From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 13 feb 2003 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 979 and 980, February 3rd and 10th 2003) In this week's Shukan Shogi report the third game of the Osho match between Sato and Habu and the first game of the Kio match between Habu and Maruyama. Habu keeps winning, as he took a 3-0 lead in the Osho match and also won the first game against Maruyama. Here are the games with comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Osho"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"] [Event "52nd Osho-sen, Game 3"] [Date "January 28th and 29th 2003"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:05:00 3.P2g-2f 00:05:00 00:05:00 4.G4a-3b 00:05:00 00:15:00 5.G6i-7h 00:06:00 00:15:00 6.P8d-8e 00:06:00 00:31:00 7.B8h-7g 00:06:00 00:31:00 8.P3c-3d 00:06:00 00:31:00 9.S7i-8h 00:06:00 00:31:00 10.B2bx7g+ 00:06:00 00:39:00 11.S8hx7g 00:06:00 00:39:00 The R8e-Yokofudori and the Gokigen-Nakabisha are followed by the Kakugawari opening. As is often the case in matches between Habu and Sato, there is a lot of variety in the opening strategies. Good news for shogi fans who like to see different types of shogi. 12.S3a-4b 00:06:00 00:39:00 13.S3i-3h 00:07:00 00:39:00 14.S7a-7b 00:07:00 00:43:00 15.P9g-9f 00:09:00 00:43:00 16.P9c-9d 00:09:00 00:51:00 17.P4g-4f 00:13:00 00:51:00 18.P6c-6d 00:13:00 00:59:00 19.P1g-1f 00:20:00 00:59:00 20.P1c-1d 00:20:00 01:06:00 21.S3h-4g 00:23:00 01:06:00 22.S7b-6c 00:23:00 01:07:00 23.K5i-6h 00:26:00 01:07:00 24.G6a-5b 00:26:00 01:48:00 25.P3g-3f 00:32:00 01:48:00 26.K5a-4a 00:32:00 01:52:00 27.S4g-5f 00:44:00 01:52:00 28.S6c-5d 00:44:00 01:53:00 29.K6h-7i 00:48:00 01:53:00 30.K4a-3a 00:48:00 01:57:00 31.G4i-5h 00:53:00 01:57:00 32.P4c-4d 00:53:00 01:58:00 33.P6g-6f 00:58:00 01:58:00 34.P7c-7d 00:58:00 02:01:00 35.N2i-3g 01:00:00 02:01:00 36.N8a-7c 01:00:00 02:21:00 37.P2f-2e 01:04:00 02:21:00 38.S4b-3c 01:04:00 02:28:00 39.P4f-4e 01:48:00 02:28:00 40.P4dx4e 01:48:00 02:29:00 41.P3f-3e 01:48:00 02:29:00 42.S3c-4d 01:48:00 02:35:00 43.P2e-2d 01:54:00 02:35:00 So far, this position has appeared in a large number of professional games. The most popular line is 43.P1e Px1e P7e Px7e P2d Px2d Rx2d P*2c R2i, where the white weakness on 7d becomes the main theme. The results for black in this position are good, but there is no definite conclusion about whether black objectively has the better position. Sato has prepared a new move in an older variation. 44.P2cx2d 01:54:00 02:35:00 45.R2hx2d 01:56:00 02:35:00 46.P*2c 01:56:00 02:37:00 47.R2d-2h 01:58:00 02:37:00 48.P6d-6e 01:58:00 03:02:00 49.P6fx6e 02:09:00 03:02:00 50.P7d-7e 02:09:00 03:04:00 51.B*6d!? 03:18:00 03:04:00 The move Sato prepared. It is almost ten years ago since the position after 50.P7e appeared in a professional game. In the 4th game of the 1993 Kisei match between Goda and Tanigawa, Goda played 51.S6f P9e Px9e P*9g Lx9g P8f and white won. 52.G5b-6c 03:18:00 04:45:00 It is not a surprise that Habu took a long time for his reply to 51.B6d, but 1 hour and 41 minutes is unusually long for him. This was the sealed move, and even though he asked the keeper of the game record (Yamamoto, 4-dan) to prepare for the sealing of the move at 18:10, it actually took him another 21 minutes to seal the move. The problem was that he had a hard time dismissing the alternative 52.B*8d, which he considered the more natural move. However, after 53.S6f P*6c Bx7e Bx7e Sx7e Nx6e S6f B*6d B*5i, it seems white has nothing else but P*7g Nx7g Nx7g+ Sx7g Sx3e P*6e B7c which doesn't seem to work well for white. Habu finally decided that 52.G6c was the better move. 53.B6dx7e 03:23:00 04:45:00 54.S5dx6e!? 03:23:00 05:19:00 A surprise. This is not the natural move. Of course, if black plays 55.Sx6e Nx6e, white has developed the knight and exchanged a silver, which would be very good. However, the silver on 6e blocks the knight on 6e, so if the silver exchange is not played, it can be hard for white to develop his pieces. Habu had looked at 54.Nx6e, but he didn't like 55.P*2b. Then 56.Kx2b B6f gives black a good bishop line to the white king and 56.Gx2b puts the gold on a bad square. 55.S5fx4e 06:56:00 05:19:00 Not record-breaking, but thinking for 3 hours and 33 minutes is exceptional. In title matches, only Yonenaga once thought longer (217 minutes) about his move in the 3rd game of the 34th Osho match (1985) against Nakahara. The record for a non-title match game belongs to Kanezawa, who once thought 286 minutes in a game for the Oi title against Yashiki in 2001. In light of the previous comment, moving the silver away from the exchange, seems to be the most natural move. 56.S4dx4e 06:56:00 05:48:00 57.N3gx4e 06:56:00 05:48:00 58.S*4d 06:56:00 06:20:00 59.P*2d 07:09:00 06:20:00 60.P2cx2d 07:09:00 06:35:00 61.P*6d? 07:30:00 06:35:00 The only real mistake in this game, but unfortunately for Sato a game-ending one. He should have played 61.P*2c here. For example, 62.Gx2c P*2e Px2e S*6d G7d Sx7c+ Gx7c N*3f Sx4e Bx5c+ S*4b +B7a R8d +B6b and it is hard for white to defend against +Bx7c. Sato had seen this, but he feared 62.Sx4e S*6d Gx6d Bx6d N*6a!. This is a very Sato-like move, but Habu didn't like it much. Habu said after the game that he would not have played it like that. 62.G6c-7d 07:30:00 06:36:00 63.B7e-9g 07:40:00 06:36:00 64.P8e-8f 07:40:00 06:47:00 65.B9gx8f 07:40:00 06:47:00 66.B*5e! 07:40:00 06:49:00 Now white suddenly has a big advantage. 67.R2h-4h 07:41:00 06:49:00 68.P*4g 07:41:00 07:10:00 69.R4hx4g 07:41:00 07:10:00 70.P*4f 07:41:00 07:10:00 71.R4g-2g 07:42:00 07:10:00 72.G7d-8e 07:42:00 07:18:00 73.P6d-6c+ 07:44:00 07:18:00 74.G8ex8f 07:44:00 07:18:00 75.P8gx8f 07:49:00 07:18:00 76.B*3f 07:49:00 07:19:00 Game over. Sato tries a desperate attack, but he needs too much material to fuel this attack and Habu wins easily in the counter-attack. 77.+P6cx7c 07:49:00 07:19:00 78.B5ex7c 07:49:00 07:24:00 79.R2gx2d 07:52:00 07:24:00 80.P*2c 07:52:00 07:27:00 81.N*4c 07:58:00 07:27:00 82.K3a-2b 07:58:00 07:31:00 83.S*3a 07:58:00 07:31:00 84.G3bx3a 07:58:00 07:42:00 85.R2dx3d 07:58:00 07:42:00 86.G3a-3b 07:58:00 07:42:00 87.P*2d 07:58:00 07:42:00 88.S*3c 07:58:00 07:44:00 89.N4ex3c+ 07:58:00 07:44:00 90.S4dx3c 07:58:00 07:44:00 91.S*4d 07:59:00 07:44:00 92.S3cx3d 07:59:00 07:48:00 93.P3ex3d 07:59:00 07:48:00 94.B3fx5h+ 07:59:00 07:51:00 95.P2dx2c+ 07:59:00 07:51:00 96.G3bx2c 07:59:00 07:51:00 97.P*2d 07:59:00 07:51:00 98.R*3i 07:59:00 07:52:00 99.K7i-8h 07:59:00 07:52:00 100.G2cx2d 07:59:00 07:52:00 101.S*3e 07:59:00 07:52:00 102.N*6f 07:59:00 07:55:00 103.S3ex2d 07:59:00 07:55:00 104.N6fx7h+ 07:59:00 07:55:00 105.K8hx7h 07:59:00 07:55:00 106.+B5h-6i 07:59:00 07:55:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:55:00 Simple mate after 107.K8h G*8g or 107.K6g G*6h Sx6h G*6f. This game has the same pattern as the first two games: Sato plays the opening well and he gets his opening preparation on the board. After that, Habu finds a way to complicate the position and Sato makes a mistake that loses the game. A Sato in good form would be able to carry his opening preparation advantage over the finish line, but that is not happening in this match. Three down with four to play is quite a desperate situation and Habu seems to be taking back the Osho title he lost last year. The question is: will he do it in Oyama style? The late Oyama was well-known for getting very angry (in a positive way) at players who took a title from him, usually thrashing them 3-0 or 4-0 in a return match. Game 4 will tell us if Habu has the same mercilessness. Here is game 1 of the Kio match with comments: [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Kio"] [White "Maruyama Tadahisa, Challenger"] [Event "28th Kio-sen, Game 1"] [Date "February 1st 2003"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00 3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00 4.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00 5.P2f-2e 00:02:00 00:00:00 6.P8d-8e 00:02:00 00:00:00 7.G6i-7h 00:02:00 00:00:00 8.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:00:00 9.P2e-2d 00:02:00 00:00:00 10.P2cx2d 00:02:00 00:00:00 11.R2hx2d 00:02:00 00:00:00 12.P8e-8f 00:02:00 00:00:00 13.P8gx8f 00:02:00 00:00:00 14.R8bx8f 00:02:00 00:00:00 15.R2dx3d 00:04:00 00:00:00 16.B2b-3c 00:04:00 00:00:00 17.R3d-3f 00:06:00 00:00:00 18.K5a-4a 00:06:00 00:00:00 19.K5i-5h 00:06:00 00:00:00 20.S3a-2b 00:06:00 00:01:00 21.G4i-3h 00:22:00 00:01:00 22.G6a-5a 00:22:00 00:02:00 23.P*8g 00:23:00 00:02:00 24.R8f-8e 00:23:00 00:03:00 Maruyama is a specialist in this opening, but Habu doesn't make any effort to avoid his opponent's favourite strategy. It is the "come and get me if you can" attitude of modern shogi. 25.B8hx3c+ 00:24:00 00:03:00 26.N2ax3c 00:24:00 00:04:00 27.N8i-7g 00:24:00 00:04:00 This bishop exchange followed by N7g is not the main line, but there are still about 10 games that have been played with this position. 28.R8e-8d 00:24:00 00:06:00 29.P7f-7e 00:25:00 00:06:00 30.S7a-6b 00:25:00 00:07:00 31.P7e-7d 00:28:00 00:07:00 Simple, but positive play by black. 32.Rx7d is answered by 33.B*8b and 32.Px7d by 33.P*2c Gx2c P*2d Gx2d B*6f. 32.P4c-4d 00:28:00 00:13:00 The more usual reply is 32.B*4d, but 32.P*4d was played about one week earlier and Maruyama decided to use this idea. If he was hoping to surprise Habu with it, he failed as Habu after the game told that despite his busy schedule, he had seen the game in which P4d was played as well. 33.P8g-8f!? 00:42:00 00:13:00 It is unclear if Habu prepared this move or if he found it behind the board, but this is a new idea. 34.P7cx7d 00:42:00 00:18:00 35.P8f-8e 00:43:00 00:18:00 36.R8d-8b 00:43:00 00:18:00 37.R3f-8f 00:43:00 00:18:00 38.N8a-7c 00:43:00 01:27:00 39.S3i-4h 00:49:00 01:27:00 40.B*6d 00:49:00 01:46:00 41.R8f-8i 01:06:00 01:46:00 42.P*8f 01:06:00 02:38:00 43.S7i-6h 01:13:00 02:38:00 44.P9c-9d 01:13:00 03:00:00 Here white wants to play 44.Nx8e, but after 45.N6e! black has a strong attack, threatening for example P*7c followed by P*8d. The idea behind P9d is to prepare an edge attack that makes Nx8e possible. If black waits until white plays P9e followed by Nx8e, a move like N6e will have no effect and black will be overrun. 45.P6g-6f! 01:56:00 03:00:00 Played after 43 minutes, which is quite long for a Kio title match game in which both players only have 4 hours. Some commentators even wondered if Habu realized he was in trouble and desperately tried to find a way out. The truth is that Habu found a dangerous looking counter to Maruyama's edge attack plan and spent his time on checking that it was the right way to play. 45.P6f is difficult to play, as it opens op a diagonal to the king. 46.P5c-5d 01:56:00 03:00:00 Necessary to make an escape route for the bishop. 47.G7h-6g! 01:58:00 03:00:00 This is the one-two punch that Habu intended. 47.G6g is also difficult to play, because it seems to abandon the 8th file and leaves a gaping hole on 7h. However, black's plan is to play G7f next, forcing white into action at an inconvenient time. 48.N7cx8e 01:58:00 03:17:00 If Maruyama allows G7f, he will never be able to take this pawn, so he has to take it now, without the support of P9e. 49.N7g-6e 02:07:00 03:17:00 50.P*2h 02:07:00 03:21:00 51.G3hx2h 02:18:00 03:21:00 52.B6d-4b! 02:18:00 03:25:00 Maruyama shows that he will not go down without a fight. 52.B4b gives the initiative to Habu, but is also a trap... 53.P*8c! 03:22:00 03:25:00 Avoids the first trap. 53.P*7c P6d P7b+ Rx7b B*8c is tempting, but after S6c Bx7b+ Sx7b R*8b Px6e Rx7b+ P*2g things are not easy for black. 54.R8bx8c 03:22:00 03:26:00 55.P*7c! 03:22:00 03:26:00 Avoids the second trap. 55.B*7b R8d N7c+ looks good, but again things are complicated after Nx9g+ B8c+ Rx8c +Nx8c P8g+. It is interesting that the way Habu plays looks like a flawed combination of the previous two ideas. Black promoted a bishop by dropping it on the square where the pawn is supposed to promote. Only a player like Habu can make the judgement that it is an enhanced version instead of a flawed one. 56.P6c-6d 03:22:00 03:27:00 57.B*7b 03:25:00 03:27:00 58.R8c-8d 03:25:00 03:29:00 59.B7bx5d+ 03:25:00 03:29:00 60.P6dx6e! 03:25:00 03:39:00 Maruyama could have made this a long and painful struggle by playing 60.G5b here. It is a proof of his will to win that he didn't even consider this. He is planning to sacrifice a full bishop to create winning chances. 61.P7c-7b+ 03:25:00 03:39:00 62.S6b-5c 03:25:00 03:51:00 63.+B5d-6c 03:25:00 03:51:00 64.G5a-5b 03:25:00 03:51:00 65.+B6c-7c 03:26:00 03:51:00 66.B4b-5a 03:26:00 03:51:00 67.+B7cx8d 03:27:00 03:51:00 68.B5ax8d 03:27:00 03:51:00 69.R*8a 03:27:00 03:51:00 70.P*5a 03:27:00 03:51:00 71.R8ax8d+ 03:27:00 03:51:00 72.N*7e? 03:27:00 03:52:00 Too bad. White is way behind in material, but still has a solid defence with four generals and an anchor pawn on 5a. The margin of error is extremely small, but Maruyama could have made it very difficult for Habu had he played 72.P*2g here. After 73.G3h Px6f Gx6f P*6f black has the unpleasant choice between G6g N*6f or Gx6e B*7f P*6g Bx6e and white threatens N*4f next. It seems like Habu underestimated this line. In the post-mortem analysis quite some time was spent on this position, but a clear win for black was not found. 73.+R8dx8e 03:32:00 03:52:00 74.P8f-8g+ 03:32:00 03:52:00 75.R8ix8g 03:33:00 03:52:00 Seems like a waste of a rook, but kills white's attack long enough for a devastating counter attack. 76.P6ex6f 03:33:00 03:52:00 77.G6g-7g 03:33:00 03:52:00 78.N7ex8g+ 03:33:00 03:52:00 79.+R8ex8g 03:33:00 03:52:00 80.P*8f 03:33:00 03:52:00 81.+R8g-8i 03:33:00 03:52:00 82.P*2g 03:33:00 03:52:00 83.G2h-3h 03:33:00 03:52:00 84.B*2h 03:33:00 03:52:00 85.N*2d 03:37:00 03:52:00 The decisive move. Black is one move earlier than white. 86.G3b-4b 03:37:00 03:53:00 87.P*6c 03:42:00 03:53:00 88.B2hx1i+ 03:42:00 03:56:00 89.P6c-6b+ 03:42:00 03:56:00 90.S5cx6b 03:42:00 03:56:00 91.+P7bx6b 03:42:00 03:56:00 92.G5bx6b 03:42:00 03:56:00 93.N*5d 03:42:00 03:56:00 94.G6b-5c 03:42:00 03:56:00 95.B*2a 03:46:00 03:56:00 96.P2g-2h+ 03:46:00 03:56:00 97.N5dx4b+ 03:47:00 03:56:00 98.K4ax4b 03:47:00 03:56:00 99.S*5d 03:47:00 03:56:00 Resigns 03:47:00 03:56:00 Black threatens mate with 101.G*4c and after 100.L*4c, 101.G*6c is hisshi. A fine win for Habu to start his bid for a 13th consecutive Kio title. Winning the first game in a 5-game title match is big and beating Maruyama in his favourite opening is even more important. There is now a lot of pressure on Maruyama to win the second game. In other shogi news: ==================== * In the A class all games of round 8 were played. Most important was the game between leaders Sato and Fujii. The winner of this game would at least be assured of a play-off spot. Fujii controlled this game for most of the time, but a blunder in the endgame nullified all of his fine play. Sato took full advantage and is now the only player at 6-2. Fujii is now overtaken by Tanigawa (beat Morishita) and Habu (beat Miura). Tanigawa meets Fujii in the final round, while Habu plays Aono. Sato has to play Goda, which will not be easy, as Goda lost against Shima, which means that he has to win his final round game to avoid relegation to B1. Other candidates for relegation are Morishita, Shima and Maruyama. Especially Morishita is in big trouble, as he is the only player with 2-6. Maruyama seems to have saved himself with a win against Aono, but still needs to beat Morishita in the final round to make sure of a spot in the top class next year. An exciting final round coming up, as only Miura and Aono have nothing at stake in their final round game. * In C1 the 9th round was played. A very important round, as the four leaders in this class played each other and the winners would take an important step towards promotion to B2. Sugimoto (against Matsuo) and Horiguchi (against Katsumata) emerged victorious and are now the only two players with 8-1. It seems likely that they will promote, even though Sugimoto still has a very tough final round opponent in Katsumata. This leaves some hope for Yashiki, who is in third place after beating Sanada. * In the Kisei tournament Maruyama and Suzuki Daisuke joined Goda and Kimura to the challenger finals by winning the second game in their league. The four other finalists will be decided by play-off games between the players with one win and loss in each league. Definitely out of the tournament are Katsumata, Nakahara, Yonenaga and Habu, who each lost both their games. 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