From: Eric Cheymol FREE FR> Date: 20 may 2002 Subject: Habu's magical tour in Paris (round 7) Today was a special day : both leaders lost against tough opponents. It is a kind of tournament in which you can not guess the winner's name until the very end. And where all games are played when all chances are used. The high percentage of decisive games in such a cat V tournament reveals this (69% of decisive games among the first 7 rounds). Habu didn't used this opportunity to take the lead himself. Yoshiharu Habu had a good position but he unfortunately chose to exchange his good black bishop against a bad knight. This bishop was perfect for keeping the black squares. Keeping his attention for squares is so important ! After this, Lupu didn't let Habu come back in the game. With a good king and rapidly two pawns up for white, there was no place for another magic odea. After the game, the GM Lupu showed a good middle game plan for black, in which Habu could use the black squares for his king. Habu's chances for a second IM norm still exist, he needs 2 out of 2 to perform it. Tomorrow in the 8th round, Habu will play with the white pieces against Edouard Bonnet, a 12 years old promising player. Next, Habu will play in the 9th round against the strong GM Inkiov with the black pieces, and Yoshiharu has only 0,5 point out of 3 with the black pieces ;-(( Lautier's report of the 7th round is here (in french) : http://www.nao-cc.com/naocc/naofide/ronde7.htm All games in java or in pgn here : http://www.nao-cc.com/naocc/naofide/part.htm On the NAO web site, Habu's interview can be read in french, english AND japanese : http://www.nao-cc.com/naocc/naofide/interview.htm If you can read french, don't miss Mark Taïmanov's interview, he speaks extensively about his chess and musical lives, about the consequences of his loss 6-0 against Fisher, he speaks about a new book too. The direct link is here : http://www.nao-cc.com/naocc/naofide/intertaim.html The http://www.nao-cc.com/ has many other photographs, interviews to read ... I will put shortly some new photographs on my page (I took 30 of them today). I need some time to choose the best of them first, and to sleep too ! Best wishes, Eric ---------------- Get the European shogi archives at http://www.shogi.fr.st