin match between Tanigawa and Maruyama for a long time. Nakata was the first to play an improvement of black's play and got the early lead as a reward. A mistake by Nozuki increased the lead and in the end Nakata won without too much trouble. He will now meet Morishita for a place in the semi-finals. * In the A class the final game of the second round was played between Maruyama and Shima. Shima had won his first game against Fujii and Maruyama lost his first game against Sato, but much more impact had the score in the previous encounters between these two players: Maruyama-Shima 10-0 ! This must be the only match-up between two top class professionals where one has won all their games. With a score like that it is hard to focus and it seems like that is what happened in this game as Maruyama won in great style. Shima still seems very far away from beating his worst nightmare. Because of this result, only Miura has two wins from games. He is followed by everyone except Morishita, who started with two losses. This year's Meijin challenger race promises to be an extremely tight one. * In B1 the third round was played and Kubo is the only player left with a perfect score as Abe lost to Inoue and Fukaura lost to Kamiya. It could well have been that there were no undefeated players left, as Kubo was lucky to win his game against Tanaka. After Kubo got the early lead, Tanaka fought himself back in the game and into a winning position, only to nullify all these efforts with a defensive mistake in the late endgame. Kubo is followed by Senzaki (who beat Kato after a sennichite replay), Abe, Inoue, Nakamura, Fukaura and Suzuki. Early problems for A class veterans Takahashi and Tanaka, who are still looking for their first win. * In B2 the second round was played and only 5 players are undefeated: Nakagawa, Kitahama, Hatakeyama Nariyuki, Izumi and Mori. Kimura lost his second game in a row and seems to be out of the promotion race already. Namekata recovered from his loss in the first round with a victory against Nishimura, but still has a lot of work to do to promote to B1. I still think he has a pretty good chance, as only Nakagawa seems to be a likely promotion candidate among the five leaders. Saddest loser of this second round was probably Sato Shuji, who overlooked a mate against Mori. * In C1 also the second round was played. Yashiki did it again: losing in an early stage of the Junisen season. The former title holder, who has been swamped in C1 for more than 10 years, lost his second round game against promotion rival Nozuki and again finds himself behind the leaders early. He now has nine players in front him with two wins: Ariyoshi, Nakata Isao, Hiura, Sugimoto, Kitajima, Nozuki, Horiguchi, Matsuo and Kobayashi Hiroshi (5-dan). Quite a lot of promotion favourites among these nine (Sugimoto, Nozuki, Horiguchi, Matsuo), so things are already looking quite bleak for Yashiki. Another problem is that of these leaders, he will only play Hiura (in the next round), so he will have no chance to beat his rivals. He can only win, wait and hope. -- 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