From: Reijer Grimbergen fu is saga-u ac jp> Date: 17 oct 2003 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1014 and 1015, October 8th and 15th In this week's Shukan Shogi report the fourth game of the Oza match between Habu and Watanabe. Habu has a brush with death as Watanabe seemed on his way to winning the game and the match. However, he generously allowed repetition of moves after which Habu won the replay with the black pieces. Here are the two games with comments: [Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"] [Event "51st Oza-sen, Game 4"] [Date "October 7th 2003"] 1.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:02:00 3.P7g-7f 00:02:00 00:02:00 4.P4c-4d 00:02:00 00:02:00 A surprise after three games with the Yokofudori. Habu seems to be aiming at the Furibisha. A brave choice to pick a defensive strategy in a game that he can not afford to lose. 5.P2f-2e 00:04:00 00:02:00 6.B2b-3c 00:04:00 00:03:00 7.S3i-4h 00:06:00 00:03:00 8.P9c-9d 00:06:00 00:04:00 9.K5i-6h 00:09:00 00:04:00 10.G6a-5b!? 00:09:00 00:09:00 After seeing 9.K6h, Habu changed his mind and decided to play Yagura instead. This is even braver, because at professional level the white results with double Yagura have not been very good. Watanabe was surprised too: "It really woke me up". 11.G4i-5h 00:27:00 00:09:00 12.G5b-4c 00:27:00 00:16:00 13.S7i-7h 00:29:00 00:16:00 14.G4a-3b 00:29:00 00:36:00 15.P5g-5f 00:34:00 00:36:00 16.S3a-2b 00:34:00 00:40:00 17.S7h-7g 00:35:00 00:40:00 18.K5a-4a 00:35:00 00:42:00 19.K6h-7h 00:37:00 00:42:00 20.B3c-5a 00:37:00 00:43:00 21.B8h-7i 00:39:00 00:43:00 22.S2b-3c 00:39:00 00:43:00 23.P3g-3f 00:41:00 00:43:00 24.P7c-7d 00:41:00 00:48:00 25.P6g-6f 00:45:00 00:48:00 26.B5a-7c 00:45:00 00:54:00 27.S4h-3g 00:49:00 00:54:00 28.S7a-6b 00:49:00 00:56:00 29.G5h-6g 00:58:00 00:56:00 30.K4a-3a 00:58:00 01:05:00 31.K7h-8h 00:59:00 01:05:00 32.P5c-5d 00:59:00 01:11:00 33.G6i-7h 01:00:00 01:11:00 34.S6b-5c 01:00:00 01:12:00 35.S7g-8f! 01:34:00 01:12:00 In combination with the next move, this is very well judged. In general it is a bad idea to move the castle pieces, but this is an exception. The first threat is S8e to attack the head of the bishop. 36.P8c-8d 01:34:00 01:39:00 37.N8i-7g! 01:52:00 01:39:00 The threat of a fork on 6e is very nasty. The simple defense is P6d, but this closes the vital bishop diagonal and puts bishop and silver in a very awkward position. Black has won the opening. 38.B7c-5a 01:52:00 01:50:00 39.B7i-4f 02:01:00 01:50:00 40.N8a-7c 02:01:00 02:14:00 41.N7g-6e 02:18:00 02:14:00 42.S5c-6d 02:18:00 02:20:00 43.N6ex7c+ 02:18:00 02:20:00 44.S6dx7c 02:18:00 02:20:00 45.P3f-3e 02:38:00 02:20:00 46.P3dx3e 02:38:00 02:33:00 47.B4fx3e 02:38:00 02:33:00 48.S7c-6d 02:38:00 02:34:00 49.P6f-6e 03:02:00 02:34:00 50.P8d-8e 03:02:00 02:41:00 51.S8f-7g 03:02:00 02:41:00 52.S6d-5c 03:02:00 02:41:00 53.B3e-4f 03:02:00 02:41:00 54.R8b-8a 03:02:00 02:41:00 55.S3g-3f 03:03:00 02:41:00 56.B5a-8d 03:03:00 02:54:00 57.S7g-6f 03:13:00 02:54:00 58.S3c-3d 03:13:00 03:00:00 A desperate attempt to generate some play. White threatens P3e next, but Watanabe is not very concerned. 59.N2i-3g 03:38:00 03:00:00 The textbook Yagura formation. White can try to counter it, but this has a high chance of backfiring. 60.P*3e 03:38:00 03:55:00 After 55 minutes, Habu decides to take the plunge. He did not trust his own attack, but he saw no alternative. 61.S3fx3e 03:38:00 03:55:00 62.S3dx3e 03:38:00 03:55:00 63.B4fx3e 03:38:00 03:55:00 64.N*8f 03:38:00 03:55:00 65.G7h-7g 03:52:00 03:55:00 66.S*3f 03:52:00 03:57:00 67.B3e-2f! 03:54:00 03:57:00 Gentle defense. Not only defends the knight on 3g, but also opens the square 3e for a knight drop. If black now can get rid of the knight on 8f, he will win easily. 68.P6c-6d 03:54:00 03:57:00 69.P7f-7e 04:02:00 03:57:00 70.P7dx7e 04:02:00 03:58:00 71.P8gx8f 04:12:00 03:58:00 72.P6dx6e 04:12:00 03:58:00 73.S6fx6e 04:12:00 03:58:00 74.P7e-7f 04:12:00 03:58:00 75.S6ex7f 04:12:00 03:58:00 76.B8d-3i+ 04:12:00 03:58:00 77.R2h-7h 04:12:00 03:58:00 78.P8ex8f 04:12:00 04:02:00 79.P*8b 04:14:00 04:02:00 80.R8ax8b 04:14:00 04:03:00 81.P*8c 04:14:00 04:03:00 82.R8bx8c 04:14:00 04:03:00 83.N*7e 04:14:00 04:03:00 84.R8c-8a 04:14:00 04:14:00 85.S*7b 04:14:00 04:14:00 86.P*6f 04:14:00 04:14:00 87.G6g-6h 04:14:00 04:14:00 88.R8a-8b 04:14:00 04:17:00 No choice. 88.R4a fails to Gx8f and 88.R8d to 89.P*8e R7d S6c= R7a P*7c and white can not take this pawn with Rx7c because of N*6e. 89.S7b-8c=? 04:20:00 04:17:00 Now the game suddenly ends in sennichite. Habu thought he would lose after 90.N8c+ P*7e +Nx8b Px7f Gx8f S*6g P*3c. Watanabe did not like this and decided to try his luck in the replay. 90.R8b-8a 04:20:00 04:18:00 91.S8c-7b= 04:23:00 04:18:00 92.R8a-8b 04:23:00 04:19:00 93.S7b-8c= 04:23:00 04:19:00 94.R8b-8a 04:23:00 04:19:00 95.S8c-7b= 04:23:00 04:19:00 96.R8a-8b 04:23:00 04:19:00 97.S7b-8c= 04:23:00 04:19:00 98.R8b-8a 04:23:00 04:19:00 99.S8c-7b= 04:23:00 04:19:00 Sennichite 04:23:00 04:19:00 [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"] [White "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"] [Event "51st Oza-sen, Replay Game 4"] [Date "October 7th 2003"] 1.P7g-7f 03:56:00 00:00:00 The replay starts after only a 30 minute recess. Not much you can do in that time, and Watanabe actually already set down at the board 15 minutes before the game would start. 2.P3c-3d 03:56:00 04:00:00 3.P2g-2f 03:56:00 04:00:00 4.P8c-8d 03:56:00 04:00:00 5.P2f-2e 03:56:00 04:00:00 6.P8d-8e 03:56:00 04:00:00 7.G6i-7h 03:56:00 04:00:00 8.G4a-3b 03:56:00 04:00:00 9.P2e-2d 03:56:00 04:00:00 10.P2cx2d 03:56:00 04:00:00 11.R2hx2d 03:56:00 04:00:00 12.P8e-8f 03:56:00 04:00:00 13.P8gx8f 03:56:00 04:00:00 14.R8bx8f 03:56:00 04:00:00 15.R2dx3d 03:56:00 04:00:00 16.B2b-3c 03:56:00 04:00:00 17.R3d-3f 03:56:00 04:00:00 18.S3a-2b 03:56:00 04:00:00 19.P*8g 03:56:00 04:00:00 20.R8f-8e 03:56:00 04:00:00 So the 4th game becomes a Yokofudori after all. Who will have studied this the deepest? 21.R3f-2f 03:56:00 04:00:00 22.K5a-4a 03:56:00 04:00:00 23.K5i-6h 03:56:00 04:00:00 24.S7a-6b 03:56:00 04:00:00 25.S3i-3h 03:56:00 04:00:00 26.P7c-7d 03:56:00 04:00:00 27.P3g-3f 03:56:00 04:00:00 28.N8a-7c 03:56:00 04:00:00 29.N2i-3g 03:56:00 04:00:00 30.G6a-5a 03:56:00 04:00:00 31.P4g-4f 03:56:00 04:00:00 32.R8e-5e 03:56:00 04:00:00 33.P4f-4e 03:57:00 04:00:00 34.R5e-5d 03:57:00 04:00:00 35.B8hx3c+ 03:57:00 04:00:00 36.N2ax3c 03:57:00 04:00:00 37.P6g-6f 03:57:00 04:00:00 38.P*2d 03:57:00 04:00:00 39.B*8b 03:58:00 04:00:00 40.B*6d 03:58:00 04:00:00 41.G4i-4h 03:58:00 04:00:00 42.N3cx4e 03:58:00 04:00:00 43.N3gx4e 03:58:00 04:00:00 44.B6dx1i+ 03:58:00 04:00:00 45.B8bx9a+ 03:58:00 04:00:00 46.L*4d 03:58:00 04:00:00 47.N*3g 03:58:00 04:00:00 48.L4dx4e 03:58:00 04:00:00 49.P*4f 03:58:00 04:00:00 50.L4ex4f 03:58:00 04:00:00 51.P*4g 03:58:00 04:00:00 52.N*6d 03:58:00 04:00:00 53.G7h-6g 03:59:00 04:00:00 54.+B1i-1h 03:59:00 04:00:00 55.P4gx4f 03:59:00 04:00:00 56.+B1hx1g 03:59:00 04:00:00 57.R2f-2i 03:59:00 04:00:00 58.+B1g-1h 03:59:00 04:00:00 59.R2i-4i 03:59:00 04:00:00 60.P2d-2e 03:59:00 04:01:00 61.+B9a-9b 03:59:00 04:01:00 Habu is the first one to change the moves. Up until now the position was still known and both players hardly took any time to play their moves. Habu used only 3 minutes, while Watanabe used only 1 minute. 62.P2e-2f 03:59:00 04:38:00 But here Watanabe takes his time. Thinking for 37 minutes about a move when you have only one hour for the whole game could be considered a serious think. 63.L*2i 03:59:00 04:38:00 64.+B1hx3f 03:59:00 04:38:00 65.+B9bx9c 04:02:00 04:38:00 66.P*9b 04:02:00 04:43:00 67.+B9c-8d 04:10:00 04:43:00 68.P*8c 04:10:00 04:43:00 69.+B8dx8c 04:10:00 04:43:00 70.R5d-3d 04:10:00 04:43:00 A difficult position. Habu is a lance up, but his promoted bishop is boxed in. Freeing it here is of course impossible, as 71.+Bx7d fails to Nx7f. Watanabe seems to have a nasty threat here. After P2g+, Lx2g fails to P*2f and Sx2g to +Bx3g. As this looks hard to defend against, most professionals in the press room thought Habu was in trouble. 71.P6f-6e! 04:32:00 04:43:00 Habu just ignores the threat and goes for the knight. Very well judged indeed. 72.N7cx6e 04:32:00 04:45:00 73.P*6f 04:32:00 04:45:00 74.P*8h 04:32:00 04:46:00 75.S7ix8h 04:34:00 04:46:00 76.N6ex5g+ 04:34:00 04:54:00 77.K6hx5g 04:42:00 04:54:00 78.P2f-2g+ 04:42:00 04:54:00 79.S3hx2g 04:44:00 04:54:00 80.+B3fx3g 04:44:00 04:54:00 81.P*3e 04:44:00 04:54:00 82.R3d-5d 04:44:00 04:55:00 83.P*5f 04:44:00 04:55:00 84.P*3f? 04:44:00 04:56:00 This is an important mistake. Better was 84.+B1i, threatening P*2h next. 85.L*3d! 04:45:00 04:56:00 The point. Because white has dropped a pawn on 3f, this lance can not be blocked by a pawn. 86.P*2h 04:45:00 04:59:00 87.L3dx3b+ 04:50:00 04:59:00 88.K4ax3b 04:50:00 04:59:00 89.G4hx3g 04:50:00 04:59:00 90.P3fx3g+ 04:50:00 04:59:00 91.N*3d 04:51:00 04:59:00 92.S2b-3a 04:51:00 04:59:00 93.B*1e! 04:53:00 04:59:00 "That was painful" (Watanabe). Now black, who had been on the defense for most of the time, suddenly launches a very powerful attack. 94.P*3c 04:53:00 04:59:00 95.P*2c 04:53:00 04:59:00 96.L*2a 04:53:00 04:59:00 97.G*2b 04:54:00 04:59:00 98.L2ax2b 04:54:00 04:59:00 99.P2cx2b+ 04:54:00 04:59:00 100.S3ax2b 04:54:00 04:59:00 101.N3dx2b+ 04:54:00 04:59:00 102.K3bx2b 04:54:00 04:59:00 103.L*2e 04:54:00 04:59:00 104.N*2c 04:54:00 04:59:00 Again white is hampered by his own pawns. Without the pawn on 2h, white could have easily defended here with P*2c. 105.B1ex3g 04:54:00 04:59:00 Picks up an important pawn. The threat is P*2d and white does not have a good defense. The rest of the game is a display of Habu's extraordinary attacking skills. 106.G*1d 04:54:00 04:59:00 107.L2ex2c+ 04:55:00 04:59:00 108.K2bx2c 04:55:00 04:59:00 109.L2ix2h 04:55:00 04:59:00 110.P*2d 04:55:00 04:59:00 111.S*4e 04:55:00 04:59:00 112.N*4d 04:55:00 04:59:00 113.P3e-3d 04:56:00 04:59:00 114.P3cx3d 04:56:00 04:59:00 115.P*3c 04:57:00 04:59:00 116.N4dx5f 04:57:00 04:59:00 117.S4ex5d 04:57:00 04:59:00 118.P5cx5d 04:57:00 04:59:00 119.R*3a 04:57:00 04:59:00 120.G*4a 04:57:00 04:59:00 121.R3a-2a+ 04:57:00 04:59:00 122.S*2b 04:57:00 04:59:00 123.+B8c-6a 04:57:00 04:59:00 124.G4a-3a 04:57:00 04:59:00 125.+B6ax6b 04:57:00 04:59:00 126.G3ax2a 04:57:00 04:59:00 127.+B6bx5a 04:57:00 04:59:00 128.L*5e 04:57:00 04:59:00 129.+B5a-4a 04:57:00 04:59:00 130.K2c-1b 04:57:00 04:59:00 131.P3c-3b+ 04:57:00 04:59:00 132.R*7h 04:57:00 04:59:00 133.+P3bx2b 04:57:00 04:59:00 Resigns 04:57:00 04:59:00 Mate after 134.Gx2b G*2c Gx2c S*2a Kx2a S*3b K1b Sx2c+ K2a +B3b. Habu just barely survives this fourth game and gets a chance to defend his Oza title in the decisive 5th game. Watanabe will feel sorry about his decision to settle for sennichite, but still can become the third teenager to win a major title (after Habu and Yashiki) by winning game 5. In other shogi news: ================ * In the A class Junisen, the final three games of the fourth round were played. Tanigawa did not manage to join leader Moriuchi, as he lost his game against Suzuki. Tanigawa and Suzuki now join Kubo at 3-1 in second place. Maruyama and Miura got back to a 50% by beating Aono and Fujii respectively. Things look very bleak for Aono after his fourth consecutive loss, while Fujii also will not be happy with only one win from four games. * Habu will not get a chance to win back his Kio title, as he lost the quarterfinal game of the Kio challenger tournament against Tanigawa. Tanigawa seems to have Habu's number these days, although he needed Habu's help to advance to the semifinals where he will meet either Inoue or Urano. In one of the other quarterfinals, Fukauara upset Moriuchi to get to the final four. His opponent will be the winner of the game between Sato and Takahashi. * The Osho league has started and this year the league is very strong with Sato, Goda, Moriuchi, Kubo, Tanigawa, Yonenaga and Morishita. Sato and Tanigawa had a good start with first round wins against Morishita and Goda. Still a long way to go, but in a league that strong, each loss can be vital. * The Shinjin-O tournament for young professionals has an interesting match-up this year with Tamura playing Namekata. Tamura is famous for being the fastest shooting kid in shogi, often using less than half of his available time to slaughter opponents. Of course, this sometimes backfires as he overlooks something and loses. Namekata is a very gifted player, who for some reason just falls short when it really matters. A title match appearance seems to be possible, but until now this has not materialized. Because of his age, this will be his last opportunity to get the Shinjin-O title. However, in the first game Tamura's quick punches prevailed and he takes a 1-0 lead in this best-of-three match. 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 --^---------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: shogi-l shogi net EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a2i6Ys.a7fLMV.c2hvZ2kt Or send an email to: shogi-unsubscribe topica com TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. 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