From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 7 aug 2003 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1004 and 1005, July 30th and August 6th 2003) This week in Shukan Shogi the second game of the Oi match between Tanigawa and Habu. A spectacular victory by Tanigawa who gave Habu no chance to get back from a bad opening. Here is the game with comments: [Black "Tanigawa Koji, Oi"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"] [Event "44th Oi-sen, Game 2"] [Date "July 29th and 30th 2003"] 1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2f-2e 00:08:00 00:02:00 4.P8d-8e 00:08:00 00:05:00 5.G6i-7h 00:08:00 00:05:00 6.G4a-3b 00:08:00 00:08:00 7.P2e-2d 00:11:00 00:08:00 8.P2cx2d 00:11:00 00:10:00 9.R2hx2d 00:11:00 00:10:00 10.P*2c 00:11:00 00:11:00 11.R2d-2h 00:12:00 00:11:00 12.P8e-8f 00:12:00 00:19:00 13.P8gx8f 00:13:00 00:19:00 14.R8bx8f 00:13:00 00:19:00 15.P*8g 00:14:00 00:19:00 16.R8f-8d 00:14:00 00:19:00 17.S3i-3h 00:20:00 00:19:00 18.P9c-9d 00:20:00 00:34:00 19.P9g-9f 00:26:00 00:34:00 20.P3c-3d 00:26:00 00:45:00 21.S3h-2g 00:39:00 00:45:00 This the 134th meeting between Tanigawa and Habu, but this is the first time that this opening has been played. The climbing silver attack is not considered a real threat for white, but it is a very positive way of playing the opening, which suits Tanigawa's playing style very well. 22.P5c-5d 00:39:00 00:55:00 23.S2g-3f 01:24:00 00:55:00 24.P5d-5e?! 01:24:00 01:01:00 Pushing up this center pawn is Habu's new idea in this opening. Taking an active position in the center is only a secondary consideration. Habu actually wanted to know if it was possible to play this opening without moving the bishop to 3c, thus saving a move. The clear answer from this game is that this is not the right way to play this position. The R8e-Yokofudori hybrid makes white overextend himself and Habu soon is in a lot of trouble. 25.S7i-6h 01:26:00 01:01:00 26.S7a-6b 01:26:00 01:08:00 27.P7g-7f 01:33:00 01:08:00 28.K5a-4a 01:33:00 02:08:00 29.K5i-6i 01:45:00 02:08:00 30.G6a-5a 01:45:00 02:31:00 31.S6h-7g 02:30:00 02:31:00 32.B2b-4d 02:30:00 02:51:00 33.P4g-4f 03:35:00 02:51:00 34.P3d-3e 03:35:00 04:12:00 35.S3f-4g 03:37:00 04:12:00 36.B4d-2b 03:37:00 04:13:00 37.S7g-6f 03:43:00 04:13:00 38.R8d-5d 03:43:00 04:13:00 39.P3g-3f 04:11:00 04:13:00 40.R5d-3d 04:11:00 04:32:00 41.P3fx3e 04:44:00 04:32:00 42.R3dx3e 04:44:00 04:32:00 43.P*2d 04:44:00 04:32:00 44.P2cx2d 04:44:00 04:48:00 45.R2hx2d 04:44:00 04:48:00 46.P7c-7d 04:44:00 04:48:00 47.P*3f! 05:23:00 04:48:00 Habu didn't pay enough attention to this reply. 47.Rx7d is good for white after 48.R2e followed by S7c, but after 47.P*3f white has no good way to continue. Habu planned 48.P*2c here, which gives both players chances after 49.R2h R3d, but after 49.Px3e Px2d R*8c N7c P*2h! white has no moves as he has already dropped a pawn on the second file. On the other hand, black can just pick up the lance on 9a and use that on the 5th file. This attack is very strong. White can't afford to exchange rooks in this position. 48.R3e-1e 05:23:00 05:07:00 49.R2d-2f 05:54:00 05:07:00 50.P*2c 05:54:00 05:14:00 51.P1g-1f 05:55:00 05:14:00 52.R1e-1d 05:55:00 05:14:00 53.P3f-3e! 05:55:00 05:14:00 Typical Tanigawa. Most professionals would have been contend with moves like 53.G5h, strengthening the center. White can only wait until the black attack comes, as opening the position is suicidal. Instead, Tanigawa doesn't hesitate to attack the white position. Attacking is what he is good at and that is what he is going to do. All through his career he has taken the calculated risk of his attack backfiring. 54.P7d-7e 05:55:00 05:26:00 55.S4g-3f 05:56:00 05:26:00 56.P7ex7f 05:56:00 06:04:00 57.S3f-2e 05:57:00 06:04:00 58.R1d-7d 05:57:00 06:17:00 59.S2e-3d 06:10:00 06:17:00 60.B2b-4d 06:10:00 06:17:00 61.S3dx2c= 06:15:00 06:17:00 Most shogi players have this painful (or pleasant, depending on which side of the board your are sitting) experience: a simple breakthrough on the 2nd file. However, on a professional level this is a rarity. At this point, Habu was wondering if he would be completely blown away. 62.B4dx3e 06:15:00 06:18:00 63.S2cx3b+ 06:50:00 06:18:00 64.K4ax3b 06:50:00 06:18:00 65.G*2c 06:50:00 06:18:00 66.K3b-4b 06:50:00 07:11:00 67.R2f-3f 06:55:00 07:11:00 68.B3e-5c 06:55:00 07:11:00 69.P*2b 06:58:00 07:11:00 Simply winning material. This game looks almost over. 70.P*8f 06:58:00 07:11:00 71.P8gx8f 07:04:00 07:11:00 72.S*3e 07:04:00 07:18:00 73.R3f-3h 07:06:00 07:18:00 74.S3ax2b 07:06:00 07:22:00 75.S6f-6e 07:10:00 07:22:00 76.P7f-7g+ 07:10:00 07:23:00 77.N8ix7g 07:11:00 07:23:00 78.R7d-3d 07:11:00 07:23:00 79.G2cx2b 07:12:00 07:23:00 80.R3d-2d 07:12:00 07:23:00 It seems like Tanigawa has taken this double attack too lightly... 81.S6e-5d!! 07:20:00 07:23:00 Brilliant move. Defend against a double attack by putting yet another piece at the mercy of the rook. 82.Rx5d fails to 83.N6e B4d S*4e. The white bishop is tied to the defense of the silver on 3e and has no freedom of movement. 82.R2dx2i+ 07:20:00 07:27:00 83.S5dx5c+ 07:20:00 07:27:00 84.S6bx5c 07:20:00 07:27:00 85.B*3a 07:21:00 07:27:00 86.K4b-5b 07:21:00 07:27:00 87.R3h-3i 07:21:00 07:27:00 88.+R2i-2f 07:21:00 07:27:00 89.N7g-6e 07:37:00 07:27:00 All black's pieces are jumping in on the attack.. We are in Tanigawa's world. 90.S*4b! 07:37:00 07:31:00 Habu takes a final stand. This is the only move that gives him a prayer. If he can get the white bishop, he might get counter chances with B*4g. 91.N6ex5c+ 07:37:00 07:31:00 92.K5bx5c 07:37:00 07:31:00 93.G2bx2a 07:38:00 07:31:00 94.S4bx3a 07:38:00 07:33:00 95.N*6e 07:39:00 07:33:00 96.K5c-5d 07:39:00 07:42:00 97.P*2g! 07:43:00 07:42:00 Another good move. Tanigawa uses the tie of this rook to the silver on 3e to set up a second wave of attack. 98.+R2fx4f 07:43:00 07:45:00 99.P*4g 07:43:00 07:45:00 100.+R4fx4g 07:43:00 07:45:00 101.G4i-5h 07:43:00 07:45:00 102.+R4g-4d 07:43:00 07:45:00 103.S*5f!! 07:44:00 07:45:00 Another brilliant move to finish this game. White can not take this silver because of Bx4d. 104.B*2h looks like holding the position together, but after 105.Sx5e Bx5e+ Bx5e +Rx5e S*5f followed by taking the silver on 3e and/or 3a leaves white without defense. 104.P*3h 07:44:00 07:50:00 This is more or less the same as resigning. 105.S5fx5e 07:48:00 07:50:00 106.+R4dx5e 07:48:00 07:50:00 107.B8hx5e 07:48:00 07:50:00 108.P3hx3i+ 07:48:00 07:50:00 109.R*5c 07:48:00 07:50:00 110.K5d-4e 07:48:00 07:50:00 111.R5cx5a+ 07:48:00 07:50:00 112.N*4f 07:48:00 07:55:00 113.S*5f 07:50:00 07:55:00 114.K4e-3f 07:50:00 07:55:00 115.S5f-4g 07:50:00 07:55:00 116.K3f-3g 07:50:00 07:55:00 117.+R5ax3a 07:50:00 07:55:00 Resigns 07:50:00 07:55:00 White loses all his pieces, so here Habu resigned. It is impossible to defend both the silver on 3e and the knight on 4f. There is also no chance of an entering king, as white is mated after 118.K2h Bx4f. A brilliant performance by Tanigawa, who couldn't wish for a better start in the first two games of this match. If this game is an indication of the form of both players, this will be a very short Oi match with an unexpected winner. In other shogi news: =============== * The Ryu-O challenger tournament is really heating up as three of the four semi-finalists are now known. Sato beat Kubo after an up and down game, while Moriuchi held off Kimura in great style. Kimura had shaved his head completely bald to show his determination to win, but Moriuchi had no mercy and won convincingly. Nakahara had already beaten Nakamura to reach the final four. The final spot in the semi-finals will be decided in the game between Tanigawa and Yamasaki. Yamasaki beat Sugimoto for his 22nd consecutive victory, tying for third place in the record books. With games against Tanigawa and perhaps Moriuchi and Sato next, it will be very hard for him to keep his streak going. * In the A class Moriuchi won his second round game against Miura to keep pace with leaders Tanigawa and Kubo. It was supposed to be an easy victory for Moriuchi, but a blunder in the endgame gave it almost away. However, Miura missed his chance and now has a 0-2 start with a bad position in the class. Relegation worries loom... * In the C2 Junisen class, the second round was played and there are 15 players left with consecutive wins. One of them is of course Yamasaki and the others being Yagura, Iijima, Miyata, Tamura, Chiba, Hirafuji, Murata, Ito No, Anyoji, Ina, Ohira, Masuda, Kinoshita and rookie Yokoyama. Not many veterans in this list, as only Ito (41) is in his 40s and Masuda (32) and Hirafuji (39) in their 30s. * In the Oza challenger tournament, Abe reached the final by beating Maruyama. Old news I am afraid, as the result of the Oza challenger final has already been reported on Shogi-L. However, it was interesting that Abe beat Maruyama quite easily and looked on his way to challenging Habu. After the game he refused to make any comments on reaching the challenger final, as all would be for nothing if he lost the final against Watanabe. As this is exactly what happened, I wonder what went wrong with Abe in that game. Next week we will know more. -- 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