From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 28 jun 2002 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 947 and 948, June 19th and 26th 2002) This week in Shukan Shogi the first game of the Kisei match between Goda and Sato. Goda won a very exciting game that could have gone either way, so he has the perfect start to defend his Kisei title. Here is the game with comments: Black: Goda Masataka, Kisei White: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger 73rd Kisei-sen, Game 1, June 12th 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 Even though both Goda and Sato have played numerous title matches and have taken a couple of titles each, this is the first time they play each other in a title match. If this first game is an indication of what a Goda-Sato match is going to be like, I hope they will play many more. 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00 3.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:00:00 4.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:08:00 5.S7i-6h 00:10:00 00:08:00 6.P3c-3d 00:10:00 00:08:00 7.S6h-7g 00:10:00 00:08:00 8.S7a-6b 00:10:00 00:08:00 9.S3i-4h 00:10:00 00:08:00 10.K5a-4a 00:10:00 00:09:00 11.K5i-6i 00:10:00 00:09:00 12.P5c-5d 00:10:00 00:09:00 13.G4i-5h 00:10:00 00:09:00 14.S3a-4b 00:10:00 00:09:00 15.P4g-4f 00:10:00 00:09:00 The first surprise. Even though this move has been played more than 20 times in the past, the last time it was played was more than three years ago (January 1999) in a Ryu-O tournament game between Toyokawa and Hatakeyama Mamoru. However, if we disregard this game, we have to go back to 1992 to find a period when this move was actually played with some regularity. It is hard to say if Goda actually prepared something as Sato changes his plans to play Yagura almost immediately. Maybe Goda just wanted to avoid Sato's famous opening preparation. 16.P7c-7d 00:10:00 00:25:00 17.S4h-4g 00:10:00 00:25:00 18.S6b-5c 00:10:00 00:26:00 19.P6g-6f 00:28:00 00:26:00 20.G6a-5b 00:28:00 01:04:00 21.P2g-2f 00:59:00 01:04:00 22.P4c-4d 00:59:00 01:06:00 23.B8h-7i 01:08:00 01:06:00 24.P6c-6d 01:08:00 01:38:00 25.P2f-2e 01:22:00 01:38:00 26.B2b-3c 01:22:00 01:39:00 27.P3g-3f 01:24:00 01:39:00 28.S4b-4c 01:24:00 01:39:00 The Gangi (Snow Roof) castle. This castle gives a better defence against the attack with P4e. Still, the attacks P4e and P6e are the main plans for black and white. To support this attack, both players therefore take the time to move their bishops to 2f and 8d respectively. 29.B7i-6h 01:25:00 01:39:00 30.P8d-8e 01:25:00 01:39:00 31.B6h-5i 01:33:00 01:39:00 32.B3c-5a 01:33:00 01:39:00 33.S4g-5f 01:34:00 01:39:00 34.K4a-3a 01:34:00 01:46:00 35.B5i-2f 01:48:00 01:46:00 36.B5a-8d 01:48:00 01:48:00 37.P4f-4e 01:56:00 01:48:00 38.P4dx4e 01:56:00 02:08:00 39.S5fx4e 01:56:00 02:08:00 40.N2a-3c 01:56:00 02:10:00 41.S4e-5f 02:24:00 02:10:00 42.N8a-7c 02:24:00 02:14:00 43.K6i-7i 02:36:00 02:14:00 44.P6d-6e 02:36:00 02:38:00 45.P6fx6e 02:41:00 02:38:00 46.R8b-6b 02:41:00 02:38:00 47.G5h-6g 02:43:00 02:38:00 48.N7cx6e 02:43:00 02:47:00 49.S7g-6f?! 02:43:00 02:47:00 The first important point of the game. 49.S6f turns this into a very wild game where black is forced to defend. Even though this doesn't necessarily mean that the following variation is bad for black, defending is more difficult than attacking, especially in a game with limited thinking time (4 hours per player in the Kisei). After the game Sato said he was worried about 49.P*6f. After 50.Nx7g+ Nx7g P*4d N6e S6d white will find it difficult to get a good attack going on the 6th file. Goda agreed that 49.P*6f would probably have been better. 50.B8dx6f 02:43:00 02:48:00 51.G6gx6f 02:43:00 02:48:00 52.N6ex5g+ 02:43:00 02:48:00 53.P*6e 02:43:00 02:48:00 54.R6b-6a?! 02:43:00 03:10:00 This returns the initiative to black. White had a difficult decision to make, though, as black strongly threatened B*7a followed by either Bx6b+ or Bx5c+. Going for the mutual attack with 54.P*4f fails because of 55.B*7c and saving the rook is followed by Bx4f+. White's best move was 54.P*4d. After this, Sato feared 55.B3g, but white can keep the initiative after 56.+Nx5f Gx5f S*5e. 55.P3f-3e 03:03:00 03:10:00 Now we get an all-out fighting game with an outcome that is impossible to predict. 56.P*6h 03:03:00 03:24:00 57.P*4d 03:32:00 03:24:00 58.S5cx4d 03:32:00 03:24:00 59.P3ex3d 03:32:00 03:24:00 60.N3c-4e 03:32:00 03:27:00 61.P*4f 03:44:00 03:27:00 62.P6h-6i+ 03:44:00 03:38:00 63.K7ix6i 03:44:00 03:38:00 64.S4d-5e 03:44:00 03:40:00 65.S5fx5e 03:44:00 03:40:00 66.P*6g 03:44:00 03:41:00 67.P4fx4e 03:57:00 03:41:00 68.S*6h 03:57:00 03:46:00 69.G7hx6h 03:57:00 03:46:00 70.P6gx6h+ 03:57:00 03:46:00 71.R2hx6h 03:57:00 03:46:00 72.+N5gx6h 03:57:00 03:46:00 73.K6ix6h 03:57:00 03:46:00 74.R*2h 03:57:00 03:46:00 75.B*4h 03:57:00 03:46:00 76.P*4g? 03:57:00 03:57:00 Shogi is a frightening game. Even though this looks like a very strong move, it is actually too slow! White should have played 76.Px5e and after 77.S*3c there is the brilliant 78.S*5i! and now 79.Kx5i P*4g is a mating threat. As black also has all kinds of attacking moves like S*2b or Sx3b+ Sx3b S*2b it is impossible to say if this variation is actually winning for white. However, with both players having only three minutes left, this would have been a very difficult position to play for black. 77.S*3i! 03:57:00 03:57:00 Great defence. This gives black the time he needs. 78.R2hx2i+ 03:57:00 03:57:00 79.N*4d 03:58:00 03:57:00 80.P4gx4h+ 03:58:00 03:58:00 81.N4dx3b+ 03:58:00 03:58:00 82.S4cx3b 03:58:00 03:58:00 83.B2f-4d 03:58:00 03:58:00 Threatens mate after G*2b. Black seems to be winning easily, but... 84.B*7i! 03:58:00 03:59:00 The only move. After 84.B*3e Bx3e +Rx3i black can play B*4d! and the bishop on 3e is actually defending against the white mate. Furthermore 84.B*9e fails to the nice defensive sacrifice 85.S*8f and 86.Px8f leads to (a rather long) mate after 87.G*2b. 85.K6hx7i 03:59:00 03:59:00 No choice. 85.K7g +R2g N*6g Px5e is a mating threat that defends against the white mating threat by creating an escape for the white king to 5d. 86.+R2ix3i 03:59:00 03:59:00 87.N*6i 03:59:00 03:59:00 88.P*3c 03:59:00 03:59:00 89.P3dx3c+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 90.S3bx3c 03:59:00 03:59:00 91.P*3b 03:59:00 03:59:00 92.K3a-2a 03:59:00 03:59:00 93.S*3a 03:59:00 03:59:00 94.N*2b? 03:59:00 03:59:00 Tough to have to play this in byoyomi, but this is the decisive mistake. Correct was 94.S*2b and Bx3c+ Sx3c leads to nothing for black. If black takes the silver with 95.Sx2b+ then after 96.Sx2b S*3a white has the choice between settling for sennichite with S*3c or taking the risk and try to win with P*3c. 95.B4dx3c+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 96.+R3ix3c 03:59:00 03:59:00 97.B*4d 03:59:00 03:59:00 98.S*6h 03:59:00 03:59:00 99.K7ix6h 03:59:00 03:59:00 100.+P4h-5h 03:59:00 03:59:00 101.K6h-7h 03:59:00 03:59:00 102.+P5h-6h 03:59:00 03:59:00 103.K7hx6h 03:59:00 03:59:00 104.+R3c-3h 03:59:00 03:59:00 105.P*5h 03:59:00 03:59:00 106.P*3c 03:59:00 03:59:00 107.S*4g! 03:59:00 03:59:00 A fine move to decide this game. White can't take this silver because 108.+Rx4g Sx2b+ Kx2b N*3d Kx3b Bx3c+ Kx3b S*4d leads to mate. The white promoted rook needs to stay on the 3rd file to defend against N*3d. 108.+R3h-3i 03:59:00 03:59:00 109.G*3h 03:59:00 03:59:00 Now white has to give up the defence of 3d. 110.B*5i 03:59:00 03:59:00 111.K6h-6g 03:59:00 03:59:00 112.P5dx5e 03:59:00 03:59:00 Creates an escape square for the white king to 5d, but this is not a mating threat, so... 113.B4dx3c+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 114.G*6h 03:59:00 03:59:00 115.K6g-7g 03:59:00 03:59:00 Resigns 03:59:00 03:59:00 No mate (116.Gx6i K8h) and no defence, so Sato resigned. A great fighting game, showing that both players are completely at ease with playing on the big stage. The gloves are off right from the start and this promises to be a great Kisei match. It is a pity that a Kisei match only has a maximum of five games... In other shogi news =================== * We have another Habu-Tanigawa match coming up this summer, as Tanigawa beat Sato in the challenger game of the Oi tournament. It was a close game that Tanigawa won with a one move difference. Surprisingly, it's been almost one and a half year since Habu and Tanigawa played a title match for the last time (the 50th Osho match in January 2001). Tanigawa has had a quiet year, but his recent form is excellent and he seems ready to give Habu a good run for his money in the Oi match which starts on July 12th. * In the A class it seems like Habu will again have a very tough time to challenge for the Meijin as he again dropped his opening game. Tanigawa played a fine game, getting a good start in his quest for another Meijin title. It is hard to imagine Habu dropping out of the A class, but to have a chance of challenging this year he will have to win his next two games against Sato and Maruyama. Miura got a good start as well with a win against Aono. Last year Miura needed help from Habu to stay in the top division, maybe this year he is able to play a role in the challenger race. To do this, he will have to play better than in his game against Aono, as he was with his back against the wall for the most part. * In B1 there were no surprises in the first round. Both first timers Fukaura and Suzuki won, as did three of the top four seeds Kato, Abe and Kubo. Only the loss by first seeded Senzaki might be called a small surprise, but he had a strong opponent in Abe. If luck is what is needed to promote in this strong field of players, then Suzuki is the early favourite as he needed an endgame blunder by Takahashi to win the game. We will see how he fares in the second round against promotion rival Abe. * Two big upsets in the first round of the B2 class. Kimura, who was almost unbeatable last season, lost his opening game against Kobayashi Kenji. Another big promotion favourite, Namekata, also lost his first game against Hatakeyama Mamoru. This year's B2 might be a very close affair as only Kimura, Namekata and maybe Nakagawa seemed to have the edge as far as promotion was concerned. With two of them losing, others might take this opportunity to fill the gaps with a good Junisen season. * The first round in C1 didn't have many surprises. Only one of the three players promoted from C2 last year won, but Matsuo and Naganuma played each other (Shinjin-O Matsuo won), and Toyokawa played Kobayashi Hiroshi, who is ten years his junior, so this was also not a shocking result. Maybe the most surprising result was that Yashiki actually won his first game. Playing in title matches hasn't been a problem for Yashiki, getting out of C1 has. He beat Arimori in the first round, whom he lost against last year. That was a loss that proved very costly. Let's hope for Yashiki that this year will be finally his year. He just got promoted to 8-dan based on the number of wins as a 7-dan. It must be a first that a 30-year old 8-dan is playing in a class as low as C1. * In the C2 Junisen class, also the first round was played. In a class with 45 players there is not much that can be said after the first round, so Shukan Shogi focuses on the five newcomers (Ina, Miyata, Murata, Ohira and Kumazaka) and the first ever free-class returnee Ito Hirobumi. At the end of the day three of them won: Ina, Miyata and Ohira. Miyata beat Kumazaka, so this was one loss that the newcomers couldn't avoid. Interesting detail in this game was that even though in the Shoreikai only quick games are being played, both Miyata and Kumazaka took a very long time for the opening. At the dinner break only 22 moves had been played! Ohira got his first professional victory in his third appearance with a win against Oshima. It seems like he has been growing a beard since he promoted, not really looking like this is his rookie year. Ito Hirobumi returned to C2 after four years in the free class dungeon. It turned out not to be a happy return as he lost to Takano. Better fared Ina, who also took the low road of the free class after getting third place in the 3-dan league twice. With a fine win against Masuda he showed that his tough experiences in the free class (missing promotion a couple of times) might have made him stronger and more determined to make the most of his professional career. Murata and Yamasaki played a violent game that went straight from the opening into the endgame. Yamasaki had judged it all better and won. * Morishita reached the semi-final of the Oza challenger tournament with a victory against Maruyama. Maruyama dictated the pace in this game for a long time, but a mistake against Morishita's desperate attempts to make something out of nothing turned the tables. Morishita will now play Sato next for a place in the challenger final. -- 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