From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 24 may 2002 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 941 and 942, May 8th and 15th 2002) I am still trying hard to catch up with the Shukan Shogi reports. I won't make it completely this week, but here are another two games and the news from issues 941 and 942. The games are the 4th game of the 20th Asahi Open between Horiguchi and Sugimoto and the 3rd game of the Meijin match between Maruyama and Moriuchi. First, the 4th game of the Asahi Open. This game was won by Horiguchi who takes the title in this best-of-five match by winning three games in a row. Here is the game with comments: Black: Horiguchi Kazushiza, 5-dan White: Sugimoto Masataka, 6-dan 20th Asahi Open, Game 4, May 1st 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:02:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:02:00 00:00:00 3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:00:00 4.P4c-4d 00:02:00 00:00:00 5.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:00:00 6.S3a-3b 00:02:00 00:00:00 7.P5g-5f 00:02:00 00:00:00 8.P9c-9d 00:02:00 00:00:00 9.K5i-6h 00:04:00 00:00:00 10.R8b-4b 00:04:00 00:00:00 11.K6h-7h 00:04:00 00:00:00 12.S3b-4c 00:04:00 00:00:00 13.G4i-5h 00:13:00 00:00:00 14.P9d-9e 00:13:00 00:01:00 Sugimoto likes to play an active Furibisha game, but in this match he has thus far not been very successful. In each game, Horiguchi managed to take the sting out of the Furibisha attack and slow down the pace of the game. Horiguchi is a specialist in the late middle game and endgame, so a slow paced game is in his favour. 15.B8h-7g 00:15:00 00:01:00 16.K5a-6b 00:15:00 00:01:00 17.S4h-5g 00:16:00 00:01:00 18.K6b-7b 00:16:00 00:01:00 19.K7h-8h 00:17:00 00:01:00 20.K7b-8b 00:17:00 00:01:00 21.P2f-2e 00:23:00 00:01:00 22.B2b-3c 00:23:00 00:01:00 23.L9i-9h 00:29:00 00:01:00 24.S4c-5d 00:29:00 00:06:00 25.S5g-6f 00:39:00 00:06:00 26.P6c-6d 00:39:00 00:10:00 27.K8h-9i 00:42:00 00:10:00 28.P4d-4e 00:42:00 00:11:00 29.P5f-5e 00:42:00 00:11:00 30.S5d-6c 00:42:00 00:14:00 31.G5h-5g!? 00:45:00 00:14:00 Interesting new plan. Normal would be to play 31.R2f to defend against the pawn exchange on 4f and move the gold into the castle with G5h-6h-7h. Black's plan is to go straight for the pawn on 4e. After the game, Horiguchi said he hadn't studied this plan at home, but that he just couldn't help himself playing it when he saw it. 32.S7a-7b 00:45:00 01:07:00 33.S7i-8h 00:46:00 01:07:00 34.G4a-5b 00:46:00 01:07:00 35.G5g-5f 00:47:00 01:07:00 36.P7c-7d 00:47:00 01:08:00 37.P3g-3f 00:48:00 01:08:00 38.P6d-6e 00:48:00 01:18:00 39.S6f-5g 00:57:00 01:18:00 40.S6c-6d 00:57:00 01:22:00 41.N2i-3g 00:58:00 01:22:00 42.G5b-6c 00:58:00 01:24:00 43.N3gx4e 01:37:00 01:24:00 44.B3c-4d 01:37:00 01:26:00 45.P2e-2d 01:52:00 01:26:00 46.P2cx2d 01:52:00 01:27:00 47.R2hx2d 01:52:00 01:27:00 48.N2a-3c! 01:52:00 01:27:00 Black has won the pawn and seems to have a breakthrough here, but Sugimoto has a typical Furibisha counter. Using the opening up of the game by the Ibisha side to develop one's own pieces is the name of the game when you are a Furibisha player. White has a strong four-general castle and black has a hanging gold on 6i. Even when black promotes first, if white can get a rook in black's camp he will get the advantage. 49.P4g-4f 02:11:00 01:27:00 No choice. 49.Nx3c+ Bx3c R2c+ B1e +R2g P*2f +R3h R2b P*2h R2e is good for white. 50.N3cx4e 02:11:00 01:30:00 51.P4fx4e 02:12:00 01:30:00 52.R4b-2b 02:12:00 01:30:00 53.P*2c 02:14:00 01:30:00 54.B4d-3c 02:14:00 01:30:00 55.R2d-2g! 02:17:00 01:30:00 An important move. Black is walking a tightrope in this delicate position. Some commentators even thought that white already had the advantage here. This would have been the case after a careless 55.Rx3d Rx2c P*2d Bx2d R3b+ Bx5g+ Gx5g R2i+ and even after the solid looking defence N*5i, white has the best chances to win. 55.R2g seems to hand over the initiative, but white has no good way to make use of that. 56.P*2f 02:17:00 02:03:00 57.R2gx2f 02:19:00 02:03:00 58.R2b-4b? 02:19:00 02:03:00 Looks like the most natural move, but is actually the decisive mistake. The only move to stay in the game was 58.R6b. Then, if black plays 59.P3e like in the game, white can start an strong looking attack of his own after 60.P7e Px3d Px7f. Sugimoto feared 59.P4d after R6b, but then 60.R4b! is a good continuation. After 61.G4e white can choose between 62.N*8e followed by Rx4d or simply 62.Bx4d and white still has chances to win. 59.P3f-3e 02:24:00 02:03:00 60.N*8e 02:24:00 02:04:00 61.B7g-8f 02:25:00 02:04:00 62.S6dx5e 02:25:00 02:10:00 63.P3ex3d 02:25:00 02:10:00 64.B3c-1e 02:25:00 02:10:00 65.R2f-3f 02:28:00 02:10:00 66.S5ex5f 02:28:00 02:14:00 67.S5gx5f 02:28:00 02:14:00 68.P9e-9f 02:28:00 02:19:00 69.P9gx9f 02:28:00 02:19:00 70.P*9g 02:28:00 02:21:00 71.L9hx9g 02:37:00 02:21:00 72.N8ex9g+ 02:37:00 02:27:00 73.N8ix9g 02:37:00 02:27:00 74.P6e-6f 02:37:00 02:29:00 75.P3d-3c+ 02:43:00 02:29:00 76.R4bx4e 02:43:00 02:53:00 77.S5fx4e 02:43:00 02:53:00 78.P6fx6g+ 02:43:00 02:53:00 79.N*5e! 02:48:00 02:53:00 For a moment, it looked like white got some attack with the promoted pawn on 6g, but after this strong knight drop it is clear that black is still winning. White tries a desperate attack, but simply doesn't have enough pieces to make it work. 80.G*7h 02:48:00 02:55:00 81.N5ex6c+ 02:52:00 02:55:00 82.S7bx6c 02:52:00 02:55:00 83.B8fx5c+ 02:53:00 02:55:00 Horiguchi had calculated that he had mate in this position if he would get a knight and gold, so white can't play 84.N*7g Sx7g +Px7g Gx7h +Px7h as black has a (rather long) mate after N*9d. However, the safest way to win here would have been the simple 83.N8e. 84.G7hx8h 02:53:00 02:56:00 85.K9ix8h 02:53:00 02:56:00 86.S*6b 02:53:00 02:56:00 87.N9g-8e 02:56:00 02:56:00 88.N*7c 02:56:00 02:58:00 89.S*9c 02:57:00 02:58:00 Resigns 02:57:00 02:58:00 Mate after 90.Nx9c N*9d K7b G*8b or 90.Lx9c Nx9c+ Kx9c L*9d Kx9d R*9b etc. With this win, 27-year old Horiguchi gets his first tournament victory as a professional. He showed a lot of mental toughness to bounce back from a loss in the first game and win three games in a row after that. Horiguchi is still young, so it can be expected that this victory will give him the confidence to get good results in other tournament as well. Next is the third game of the Meijin match between Maruyama and Moriuchi. This game was won by Moriuchi after a terrible blunder in byoyomi by Maruyama. Here is the game with comments: Black: Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger White: Maruyama Tadahisa, Meijin 60th Meijin-sen, Game 3, May 8th and 9th 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:01:00 4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:01:00 5.P2f-2e 00:01:00 00:01:00 6.P8d-8e 00:01:00 00:02:00 7.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:02:00 8.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:02:00 9.P2e-2d 00:01:00 00:02:00 10.P2cx2d 00:01:00 00:02:00 11.R2hx2d 00:01:00 00:02:00 12.P8e-8f 00:01:00 00:02:00 13.P8gx8f 00:01:00 00:02:00 14.R8bx8f 00:01:00 00:02:00 15.R2dx3d 00:01:00 00:02:00 Yokofudori as in the first game. Although Maruyama is a specialist in this opening, Moriuchi sees no reason to avoid it. He could have opted for the Aigakari, but Moriuchi seems to have confidence in the counter strategies he prepared against Maruyama's favourite opening. 16.B2b-3c 00:01:00 00:02:00 17.R3d-3f 00:02:00 00:02:00 18.S3a-2b 00:02:00 00:03:00 19.G4i-3h 00:05:00 00:03:00 20.K5a-4a 00:05:00 00:03:00 21.K5i-5h 00:07:00 00:03:00 22.R8f-8d 00:07:00 00:04:00 23.P*8g 00:07:00 00:04:00 24.S7a-6b 00:07:00 00:05:00 25.R3f-2f 00:14:00 00:05:00 26.P5c-5d 00:14:00 00:05:00 27.S3i-4h 00:32:00 00:05:00 28.P5d-5e 00:32:00 00:08:00 29.S7i-6h 00:33:00 00:08:00 30.R8d-5d 00:33:00 00:12:00 31.P3g-3f 01:02:00 00:12:00 32.P7c-7d 01:02:00 00:20:00 33.P3f-3e 01:12:00 00:20:00 34.N8a-7c 01:12:00 00:40:00 35.P1g-1f 01:21:00 00:40:00 36.G6a-5a 01:21:00 02:16:00 37.G3h-3g 01:46:00 02:16:00 38.P7d-7e! 01:46:00 03:21:00 In his game against Matsuo in the Oi tournament on February 6th, Maruyama played 38.P*2e instead. Even though he won that game, he thinks that 38.P7e is an improvement. 39.P7fx7e!? 03:46:00 03:21:00 A big surprise for the commentators. This was the move that black definitely wouldn't play. It seems to make white's attack much easier and there is also the problem of losing the rook later on. Moriuchi took 2 hours to decide that 39.Px7e was still the right move to play. The expected move was 39.G4f, but Moriuchi didn't like 40.R2d P*2e R7d and because of the pawn on 2e, black doesn't have much options for attack. 40.P5e-5f 03:46:00 03:24:00 41.P6g-6f 03:46:00 03:24:00 42.P5fx5g+ 03:46:00 03:56:00 43.S4hx5g 03:47:00 03:56:00 44.P*2e 03:47:00 03:59:00 45.R2f-3f 03:47:00 03:59:00 46.R5dx5g+ 03:47:00 05:59:00 Maruyama decides to go for it. Having a rook in hand in this position is in general better for white as the black position is much more vulnerable to rook drops. Of course, Moriuchi had seen all of this when he played 39.Px7e. 47.K5hx5g 03:51:00 05:59:00 48.S*4e 03:51:00 06:01:00 49.R*8a 03:51:00 06:01:00 50.P*7a 03:51:00 06:07:00 51.N8i-7g 04:22:00 06:07:00 52.S4ex3f 04:22:00 06:47:00 53.G3gx3f 04:23:00 06:47:00 54.P*5f 04:23:00 07:00:00 55.K5g-6g 04:42:00 07:00:00 56.B3c-5e! 04:42:00 07:20:00 But this move Moriuchi overlooked. The point is that 57.N3g is answered by 58.R*4h and black is stuck for a good defence against Rx4g+ next. Also 57.P*5b is bad for black after 58.G6a G4f Bx4f Px4f R*2g K7f P5g+ B*8c Gx5b P*5c Gx5c. 57.P7e-7d 05:06:00 07:20:00 No choice. The mutual attack is dangerous, but the only way for black to try and stay in the game. 58.B5ex1i+ 05:06:00 07:20:00 59.G3f-3g 05:50:00 07:20:00 60.L*7b! 05:50:00 08:11:00 A typical Maruyama move. 60.Px7c+ Lx7c cuts off black's escape route. Most commentators favoured white's position here, but Maruyama himself said he didn't have much confidence in his position here. 61.P*5b 06:57:00 08:11:00 62.G5a-6a 06:57:00 08:11:00 63.S*5a 06:57:00 08:11:00 64.S6bx5a 06:57:00 08:28:00 65.P5bx5a+ 06:58:00 08:28:00 66.K4ax5a 06:58:00 08:28:00 67.P*5d 06:58:00 08:28:00 68.P5f-5g+ 06:58:00 08:45:00 69.S6hx5g 06:59:00 08:45:00 70.P*5b 06:59:00 08:45:00 71.N7g-6e 07:26:00 08:45:00 72.R*7e 07:26:00 08:50:00 A rather unexpected rook drop, which seems to have caught Moriuchi by surprise. 73.R8a-8f+? 07:59:00 08:50:00 A mistake that turns the game in white's favour. Correct was 73.Px7c+. This looks very dangerous after 74.S*5h K6h +Bx3g Nx3g G*6i Kx5h Rx7h+, but after N*6h white's attack runs out of steam and black will win with his extra material. 74.R7ex7d 07:59:00 08:54:00 75.P*7e 08:00:00 08:54:00 76.R7dx5d 08:00:00 08:54:00 White has picked up two important pawns that formed that base of black's attack. Black basically has to start from zero, which gives white time to build a decisive attack. 77.P*5e 08:02:00 08:54:00 78.R5d-4d 08:02:00 08:54:00 79.N6ex7c= 08:02:00 08:54:00 80.L7bx7c 08:02:00 08:54:00 81.N*5d 08:02:00 08:54:00 82.S*5c 08:02:00 08:56:00 83.+R8f-8b 08:08:00 08:56:00 84.N*4e 08:08:00 08:56:00 85.S5g-4f 08:13:00 08:56:00 86.L7cx7e 08:13:00 08:57:00 87.P*7f 08:20:00 08:57:00 88.N4ex3g+ 08:20:00 08:58:00 89.N2ix3g 08:20:00 08:58:00 90.+B1ix3g 08:20:00 08:59:00 White is now in byoyomi. This is going to have a big impact later on, as Moriuchi continues to find moves to make it difficult for white. 91.S4fx3g 08:28:00 08:59:00 92.R4dx4g+ 08:28:00 08:59:00 93.N*5g 08:28:00 08:59:00 94.N*4e 08:28:00 08:59:00 95.S3g-4h 08:29:00 08:59:00 96.N4ex5g+ 08:29:00 08:59:00 97.S4hx5g 08:29:00 08:59:00 98.N*4e 08:29:00 08:59:00 99.P7fx7e 08:32:00 08:59:00 100.N4ex5g+ 08:32:00 08:59:00 101.K6g-7f 08:32:00 08:59:00 102.+R4g-5h 08:32:00 08:59:00 103.L*6h 08:38:00 08:59:00 104.P*8d? 08:38:00 08:59:00 Here Maruyama had his easiest chance to win. 104.G*7b +Rx9a and only then P*8d leaves black with no hope. 105.B*7c 08:40:00 08:59:00 106.K5a-4a 08:40:00 08:59:00 107.B7cx8d+ 08:40:00 08:59:00 Picking up this pawn and creating a promoted bishop to defend the escape up the board is an important improvement of black's position. 108.G*7b 08:40:00 08:59:00 109.P*4b 08:55:00 08:59:00 110.S5cx4b 08:55:00 08:59:00 111.+R8bx9a 08:55:00 08:59:00 112.+N5gx6h 08:55:00 08:59:00 113.G7hx6h 08:57:00 08:59:00 114.+R5hx6h 08:57:00 08:59:00 115.N*2d 08:57:00 08:59:00 116.+R6h-7h 08:57:00 08:59:00 117.B8h-7g 08:57:00 08:59:00 118.S4b-3c? 08:57:00 08:59:00 A second chance missed. Here 118.S*6g K8f and only then S4b-3c would have won easily. Still, Maruyama still has a winning position, but Moriuchi is getting closer and closer. 119.S*6g 08:58:00 08:59:00 120.+R7h-7i 08:58:00 08:59:00 121.L*7d 08:58:00 08:59:00 122.L*8c 08:58:00 08:59:00 123.+B8d-9e 08:58:00 08:59:00 124.S*8h 08:58:00 08:59:00 125.L7dx7b+ 08:58:00 08:59:00 126.G6ax7b?? 08:58:00 08:59:00 The blunder that will go down in history. Winning was 126.Sx7g+ +Bx7g G*8e K6e B*3h S5f Gx7e Kx7e +Rx7g G*7f Bx5f+ which is a mating threat that defends against the black mating threat. 127.+R9ax7a 08:58:00 08:59:00 Resigns 08:58:00 08:59:00 After this move, Maruyama immediately realised what he had done. Black has mate after 128.Gx7a P*4b Sx4b Nx3b+ Kx3b N*2d K2c G*3d K1d G*1e. He had a long look at the ceiling and resigned. The shogi gods seem to be smiling on Moriuchi in this match. However, even though this was a game that Maruyama lost instead of one that Moriuchi lost, one has to take into account that Moriuchi kept on fighting in a hopeless position. This in the end brought him the victory that made him go 3-0 up with four games to play. He is now very close to his first major title, as no player has ever come back from 3-0 down in a best-of-seven match. In other shogi news: ==================== * Meijin Maruyama reached the final of the Kisei challenger tournament with a victory over Kubo. He will now play Sato Yasumitsu for the right to challenge Goda. * In the Oza challenger tournament, Moriuchi beat Nakagawa to reach the quarterfinals where he will meet Goda. * In the Red Group of the Oi leagues, Tanigawa took a big step towards winning the group by beating co-leader Kimura. Tanigawa is now 4-0 and with one game to play is already certain of at least a play-off with Kimura. His last round opponent is a little bit more difficult as he faces Maruyama, while Kimura plays Matsuo. Yashiki beat Matsuo to get back to 2-2. This probably won't be enough to avoid relegation, as only two players stay in the league. Only if Kimura loses in the final round and Yashiki beats Nakamura, he will avoid relegation. Still, Yashiki's hopes are alive, while Matsuo is already certain to drop out of the league with a 1-3 score and only one game left to play. * Nakai is really making a great comeback in the Ladies' tournaments. After winning the Ladies Meijin earlier, she now seems to have set her eyes on the Ladies Osho as well. The first game against Shimizu was a tough one, but Nakai prevailed to get a good start in the match. Almost 33 and mother of three, but still going strong. 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