From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 22 feb 2002 Subject: These weeks in Shukan Shogi (no. 929 and 930, In this week's Shukan Shogi report two title match games between Habu and Sato: the first game of the Kio-sen and the third game of the Osho-sen. Sato won the first game of the Kio-sen in great style, but Habu managed to stop the rot by winning the third game of the Osho-sen. We will soon know how important this was to keep his titles. Here are the two games with comments: Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Kio 27th Kio-sen, Game 1, February 3rd 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:02:00 4.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:03:00 5.G6i-7h 00:03:00 00:03:00 6.P8d-8e 00:03:00 00:04:00 7.B8h-7g 00:03:00 00:04:00 8.P3c-3d 00:03:00 00:05:00 9.S7i-8h 00:03:00 00:05:00 10.S3a-4b 00:03:00 00:06:00 11.B7gx2b+ 00:07:00 00:06:00 12.G3bx2b 00:07:00 00:06:00 Sato is considered the leading expert in the Yagura, but that doesn't mean he only plays this opening with black. Recently, he has been using the Kakugawari (Bishop Exchange) quite a lot in important games. In the Junisen A class game against Habu and in the first game of the Kio challenger final against Goda he played this opening as well. So, Habu will not have been surprised. 13.S3i-3h 00:07:00 00:06:00 14.S7a-6b 00:07:00 00:06:00 15.P4g-4f 00:08:00 00:06:00 16.P6c-6d 00:08:00 00:07:00 17.S3h-4g 00:08:00 00:07:00 18.S6b-6c 00:08:00 00:08:00 19.K5i-6h 00:10:00 00:08:00 20.G6a-5b 00:10:00 00:16:00 21.P9g-9f 00:14:00 00:16:00 22.P9c-9d 00:14:00 00:17:00 23.P1g-1f 00:14:00 00:17:00 24.P1c-1d 00:14:00 00:18:00 25.S8h-7g 00:17:00 00:18:00 26.P7c-7d 00:17:00 00:20:00 27.P3g-3f 00:20:00 00:20:00 28.G2b-3b 00:20:00 00:24:00 29.G4i-5h 00:22:00 00:24:00 30.N8a-7c 00:22:00 00:30:00 31.N2i-3g 00:24:00 00:30:00 32.S4b-3c 00:24:00 00:32:00 33.S4g-5f 00:27:00 00:32:00 34.R8b-8a 00:27:00 00:33:00 35.P6g-6f 00:29:00 00:33:00 36.K5a-6b 00:29:00 00:34:00 A major surprise. Until now, Habu has only played the right side king against a black climbing silver attack. Playing it in a normal Kakugawari position is a first. 37.K6h-7i 00:32:00 00:34:00 38.P5c-5d 00:32:00 00:38:00 39.K7i-8h 00:33:00 00:38:00 40.K6b-7b 00:33:00 00:39:00 41.P2f-2e 00:43:00 00:39:00 42.G5b-6b 00:43:00 00:40:00 43.S5f-6g 01:20:00 00:40:00 44.G6b-5b 01:20:00 00:45:00 45.P5g-5f 01:23:00 00:45:00 46.G5b-6b 01:23:00 00:54:00 47.G5h-4h 01:46:00 00:54:00 48.G6b-5b 01:46:00 00:58:00 49.R2h-2g 01:46:00 00:58:00 50.G5b-6b 01:46:00 01:10:00 51.R2g-2i 01:46:00 01:10:00 52.G6b-5b 01:46:00 01:11:00 Habu is playing a psychological game here. He is playing with the white pieces and he is well ahead in time so he doesn't mind a sennichite. This puts a little pressure on Sato to open the game, but white's position is not easy to attack. 53.P5f-5e?! 01:51:00 01:11:00 The timing of the attack is good, as white's position with the gold on 5b is weaker than the position with the gold on 6b. After the game, Sato said that he felt quite confident when playing P5e, but that this confidence gradually faded later on. It probably would have been better to play 53.P1e first. The difference will become clear soon. 54.P5dx5e 01:51:00 01:12:00 55.P3f-3e 01:52:00 01:12:00 56.P3dx3e 01:52:00 01:34:00 57.N3g-4e 01:52:00 01:34:00 58.S3c-3d 01:52:00 01:36:00 59.P2e-2d 02:06:00 01:36:00 60.P4c-4d 02:06:00 01:58:00 61.P2dx2c+ 02:36:00 01:58:00 62.S3dx2c 02:36:00 02:00:00 63.P*3c 02:49:00 02:00:00 64.N2ax3c? 02:49:00 02:15:00 An important mistake. Habu should have stuck with his plan to kill the knight on 4e. Now this knight gets exchanged and black's attack succeeds. 64.G2b was the right move. Habu feared 65.B*3d after that, but 66.P*2d Bx5b+ Sx5b G*5c Px4e Gx5b K6c ends the black attack and white has the advantage. It is possible to play 65.P7e Px7e and then B*3d, but as long as black has no pawns, this attack is not very strong. This lack of pawns is the reason why Sato should have opened his attack with the sacrifice on the edge (53.P1e). In that case, black can take a pawn any time with Lx1e. The attack P7e Px7e B*3d is then good for black. 65.N4ex3c+ 02:49:00 02:15:00 66.G3bx3c 02:49:00 02:15:00 67.P1f-1e 02:49:00 02:15:00 68.P1dx1e 02:49:00 02:16:00 69.N*4g 02:49:00 02:16:00 70.N*4c 02:49:00 02:38:00 71.B*2b 03:00:00 02:38:00 Strong attack. White is in trouble. 72.S2c-3b? 03:00:00 02:40:00 This worsens white's position. 72.S2d was the only way to keep the game close. Then after 73.Lx1e Lx1e P4e B*1h Rx2d Gx2d B4d+ R*2h G5h black seems to be winning by one move. Black has a great promoted bishop on the vital square 4d and threatens an unstoppable attack with P*5d next. Also, his king is still defended by four generals. 73.P4f-4e 03:04:00 02:40:00 74.P4dx4e 03:04:00 02:41:00 75.L1ix1e 03:05:00 02:41:00 76.P4e-4f 03:05:00 03:01:00 No choice. 76.Lx1e P*4d is too severe. 77.P*3d 03:06:00 03:01:00 78.G3cx3d 03:06:00 03:03:00 79.N4gx5e 03:06:00 03:03:00 80.B*1h 03:06:00 03:03:00 81.N5ex6c+ 03:09:00 03:03:00 82.G5bx6c 03:09:00 03:03:00 83.R2i-5i 03:11:00 03:03:00 84.P*5d 03:11:00 03:10:00 85.B2bx1a+ 03:14:00 03:10:00 Black is now a full silver up and seems to be cruising to victory. Indeed, the position is a win for black, but it is a tribute to Habu's exceptional fighting spirit that he manages to keep making things difficult for Sato. 86.N4c-5e 03:14:00 03:12:00 87.S6g-5f 03:14:00 03:12:00 88.P4f-4g+ 03:14:00 03:17:00 89.S5fx4g 03:16:00 03:17:00 90.N5ex4g+ 03:16:00 03:20:00 91.G4hx4g 03:16:00 03:20:00 92.P8e-8f 03:16:00 03:26:00 93.P8gx8f 03:19:00 03:26:00 94.N*5e 03:19:00 03:29:00 95.G4g-5g 03:20:00 03:29:00 96.P*4f? 03:20:00 03:30:00 This ends all hope. 96.B4e+ was the only move. Then after 97.P*5f S*4h R5h Sx5g+ Rx5g +B4f is good for white. Better is 99.L*4i (after S*4h) but things are not so easy for black after 100.P*4g Lx4h Px4h+ R2i L*2c. 97.P*4h 03:23:00 03:30:00 98.B1h-4e+ 03:23:00 03:30:00 99.P*5f 03:36:00 03:30:00 100.P4f-4g+ 03:36:00 03:31:00 101.P4hx4g 03:36:00 03:31:00 102.S*4h 03:36:00 03:31:00 103.R5i-5h 03:36:00 03:31:00 104.S4hx5g+ 03:36:00 03:31:00 105.R5hx5g 03:36:00 03:31:00 The difference with the variation given after white's 96th move is that white can't play +B4f here. Moreover, black now also has the threat of L*4f which forces white to act quickly. 106.P*8g 03:36:00 03:31:00 107.K8hx8g 03:37:00 03:31:00 108.G*6g 03:37:00 03:31:00 109.R5gx6g! 03:38:00 03:31:00 The decisive move. 109.Gx6g would be a big mistake after 110.Nx6g+ Rx6g +Bx5f. 110.N5ex6g+ 03:38:00 03:31:00 111.G7hx6g 03:38:00 03:31:00 112.R*1i 03:38:00 03:31:00 113.S*7h 03:38:00 03:31:00 Now black is completely safe. 114.R1ix1e+ 03:38:00 03:33:00 115.+B1a-2b 03:38:00 03:33:00 116.G3d-3c 03:38:00 03:35:00 117.N*8e 03:41:00 03:35:00 118.P*8d 03:41:00 03:38:00 119.N8ex7c+ 03:50:00 03:38:00 120.G6cx7c 03:50:00 03:38:00 121.N*5g 03:53:00 03:38:00 122.+B4e-4d 03:53:00 03:39:00 123.P*3d 03:53:00 03:39:00 124.P*2a 03:53:00 03:39:00 125.+B2bx3c 03:53:00 03:39:00 126.S3bx3c 03:53:00 03:39:00 127.P3dx3c+ 03:53:00 03:39:00 128.L*8c 03:53:00 03:40:00 129.N*6e 03:53:00 03:40:00 130.P8d-8e 03:53:00 03:41:00 131.N6ex7c+ 03:58:00 03:41:00 Sato chooses the shortest route to victory. There is no need to mate here, but with 7 minutes left on the clock he takes 5 minutes to calculate all variations of a difficult tsume. 132.K7bx7c 03:58:00 03:41:00 133.N5g-6e 03:58:00 03:41:00 134.P6dx6e 03:58:00 03:41:00 135.G*6d 03:58:00 03:41:00 136.K7cx6d 03:58:00 03:44:00 137.P6fx6e 03:58:00 03:44:00 138.K6d-7c 03:58:00 03:45:00 139.G*6c 03:58:00 03:45:00 Resigns 03:58:00 03:45:00 Mate after 139.Kx6c S*6d K7b S*7c K6a L*6c P*6b Lx6b+ +Bx6b Sx6b+ Kx6b B*7c etc. or 139.K8b S*7c K9b L*9c Kx9c S*8b Rx8b Sx8b= Kx8b G*7c K9c Gx8c Kx8c R*7c etc. Another great victory for Sato after winning the first two games of the Osho match as well. He is making the great Habu look rather helpless in these games. Habu needs to regroup fast or he will suddenly find himself with three crowns instead of five... Black: Habu Yoshiharu, Osho White: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger 51st Osho-sen, Game 3, February 12th and 13th 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:09:00 3.P2g-2f 00:04:00 00:09:00 4.P5c-5d 00:04:00 00:10:00 5.P2f-2e 00:56:00 00:10:00 6.R8b-5b 00:56:00 00:15:00 Sato sticks with his game plan and plays Furibisha again, like in Game 1. This time an even more unusual variation: the Kondo-style Gokigen Nakabisha. Leaving the bishop diagonal open is the main feature of this opening. It has some pitfalls, but judging from the popularity of this opening among top professionals, it doesn't seem to be completely sound. 7.G6i-7h 00:57:00 00:15:00 8.K5a-6b 00:57:00 00:23:00 9.K5i-6i 01:08:00 00:23:00 10.K6b-7b 01:08:00 00:25:00 11.S3i-4h 01:10:00 00:25:00 12.S7a-6b 01:10:00 00:32:00 13.P4g-4f 02:00:00 00:32:00 14.B2b-3c 02:00:00 01:01:00 15.B8hx3c+ 02:27:00 01:01:00 16.N2ax3c 02:27:00 01:01:00 17.S7i-6h 02:27:00 01:01:00 18.R5b-2b 02:27:00 01:07:00 19.P7f-7e!? 02:43:00 01:07:00 A hard move to play, as this pawn is quite lonely out there. Supporting it with S7f will give white tactical chances with an open diagonal to the king and a bishop in hand. Still, this pawn move is going to be the reason for black's victory. 20.S3a-4b 02:43:00 01:27:00 21.S6h-7g 02:43:00 01:27:00 22.S4b-5c 02:43:00 02:29:00 23.K6i-7i 02:49:00 02:29:00 24.P4c-4d 02:49:00 02:57:00 25.K7i-8h 03:13:00 02:57:00 26.G4a-3b 03:13:00 03:06:00 27.G4i-5h 04:38:00 03:06:00 28.S5c-6d 04:38:00 03:34:00 29.S7g-7f 04:53:00 03:34:00 30.R2b-2a 04:53:00 03:38:00 31.S4h-4g 04:56:00 03:38:00 32.R2a-4a 04:56:00 04:00:00 33.P6g-6f 05:03:00 04:00:00 34.P4d-4e?! 05:03:00 04:40:00 A natural exchange to activate the rook, but one with a serious drawback. Better is probably 34.S5e. 35.P4fx4e 05:08:00 04:40:00 36.R4ax4e 05:08:00 04:42:00 37.B*2a! 05:20:00 04:42:00 Habu said he wasn't sure about this move and that he played it because there was nothing else. 38.B*4a! 05:20:00 05:44:00 Great reply. 38.P*4f S3f R4b P*4d B*4a P2d Px2d Rx2d Rx2d S3e! is good for black. This bishop is not only defending the gold on 3b, but it will also jump out to 1d, threatening to exchange two pieces for one on 4g. 39.P2e-2d 05:54:00 05:44:00 40.P2cx2d 05:54:00 05:44:00 41.R2hx2d 05:54:00 05:44:00 42.S6d-5c 05:54:00 05:45:00 43.B2ax3b+ 06:16:00 05:45:00 44.B4ax3b 06:16:00 05:45:00 45.R2d-2b+ 06:16:00 05:45:00 46.B3b-1d 06:16:00 05:45:00 There it is. 47.+R2bx1a 06:16:00 05:45:00 48.S6b-5a! 06:16:00 06:18:00 Sato is doing everything to stay in this game. Black is threatening a devastating attack with L*8f next. 48.S5a is the perfect defense against this. 49.L*4h! 07:00:00 06:18:00 In the press room variations like 49.+R2b S5b, 49.P*4f R2e +Rx1c B4a +Rx3c S5a-4b and 49.L*8f Rx4g+ Gx4g Bx4g+ R*4a B*6i were analyzed, but all these variations end with white on top. For a moment, it was thought that Sato had managed to turn the tables, but Habu's 49.L*4h made clear that this was not the case. This move gives up the option of L*8f, but defends against the captures on 4g and white can't move the rook to 2e as after 50.R2e +Rx1c B4a S3f both rook and bishop are attacked. 50.B1dx4g+ 07:00:00 07:16:00 51.L4hx4g 07:11:00 07:16:00 52.P*4f 07:11:00 07:17:00 53.B*2d 07:12:00 07:17:00 54.P4fx4g+ 07:12:00 07:21:00 55.B2dx3c+ 07:12:00 07:21:00 56.L*3a! 07:12:00 07:24:00 Sato is really opening his bag of tricks in this game. The simple 56.L*4b fails to 57.+Bx3d +Px5h N*8d Px8d G*8b and after both Kx8b +Bx6a and K6b +Bx6a Kx6a +R4a black wins. 56.S5c-4b also loses after +Bx3d +Px5h +Bx4e and even G*6h is not very frightening as the promoted bishop on 4e also works in defense. 57.+R1ax3a 07:33:00 07:24:00 58.S*4b 07:33:00 07:24:00 59.P7e-7d! 07:39:00 07:24:00 Habu follows suit with a great move to decide the game. This is the pawn that was pushed forward so daringly on move 19. 60.S4bx3a 07:39:00 07:49:00 No choice. 60.Px7d P*7c Nx7c P*7e wins for black. 61.P7dx7c+ 07:39:00 07:49:00 62.K7bx7c 07:39:00 07:49:00 63.+B3cx3d 07:39:00 07:49:00 Game over. This bishop works in attack and defense. 64.S5a-5b 07:39:00 07:50:00 65.L*7e 07:42:00 07:50:00 66.K7c-6b 07:42:00 07:51:00 67.+B3dx4e 07:42:00 07:51:00 68.+P4gx5h 07:42:00 07:53:00 69.R*8b 07:44:00 07:53:00 70.K6b-5a 07:44:00 07:53:00 71.L7e-7b+ 07:45:00 07:53:00 72.G*7a 07:45:00 07:57:00 73.+L7bx7a 07:48:00 07:57:00 74.G6ax7a 07:48:00 07:57:00 75.R8bx5b+ 07:48:00 07:57:00 76.K5ax5b 07:48:00 07:57:00 77.S*4d 07:48:00 07:57:00 Winning. White has no way to stop black's attack. 78.S3a-4b 07:48:00 07:59:00 79.P*4c 07:49:00 07:59:00 80.R*4i 07:49:00 07:59:00 81.P4cx4b+ 07:51:00 07:59:00 82.S5cx4b 07:51:00 07:59:00 83.+B4e-3d 07:51:00 07:59:00 84.P*4c 07:51:00 07:59:00 85.G*5c 07:51:00 07:59:00 Resigns 07:51:00 07:59:00 And mate after 86.Sx5c +Bx4c K6b +Bx5c K7c S*6b Gx6b +Bx6b Kx6b N*7d. White can avoid mate with 86.K6a, but then 87.Gx6c leads to a simple black win. Habu finally managed to win a title match game against Sato after three consecutive losses. If this is the start of a come-back that will safe his titles is another matter. He is still 1-2 down and needs to win game 4 to keep the momentum. In other shogi news: ==================== * A Junisen, round 8: Moriuchi-Morishita 1-0, Sato-Tanigawa 1-0, Kato-Habu 0-1, Senzaki-Fujii 0-1, Aono-Miura 0-1. With one round to play, things have cleared up in the A class. Moriuchi and Sato won, so they are the only two players with a chance to challenge Meijin Maruyama. Moriuchi has the edge with 7-1, but a difficult opponent in Fujii. Sato has 6-2 and needs to beat Morishita and hope for a Moriuchi mistake to force a play-off. At the other end of the table Miura took his last chance to stay in the league with a win over Aono. Despite this loss, Aono has already secured his spot for next year: quite a remarkable performance in such a strong class. Habu neat Kato to finally secure his place in the top division. Fujii did the same, but he will be disappointed that he never played a role in the challenger race. As for relegation, Senzaki, Kato and Miura all enter the final round with 2-6 scores and two of them will go down. Miura and Kato play in the final round and the loser will definitely be relegated. The winner of that game will also go down if Senzaki beats Habu in the final round. So there are still a lot of interesting games to be played on March 1st, as only the game between Tanigawa and Aono has no challenger or relegation consequences for either player. * B1 Junisen, round 12: Goda-Minami 1-0, Inoue-Takahashi 1-0, Kubo-Abe 0-1. With one round left to play, promotions from B1 have already been decided. Goda beat Minami to follow Shima back to the top division. Not a real surprise, although Kubo will be thinking about what could have been for a while. A loss in the first round against veteran Kiriyama threw him back from the beginning and he never got back into a promotion spot again. Against Abe he also had chances to win, but in the end his loss didn't matter as Goda promoted anyway. Still, this game might have some consequences for next year, as Abe now moves ahead of both Takahashi and Kubo and might be ranked third in the league next time. Anyway, for the first time in more than ten years no straight promotions for the first time players in B1. A class veterans Goda and Shima will be back next year. * B2 Junisen, round 9: Sato-Fukaura 0-1, Nakagawa-Namekata, Suzuki-Waki 1-0. Fukaura promotes to B1 with a perfect 9-0 score. Second place Nakagawa suffered a very painful loss and no longer has his promotion chances in his own hands. Suzuki can clinch promotion to B1 in the final round with a victory against veteran Ishida. With all respect for Ishida, I don't think this will be a big problem for former Ryu-O challenger Suzuki. * C1 Junisen, round 10: Kimura-Hatakeyama Mamoru 1-0, Yashiki-Nishimura 1-0. Kimura crowns a great season with a win against promotion rival Hatakeyama, resulting in a perfect 9-0 score and promotion to the B2 Junisen class. Hatakeyama falls back to 7-2, but he will get another chance to promote in the final round against Kobayashi Hiroshi. Not an easy game despite Kobayashi's abysmal 2-7 score so far. It's only Kobayashi's first year in this class and he is still young at 25. A loss against Hatakeyama will mean a relegation marker, so he will definitely try everything to win. If Hatakeyama loses, Yashiki will promote to B2. He already played 10 games and has an 8-2 score, but a lower Junisen ranking than Hatakeyama. No other players can promote this year. * C2 Junisen, round 9: Sakurai-Toyokawa 0-1, Matsuo-Masuda 1-0, Watanabe-Takano 1-0, Noda-Naganuma 0-1, Tamura-Iijima 1-0, Nakao-Yamamoto 1-0, Chuza-Oshima 1-0. Toyokawa and Matsuo extend their perfect score to nine games and promote to C1. Third place Takano loses against Watanabe and no longer has his chances for the third ticket to C1 in his own hands. This coveted position now belongs to Naganuma, who still has a very unpredictable last round opponent in Kondo. If he fails to win that game, Tamura, Takano, Nakao and Chuza (in that order) are waiting take his place. Still some drama to come in this class, I think. * Kisei league, group D: Hatakeyama Nariyuki scores a surprise victory against Fujii to join Habu, Kimura and Tanigawa in the challenger knock-out. Fujii will have to try again against another player with a 1-1 score. The same goes for Sato Yasumitsu, who won the survival game against Suzuki Daisuke in this group. * Oi leagues, 1st round: Kanezawa-Sato Yasumitsu 0-1 (White group), Matsuo-Maruyama 0-1, Yashiki-Kimura 0-1 (Red Group). 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