From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 6 sep 2002 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 958, September 4th 2002) This week in Shukan Shogi the 5th game of the Oi match between Habu and Tanigawa. Habu gives up another title as Tanigawa again shows some strong shogi to win the replay of a game that ended in sennichite. Here is the game with comments: Black: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oi 43rd Oi-sen, Replay Game 5, August 28th and 29th 2002 1.P7g-7f 04:32:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 04:32:00 03:35:00 The first game ended in sennichite after 55 moves at 9:33 in the morning of the second day. The replay was started after a 30 minute break. Since a sennichite replay is played with reversed colours, Tanigawa now plays with the black pieces. This is in general a small advantage, but the time used for the first game was considerably in Habu's favour. He has almost an hour more than Tanigawa to play this game. 3.P2g-2f 04:32:00 03:35:00 4.P4c-4d 04:32:00 03:35:00 5.P2f-2e 04:32:00 03:35:00 6.B2b-3c 04:32:00 03:35:00 7.S3i-4h 04:32:00 03:35:00 8.P9c-9d 04:32:00 03:35:00 9.K5i-6h 04:33:00 03:35:00 10.R8b-4b 04:33:00 03:48:00 11.K6h-7h 04:33:00 03:48:00 12.P9d-9e 04:33:00 03:48:00 13.P5g-5f 04:33:00 03:48:00 14.K5a-6b 04:33:00 03:48:00 15.S4h-5g 04:35:00 03:48:00 16.S3a-3b 04:35:00 03:50:00 17.G4i-5h 04:38:00 03:50:00 18.K6b-7b 04:38:00 03:52:00 19.B8h-7g 04:39:00 03:52:00 20.G4a-5b 04:39:00 03:54:00 21.K7h-8h 04:39:00 03:54:00 22.K7b-8b 04:39:00 03:54:00 23.L9i-9h 04:48:00 03:54:00 24.P4d-4e 04:48:00 03:57:00 25.P6g-6f 04:50:00 03:57:00 26.S3b-4c 04:50:00 03:59:00 27.G5h-6g 04:55:00 03:59:00 28.L9a-9b 04:55:00 04:00:00 29.K8h-9i 04:55:00 04:00:00 30.K8b-9a 04:55:00 04:01:00 31.S7i-8h 04:56:00 04:01:00 32.S7a-8b 04:56:00 04:01:00 33.P6f-6e 05:01:00 04:01:00 34.S4c-4d 05:01:00 04:08:00 35.P3g-3f 05:02:00 04:08:00 36.G5b-6b 05:02:00 04:30:00 37.G6i-7h 05:04:00 04:30:00 38.G6a-7a 05:04:00 04:37:00 39.S5g-6h 05:05:00 04:37:00 40.G6b-7b 05:05:00 04:37:00 41.S6h-7i 05:05:00 04:37:00 42.R4b-4c 05:05:00 04:37:00 43.B7g-6h 05:24:00 04:37:00 44.B3c-5a 05:24:00 04:43:00 45.P2e-2d 05:25:00 04:43:00 46.P2cx2d 05:25:00 04:44:00 47.B6hx2d 05:25:00 04:44:00 48.R4c-2c 05:25:00 04:44:00 49.P*2e 05:25:00 04:44:00 50.N2a-3c 05:25:00 04:44:00 51.B2d-6h 05:26:00 04:44:00 52.N3cx2e 05:26:00 04:44:00 53.B6h-7g 05:29:00 04:44:00 54.B5a-3c 05:29:00 04:47:00 55.P8g-8f 05:29:00 04:47:00 56.P5c-5d 05:29:00 04:49:00 57.S8h-8g 05:30:00 04:49:00 58.B3c-2b 05:30:00 04:59:00 59.S7i-8h 05:32:00 04:59:00 60.P*2d 05:32:00 04:59:00 It is not very likely that the players will try to find something new behind the board in a game with strict time limits. The position here (after the 60th move!) is known from the A Junisen game between Habu and Sato which was played on July 16th. Both players will have studied this game. 61.P9g-9f! 05:36:00 04:59:00 Habu played 61.P8e against Sato and even though he won that game after 62.R4c P9f Px9f Sx9f, he wasn't very happy with this move. Tanigawa decides to immediately attack the edge. 62.P9ex9f 05:36:00 05:18:00 63.S8gx9f 05:36:00 05:18:00 64.P3d-3e 05:36:00 05:18:00 A mistake would be 64.Lx9f, since after 65.Lx9f P*9c L*9h S*9b P*2f black has a strong attack. When he gets a knight in hand, the attack B6f followed by N*8e looks unstoppable. 65.R2h-3h 06:22:00 05:18:00 66.S4d-5c 06:22:00 05:23:00 67.P*9d! 06:23:00 05:23:00 Good move that can be easily overlooked as it leaves black without pawns. Black wants to make an attacking base on 9d and this is the right time to do it, as white can't play 68.Lx9d because of 69.Px3e followed by P*9e. From now on Habu will have to worry constantly about the pressure on the edge. 68.B2bx7g+ 06:23:00 05:56:00 69.G6gx7g 06:23:00 05:56:00 70.P4e-4f 06:23:00 05:56:00 71.P4gx4f 06:23:00 05:56:00 72.R2c-4c 06:23:00 05:56:00 73.S9f-8e 06:35:00 05:56:00 74.B*4g? 06:35:00 06:24:00 Looks like a natural move, but this is actually a mistake. Better was 74.B*5g. This looks rather powerless, but defends the important square 6f, so black can't drop a bishop there. After the game, Tanigawa said that it was the kind of move that the late Oyama would play. 75.R3h-3i 06:37:00 06:24:00 76.B4gx5f+ 06:37:00 06:26:00 77.P*2f 06:41:00 06:26:00 And suddenly white finds himself without good moves. 78.+B5f-5g 06:41:00 06:44:00 Making a tokin with 78.P*4g looks like a good idea, but is met by 79.B*7e. Then 80.+Bx6e Px2e S6d R6i is good for black. 79.R3i-5i 06:44:00 06:44:00 80.+B5g-4h 06:44:00 06:45:00 81.R5i-7i 06:44:00 06:45:00 82.P8c-8d 06:44:00 06:47:00 83.S8e-9f 06:44:00 06:47:00 84.L9bx9d 06:44:00 06:50:00 85.P2fx2e 06:45:00 06:50:00 86.L9dx9f 06:45:00 06:50:00 87.L9hx9f 06:46:00 06:50:00 88.P*9e 06:46:00 06:50:00 89.L*9d 06:47:00 06:50:00 90.N8a-9c 06:47:00 06:50:00 91.L9fx9e 06:47:00 06:50:00 92.P*9b 06:47:00 06:50:00 93.B*2b 06:55:00 06:50:00 94.R4c-4a 06:55:00 06:54:00 95.N*4e?! 07:02:00 06:54:00 Turns out to be improving black's position, but might not have been good. Tanigawa said that he also seriously considered 95.N*2c to get a lance in hand to drop on 9h, but in the post-mortem analysis the players were unable to reach any conclusion about the strength of this move. 96.S5c-4d? 07:02:00 07:21:00 The losing move. White's only chance was to try and weather the storm with 96.S6b 97.P*5c 98.S5a. Then after 99.N3c= Rx4f Bx1a+ +B5g the knight is blocking the bishop diagonal, which is good for white. 97.P*5c 07:03:00 07:21:00 98.S4dx4e 07:03:00 07:25:00 99.P5c-5b+ 07:09:00 07:25:00 100.R4a-4c 07:09:00 07:25:00 Gives up the important lance on 1a, but even after 100.R2a black gets a strong attack: 101.B4d+ S5f +Bx5d R2b +P5c. 101.P4fx4e 07:10:00 07:25:00 102.R4cx4e 07:10:00 07:25:00 103.B2bx1a+ 07:10:00 07:25:00 104.N*8c 07:10:00 07:25:00 105.L*9h 07:12:00 07:25:00 106.N8cx9e 07:12:00 07:26:00 107.L9hx9e 07:12:00 07:26:00 108.+B4h-5g 07:12:00 07:34:00 109.R7i-5i 07:19:00 07:34:00 110.S*5h 07:19:00 07:34:00 111.R5ix5h! 07:22:00 07:34:00 Typical aggressive Tanigawa style. Most professionals would have been content with having forced the silver drop and move the rook back with 111.R7i. However, Tanigawa has seen a way to go directly towards the king of the opponent. 112.+B5gx5h 07:22:00 07:34:00 113.N*9f 07:22:00 07:34:00 "Drop where your opponent wants to drop". This knight defends against R*9f and also threatens to take on 8d. 114.R4ex6e 07:22:00 07:36:00 115.S*7e 07:23:00 07:36:00 116.L*8c 07:23:00 07:36:00 117.S7ex8d! 07:26:00 07:36:00 The deciding move. White has tried to keep his position together with 114.Rx6e followed by 116.L*8c, but after 117.Sx8d there is no more defence. Again, most professionals would prefer 117.Nx8d Lx8d Sx8d to avoid Rx9e. Tanigawa has seen an attack that is much faster. 118.L8cx8d 07:26:00 07:36:00 119.N9fx8d 07:26:00 07:36:00 120.R6ex9e 07:26:00 07:40:00 121.L*9g 07:27:00 07:40:00 The point. The rook capture on 9e only invites another lance to be dropped on the edge. 122.S*9f 07:27:00 07:45:00 123.L9dx9c+ 07:30:00 07:45:00 124.S8bx9c 07:30:00 07:45:00 125.N8dx7b+ 07:30:00 07:45:00 126.G7ax7b 07:30:00 07:45:00 127.L9gx9f 07:30:00 07:45:00 The only slight slip of the game by Tanigawa. 127.S*6a was an easier win. 128.R9ex9f 07:30:00 07:45:00 129.P*9g 07:30:00 07:45:00 130.R9fx8f 07:30:00 07:45:00 A full rook sacrifice! Habu still tries everything to put Tanigawa off, but it is too late. 131.G7gx8f 07:32:00 07:45:00 132.L*8a 07:32:00 07:45:00 133.S*6a 07:40:00 07:45:00 134.N*7d 07:40:00 07:49:00 135.G8f-8g 07:41:00 07:49:00 Resigns 07:41:00 07:49:00 136.Lx8g+ is impossible because 137.G*8a leads to mate and white has no defence. Another good win by Tanigawa ends the Oi match in his favour with an unexpected 4-1 score. It has been ten years since Tanigawa took the Oi title for the last time and it also ends a two-year title drought for him. On the other hand, Habu's Oi title streak ends at nine titles in a row and it also means that he drops back to holding "only" three major titles for the first time in eight years. Not much time for reflection as he has soon has two more titles to defend: the Oza and the Ryu-O. In other shogi news: ==================== * Abe took a big step towards his first appearance in a title match by beating Nakata in the first game of the best-of-three challenger final of the Ryu-O. In this game Abe gave the impression that he had seen more than his opponent and this might have even more impact than the win. Nakata needs to win two games in a row to challenge Habu, but my money is on Abe at the moment. * Habu may have lost another title, he finally seems to get his act together in the A class. He beat Maruyama to take the (joined) lead in the class with 2-1 and he thus far has had very tough opposition (Tanigawa, Sato and Maruyama). No game is easy in this year's Junisen, but Habu is definitely a favourite to challenge Moriuchi in April. Surprisingly, Aono is one of the other leaders with 2-1. After beating Tanigawa in round 2, he added the scalp of Sato Yasumitsu. Bad news for Morishita, who sees his main rivals for relegation doing pretty well so far. The fourth round game between Morishita and Aono suddenly becomes a do or die game for Morishita. This year's A class is so tight that it is not unthinkable that someone with 4 wins will relegate and that 6 wins are enough to become challenger... * In C1 the third round was played. Most of the favourites won and there are now 7 players with three wins. They are lead by 67-year old Ariyoshi, but it is more likely that Sugimoto, Kitajima, Nozuki, Horiguchi, Matsuo or Kobayashi Hiroshi will play in B2 next year. They are all very strong and capable of winning all their games. * Maruyama is the first one to reach the quarterfinals of the Kio challenger tournament. He beat Kato Hifumi, but only after Kato failed to see a rather simple five move combination that would have given him an overwhelming position. * For a moment it looked like the amateurs would disappear from the Asahi Open tournament, but Ishii dealt the professionals another blow by beating Ono Yaichio to reach the fourth round. It was a game that had to be replayed after sennichite, but Ishii didn't really mind the white pieces as he is a specialist in the Yokofudori. He got a very good position and even though it almost went wrong in the end, he won the game to set up the next encounter with a professional as Tosa (7-dan) is his opponent in the 4th round. If Ishii wins that game, he will be the first amateur to clear the preliminary stages of a professional tournament. Even if he loses, this year's Asahi Open will be a milestone as the amateurs won 10 games and lost 9, meaning that they will at least have an even score in the end. 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