From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 23 aug 2004 Subject: Some time ago in Shukan Shogi (no. 1052, July 7th 2004) Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Save up to 67% on Omaha Steaks + Get 6 FREE Burgers and a=20 FREE Cutlery Set + Cutting Board! http://click.topica.com/= caacvgpa2i6YsbnuqMaa/OmahaSteaks ------------------------------------------------------------------- In this Shukan Shogi report the second game of the Kisei match between=20 Sato and Moriuchi. Another surprisingly one-sided victory for Sato, even= =20 though he needed two games for that, as the first game ended in=20 sennichite. Judging from the games so far, it is hard to believe that=20 Moriuchi is holding three major titles. Here are the sennichite game and= =20 the replay with comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Kisei"] [White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [Event "75th Kisei-sen, Game 2"] [Date "June 29th 2004"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:01:00 4.P4c-4d 00:01:00 00:01:00 5.P2f-2e 00:02:00 00:01:00 6.B2b-3c 00:02:00 00:01:00 7.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:01:00 8.S3a-4b 00:02:00 00:01:00 9.P5g-5f 00:03:00 00:01:00 10.P5c-5d 00:03:00 00:03:00 11.K5i-6h 00:03:00 00:03:00 12.R8b-5b 00:03:00 00:05:00 The standard Nakabisha opening. Unlike the Gokigen-Nakabisha, which is=20 quite popular among the top players, the standard Nakabisha opening is=20 not often seen these days. Because of the bad winning percentage of the=20 Nakabisha side, it was even considered unplayable for a while. However,=20 Kubo 8-dan and Yagura 5-dan refused to give up on this opening and have=20 been studying new attacking strategies for the Nakabisha side. The fact=20 that Moriuchi is playing this opening now in this important game could=20 be the start of a revival. 13.K6h-7h 00:03:00 00:05:00 14.K5a-6b 00:03:00 00:05:00 15.S4h-5g 00:10:00 00:05:00 16.K6b-7b 00:10:00 00:05:00 17.B8h-7g 00:10:00 00:05:00 18.S4b-5c 00:10:00 00:05:00 19.K7h-8h 00:11:00 00:05:00 20.S5c-6d 00:11:00 00:05:00 21.S5g-6f 00:11:00 00:05:00 22.K7b-8b 00:11:00 00:07:00 23.L9i-9h 00:44:00 00:07:00 24.P4d-4e 00:44:00 00:09:00 25.K8h-9i 00:44:00 00:09:00 26.R5b-4b 00:44:00 00:09:00 27.R2h-4h 00:45:00 00:09:00 28.L9a-9b 00:45:00 00:16:00 29.S7i-8h 00:45:00 00:16:00 30.K8b-9a 00:45:00 00:16:00 31.G4i-5i 00:45:00 00:16:00 32.S7a-8b 00:45:00 00:16:00 33.B7g-6h 00:48:00 00:16:00 34.G4a-5a 00:48:00 00:46:00 35.R4h-2h 00:57:00 00:46:00 36.R4b-5b 00:57:00 01:13:00 37.P2e-2d 01:33:00 01:13:00 38.P2cx2d 01:33:00 01:14:00 39.P3g-3f 01:33:00 01:14:00 40.R5b-2b 01:33:00 02:01:00 41.N2i-3g?! 01:36:00 02:01:00 Both players have chosen the solid anaguma castle. When both sides have=20 an anaguma, the development of a single piece can make all the=20 difference. Sato is aiming for the development of this knight, which is=20 something that white can not do for a while. If black can succeed in=20 using this knight without compromising the anaguma, he will get the=20 advantage. Still, the timing of this is crucial and it seems that Sato=20 underestimated the next move. 42.P2d-2e!? 01:36:00 02:07:00 Sacrificing a pawn for active counter play. 43.R2hx2e 01:43:00 02:07:00 44.R2bx2e 01:43:00 02:10:00 45.N3gx2e 01:43:00 02:10:00 46.B3c-1e 01:43:00 02:10:00 47.R*2c 01:44:00 02:10:00 48.R*2i 01:44:00 02:14:00 49.R2cx2a+? 02:14:00 02:14:00 Better was 49.P*2f Bx2f Rx2a+ P4f N3c+ P4g+ +N4b G5a-6b B8f G7a G5i-6h=20 which seems to be good for black. Sato admitted after the game that this= =20 was the only way to play here. 50.P4e-4f 02:14:00 02:14:00 51.B6hx4f 02:21:00 02:14:00 52.B1ex5i+ 02:21:00 02:19:00 53.G6ix5i 02:21:00 02:19:00 54.R2ix5i+ 02:21:00 02:19:00 55.B*1e 02:21:00 02:19:00 56.+R5i-6i 02:21:00 02:20:00 57.B1ex5a+ 02:21:00 02:20:00 58.G*7h 02:21:00 02:24:00 59.G*7i 02:21:00 02:24:00 60.G7hx8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 61.G7ix8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 62.G*7h 02:21:00 02:24:00 It is unclear where the players made a miscalculation, but now the game=20 ends in sennichite. There is no way either side can escape the=20 repetitive sequence of moves. 63.G*7i 02:21:00 02:24:00 64.G7hx8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 65.G7ix8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 66.G*7h 02:21:00 02:24:00 67.G*7i 02:21:00 02:24:00 68.G7hx8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 69.G7ix8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 70.G*7h 02:21:00 02:24:00 71.G*7i 02:21:00 02:24:00 72.G7hx8i 02:21:00 02:24:00 Sennichite 02:21:00 02:24:00 A 30 minute break and a replay with reversed colors. There is almost no=20 difference in time, so Moriuchi will not be too unhappy about this=20 development. He can try to equalize the match with the black pieces. [Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [White "Sato Yasumitsu, Kisei"] [Event "75th Kisei-sen, Replay Game 2"] [Date "June 29th 2004"] 1.P2g-2f 02:24:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 02:24:00 02:21:00 3.P7g-7f 02:24:00 02:21:00 4.G4a-3b 02:24:00 02:22:00 5.G6i-7h 02:24:00 02:22:00 6.P3c-3d 02:24:00 02:23:00 7.P2f-2e 02:24:00 02:23:00 8.B2bx8h+ 02:24:00 02:23:00 9.S7ix8h 02:24:00 02:23:00 10.S3a-2b 02:24:00 02:23:00 11.S3i-3h 02:25:00 02:23:00 12.S2b-3c 02:25:00 02:23:00 13.S3h-2g 02:25:00 02:23:00 14.P1c-1d 02:25:00 02:24:00 15.P1g-1f 02:25:00 02:24:00 16.P4c-4d 02:25:00 02:25:00 17.S2g-2f 02:33:00 02:25:00 18.R8b-4b 02:33:00 02:26:00 19.P3g-3f 02:37:00 02:26:00 20.P4d-4e 02:37:00 02:27:00 21.S2f-3g 02:37:00 02:27:00 22.G6a-7b 02:37:00 02:27:00 23.S8h-7g 02:52:00 02:27:00 24.S7a-6b 02:52:00 02:27:00 25.P7f-7e?! 02:52:00 02:27:00 The Kakugawari opening with a tempo loss is a new opening with a lot of=20 unexplored territory. White gives up a tempo by exchanging the bishops=20 first. In return, not playing the pawn to 8e can be an important=20 advantage. For example, the attacking plan with N8e followed by P6e is=20 now possible. The point seems to be whether white can use the right=20 knight in the attack and that is the reason Moriuchi played 25.P7e.=20 However, even though this move is supposed to hamper the development of=20 the white knight, in reality this knight can come into play strongly=20 anyhow. Furthermore, the vanguard pawn on 7e becomes a black liability=20 and the imbalance with the climbing silver attack on the other side of=20 the board makes the black position hard to play. After the game,=20 Moriuchi said that he regretted 25.P7e. 26.P6c-6d 02:52:00 02:28:00 27.P6g-6f 02:53:00 02:28:00 28.S6b-6c 02:53:00 02:28:00 29.S7g-7f 02:53:00 02:28:00 30.P7c-7d 02:53:00 02:36:00 31.P7ex7d 02:57:00 02:36:00 32.S6cx7d 02:57:00 02:36:00 33.P*7e 02:57:00 02:36:00 34.S7d-6c 02:57:00 02:36:00 35.G7h-6g 02:58:00 02:36:00 36.K5a-4a 02:58:00 02:37:00 37.P8g-8f 03:10:00 02:37:00 38.P9c-9d 03:10:00 02:54:00 39.N8i-7g 03:14:00 02:54:00 40.N8a-7c 03:14:00 02:58:00 41.P9g-9f 03:23:00 02:58:00 42.K4a-3a 03:23:00 02:58:00 43.R2h-8h 03:23:00 02:58:00 44.K3a-2b 03:23:00 03:06:00 45.G4i-3h 03:25:00 03:06:00 46.P6d-6e! 03:25:00 03:16:00 In the press room the general opinion was that white was in trouble=20 here, because there seems to be no way to develop the knight on 7c and=20 the threat of P7d immobilizes the formation of gold and silver. With P6e= =20 and his next move, Sato shows that he has seen more than the commentators. 47.P6fx6e 03:28:00 03:16:00 48.S6c-5d! 03:28:00 03:16:00 This seems impossible because of 49.P7d, but Sato has calculated=20 correctly that the white attack is unstoppable after 50.P*7e 51.Sx7e=20 52.Nx6e. For example, 53.Nx6e Sx6e P*6f N*5e G7g P*7f G7h B*7g and with=20 the king in the center, black has no defense. 49.K5i-4h 03:42:00 03:16:00 50.G7b-6c 03:42:00 03:17:00 51.B*8c 03:47:00 03:17:00 52.B*4d 03:47:00 03:26:00 53.R8h-7h 03:50:00 03:26:00 54.P8d-8e 03:50:00 03:28:00 55.B8c-6a+ 03:51:00 03:28:00 56.P8ex8f 03:51:00 03:33:00 57.K4h-3i 03:51:00 03:33:00 58.N7c-8e! 03:51:00 03:39:00 Sato has succeeded in developing the knight. White has a big, probably=20 winning, advantage here. 59.N7gx8e 03:54:00 03:39:00 60.B4dx9i+ 03:54:00 03:39:00 61.+B6a-5a 03:54:00 03:39:00 62.R4b-8b 03:54:00 03:42:00 63.P6e-6d 03:54:00 03:42:00 64.R8b-8a 03:54:00 03:51:00 65.+B5ax3c 03:54:00 03:51:00 66.+B9ix3c 03:54:00 03:51:00 67.P6dx6c+ 03:54:00 03:51:00 68.S5dx6c 03:54:00 03:51:00 69.P*8b 03:54:00 03:51:00 70.R8a-3a 03:54:00 03:53:00 71.N8e-7c+ 03:55:00 03:53:00 72.S6c-5d 03:55:00 03:53:00 73.+N7c-6b 03:55:00 03:53:00 74.L*6a! 03:55:00 03:53:00 The deciding move. The black attack is based on the promoted knight:=20 +N6b-5b followed by G*4a is the plan. Without this knight there is no=20 way to win, so 75.+Nx6a Rx6a is out of the question. 75.+N6b-5b 03:56:00 03:53:00 76.L6ax6g+ 03:56:00 03:55:00 77.S7fx6g 03:56:00 03:55:00 78.B*8e 03:56:00 03:55:00 Painful fork. Again the knight is under siege. Black can not give it up,= =20 so Moriuchi has to sacrifice more material. 79.G*4a 03:58:00 03:55:00 80.B8ex6g+ 03:58:00 03:55:00 81.G4ax3a 03:58:00 03:55:00 82.G3bx3a 03:58:00 03:55:00 83.S*4b 03:58:00 03:55:00 84.+B6gx7h 03:58:00 03:55:00 85.S4bx3a=3D 03:58:00 03:55:00 86.K2bx3a 03:58:00 03:55:00 87.N*4d 03:58:00 03:55:00 88.S*4c 03:58:00 03:56:00 89.R*6b 03:59:00 03:56:00 90.R*7i 03:59:00 03:59:00 91.K3i-2h 03:59:00 03:59:00 Moriuchi has done everything to try and come back in the game. It seems=20 that white still has some tough decisions ahead, but Sato decides the=20 game with one move... 92.G*7a! 03:59:00 03:59:00 Resigns 03:59:00 03:59:00 Kobayashi Kenji (8-dan) was not the only one surprised by this. His=20 comment upon seeing this move: "Is this really OK? ". After giving it=20 some thought, he changed his mind: "A good move". 92.G*7a takes away all= =20 black's attacking moves. 93.R6d+ fails to the simple +Bx4d and black has= =20 no attack, while white threatens the devastating N*2f next. Furthermore,= =20 after 93.+N4b +Bx4b G*2b K4a black has no more moves. A convincing=20 victory by Sato, again with the white pieces. With 2-0 down and only=20 three more games to play, it seems suddenly highly unlikely that=20 Moriuchi will hold the majority of the seven titles after this match. --=20 Reijer Grimbergen Department of Informatics, Yamagata University Jonan 4-3-16, Yonezawa, 992-8510 Japan Tel: +81-(0)238-26-3740 FAX: +81-(0)238-26-3299 http://gamelab.yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp/ Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Amazing Diet Patch The fastest - Easiest way to lose weight! 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