From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 25 oct 2002 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 964 and 965, October 16th and 23th 2002) In this week's Shukan Shogi report the third game of the Oza match between Habu and Sato. A very sharp and interesting game where Sato seemed to have the edge, but he was not able to convert the chances he got. With a display of his awesome endgame strength, Habu ended the game and the match in his favour. Here is the game with comments: Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oza 50th Oza-sen, Game 3, October 9th 2002 1.P7g-7f 00:02:00 00:00:00 This was the 50th Oza match and to celebrate this, this third game was played in Shanghai. There were some big events around this game, the most interesting one a shogi tournament for children in which about 600(!) Chinese children participated. It seems obvious that with so many children who still have the possibility of entering the Shoreikai, the first non-Japanese professional will come from China. 2.P3c-3d 00:02:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:01:00 4.P8c-8d 00:02:00 00:04:00 5.P2f-2e 00:04:00 00:04:00 6.P8d-8e 00:04:00 00:05:00 7.G6i-7h 00:04:00 00:05:00 8.G4a-3b 00:04:00 00:06:00 9.P2e-2d 00:04:00 00:06:00 10.P2cx2d 00:04:00 00:07:00 11.R2hx2d 00:04:00 00:07:00 12.P8e-8f 00:04:00 00:07:00 13.P8gx8f 00:04:00 00:07:00 14.R8bx8f 00:04:00 00:07:00 15.R2dx3d 00:09:00 00:07:00 16.B2b-3c 00:09:00 00:07:00 17.R3d-3f 00:15:00 00:07:00 18.S3a-2b 00:15:00 00:10:00 19.P*8g 00:26:00 00:10:00 20.R8f-8e 00:26:00 00:13:00 21.R3f-2f 00:27:00 00:13:00 22.K5a-4a 00:27:00 00:22:00 23.S3i-4h 00:52:00 00:22:00 24.P7c-7d 00:52:00 01:03:00 25.G4i-3h 01:09:00 01:03:00 26.S7a-6b 01:09:00 01:06:00 27.P3g-3f 01:14:00 01:06:00 28.G6a-5a 01:14:00 01:13:00 29.K5i-5h 01:24:00 01:13:00 30.N8a-7c 01:24:00 01:29:00 31.N2i-3g 01:25:00 01:29:00 32.P*8f 01:25:00 02:01:00 33.P8gx8f 01:42:00 02:01:00 34.R8ex8f 01:42:00 02:01:00 35.P3f-3e 01:44:00 02:01:00 36.R8f-8e 01:44:00 02:04:00 37.B8hx3c+ 02:41:00 02:04:00 38.N2ax3c 02:41:00 02:04:00 39.P3e-3d 02:48:00 02:04:00 40.P*2e 02:48:00 02:30:00 41.R2f-4f 02:51:00 02:30:00 An interesting opening battle in this popular variation. The position after 40.P*2e is known from the game between Goda and Moriuchi, which was played in the challenger finals of this Oza tournament. Goda played 41.R2i here, but after 42.Rx8i+ Px3c+ Sx3c Nx2e S3d! P*3c G3a B*5f N*4e N*4f P*3g Moriuchi got a decisive attack. This game was the start of some deep analysis of the position after P*2e, and the conclusion was that 41.R4f was good for black. Both Sato and Habu will have been aware of this, so it was a surprise that Habu challenged the general opinion by allowing Sato to play 41.R4f. However, in the rest of the game Habu shows that things are not that easy and that black needs to play very accurately to actually win from here. 42.R8ex8i+ 02:51:00 02:54:00 43.P*2c 02:56:00 02:54:00 44.S2bx2c 02:56:00 03:15:00 45.P3dx3c+ 03:05:00 03:15:00 46.G3bx3c 03:05:00 03:15:00 47.N3gx2e 03:07:00 03:15:00 48.G3c-3b 03:07:00 03:33:00 49.P*3c 03:14:00 03:33:00 50.G3b-4b 03:14:00 03:33:00 51.P*2d 03:21:00 03:33:00 52.S2cx2d! 03:21:00 03:44:00 It is very unlikely that this move was deeply analysed. It just seems to give up a full gold. The normal move would be 52.S3d, but then 53.B*2c Sx2c Px2c P*3a P3b+ Px3b P*3c N*8f Px3b+ K5b +Px4b Gx4b G*6i! holds the black position together because Nx7h+ Sx7h is an attack on the promoted rook. 53.B*2c 03:39:00 03:44:00 The obvious reply, but black's advantage is much smaller than it looks (if there is an advantage at all). Alternatives are 53.N*3d or 53.B*3d. 54.K4a-5b 03:39:00 04:03:00 55.P3c-3b+ 03:41:00 04:03:00 56.N*5d 03:41:00 04:14:00 57.+P3bx4b 04:02:00 04:14:00 58.G5ax4b 04:02:00 04:14:00 59.N*3d? 04:02:00 04:14:00 It was very difficult to calculate this to the end, but this was a mistake. Correct was 59.R2f. Then 60.Sx2e Rx2e N*4f K4i B*5h K3i P*3g Sx3g Bx4g+ Gx4g +Rx7h looks winning for white as the black king is hisshi. However, black can continue with N*4d Px4d B3d+ N*4c +Bx4c Gx4c R2b+ B*4b S*4a Kx4a B*3b K5a G*5b Kx5b Bx4c+ Kx4c G*3c K5b Gx4b K6a +Rx1a S*5a Gx5a Sx5a B*1f which defends against the mating threat on 3h with check, so black can take the rook on 7h on the next move. Even Sato, who is famous for his deep calculation, could not find this long winning sequence. 60.N5dx4f 04:02:00 04:16:00 61.P4gx4f 04:02:00 04:16:00 62.S2dx2e 04:02:00 04:16:00 63.N3dx4b+ 04:07:00 04:16:00 64.K5bx4b 04:07:00 04:17:00 65.N*3d 04:08:00 04:17:00 66.S2ex3d 04:08:00 04:28:00 A change of plan. Habu thought he could play 66.K3c here, but realised here that this would lose to 67.N2b+ (68.Kx2b G*2d leaves white without defence). Usually a change of plan in a sharp position like this is fatal, but Habu has luck on his side. 66.Sx3d is actually a playable alternative to 66.K3c. 67.B2cx3d+ 04:08:00 04:28:00 68.P*3c 04:08:00 04:29:00 69.S*3a 04:16:00 04:29:00 If black could play 69.S*4a here, the game would be over. Unfortunately for Sato, this fails to 70.B*1d. 70.K4b-5b 04:16:00 04:29:00 71.+B3dx3c 04:19:00 04:29:00 72.N*5d 04:19:00 04:32:00 73.G3h-3g 04:23:00 04:32:00 74.P6c-6d! 04:23:00 04:35:00 Good move. Opening this escape route suddenly makes it difficult for black to mate the white king. Still, Sato gets one more chance to win this close endgame... 75.P*8d 04:47:00 04:35:00 76.+R8ix8d 04:47:00 04:47:00 77.S3a-4b+ 04:51:00 04:47:00 78.K5b-6c 04:51:00 04:47:00 79.+B3cx4c 04:52:00 04:47:00 80.P*4g 04:52:00 04:49:00 81.S4h-3i 04:55:00 04:49:00 82.R*2i 04:55:00 04:56:00 83.+S4b-5b? 04:55:00 04:56:00 The losing move. Sato could have won the game here with the hidden move 83.P*8c!. 84.+Rx8c fails to 85.G*6a and 84.N6e to 85.G*8b. Nobody in the press room had seen P*8c, but Habu pointed it out after the game, adding that he had no idea who would win this game until the very end. 84.N7c-6e 04:55:00 04:56:00 Now it is clear that black has no way to give his attack decisive strength. Habu wins the game and the match. 85.K5hx4g 04:55:00 04:56:00 86.R2ix3i+ 04:55:00 04:56:00 87.+S5bx6b 04:55:00 04:56:00 88.K6cx6b 04:55:00 04:56:00 89.S*5a 04:55:00 04:56:00 90.K6b-7c 04:55:00 04:56:00 91.+B4c-6a 04:56:00 04:56:00 92.N6ex5g+ 04:56:00 04:57:00 93.K4g-3f 04:56:00 04:57:00 94.S*3e 04:56:00 04:57:00 95.K3f-4e 04:58:00 04:57:00 96.+R8d-8e 04:58:00 04:59:00 97.K4e-3d 04:58:00 04:59:00 98.B*2e 04:58:00 04:59:00 99.K3dx2e 04:58:00 04:59:00 100.S3e-4d 04:58:00 04:59:00 Resigns 04:59:00 04:59:00 Not an easy mate, but mate nonetheless after 101.G*7e (or B*7e) 102.+Rx7e and 104.S*1d. Sato took his final minute to make sure and then resigned. Habu wins the Oza match in straight games, picking up his 11th Oza title in a row. Sato will be disappointed with this performance in the first two games, but in this third game he showed that he can make life difficult for Habu. If he would have started this match like he played in this game, the match would not have been over so quickly. In other shogi news: ================ * In the A Junisen the final games of round 4 were played. Goda was very lucky to beat Fujii after being completely crushed in the middle game. A blunder by Fujii completely changed the game and both players now have a 2-2 score. Tanigawa joined Habu in the lead with a victory over Maruyama. Maruyama missed a good chance in the middle game when Tanigawa overplayed the position and from then on Tanigawa took control of the game until the endgame. There he almost gave the game away with a bad move when he still had plenty of time to find the win. However, Maruyama had taken too much time to try and stay in the game and he was not able to convert the unexpected opportunity. After four rounds, Tanigawa and Habu lead with 3-1, followed by 6 players with 2-2. Maruyama and Morishita are in trouble with only one win from four games. * In C1 round 5 was played. This means that this class is now exactly halfway and it is clear that Horiguchi Kazushiza and Kobayashi Hiroshi (the younger 5-dan, as there is also a 6-dan called Kobayashi Hiroshi in this class) are the players to beat. They have won all of their games and their remaining schedule looks reasonable. Horiguchi has a slightly tougher schedule with games against Sugimoto and Katsumata (both are 4-1 at the moment). The only rival that Kobayashi has to play is veteran Ariyoshi (who is also at 4-1). It seems likely that Kobayashi can make the difference of 41 years count in that game. If either one of the leaders might fail, Yashiki might be able to pick up the pieces. He seems to be the 4-1 player with the best chance, although he has some tough games ahead of him. Other players at 4-1 are Kitajima and Matsuo. I am sure that we will find two of the eight players with 4-1 or better in B2 next year. * Kimura won the third and final game of the Shinjin-O match against Suzuki Daisuke to clinch his first tournament victory as a professional. Kimura is considered to be a future star, but despite having an 80% winning season last year, he had never won a tournament. This year he managed to revenge a 2-0 defeat in last year's Shinjin-O final against Yamasaki. He had to work very hard for it though, as Suzuki dominated the game from the opening and Kimura had to make a couple of Houdini-like escapes with his king. It was in the middle of the board for most of the game, with no hope of ever being an entering king. Finally, Kimura managed to stop Suzuki's attack with two commanding bishops and win the game. * The challenger tournament of the Kio tournament is taking shape. Habu has won this title twelve times in a row, so it almost seems pointless to have a challenger tournament for it, but there are still eight hopefuls who want to try to end Habu's reign. Some surprises with the early elimination of Moriuchi, Tanigawa and Sato. The four quarterfinals are as follows: Goda-Shima, Fujii-Inoue, Tanaka Torahiko-Iizuka and Maruyama-Nakata Hiroki. * In the Osho league Moriuchi beat Kubo and Morishita beat Fujii. The league has just started with only Kubo playing twice (1-1), so there is not much that can be said about this at this point. * Shimizu kept her Ladies Oi title with a 3-0 thrashing of her pupil Ishibashi. Ishibashi has a very good season so far, but seems to have trouble playing her "sensei". Shimizu is not the commanding force she once was, but the psychological advantage she has over Ishibashi was enough to win her 5th consecutive Ladies Oi title. 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