From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 10 jun 2004 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1047 and 1048, June 2nd and 9th 2004) ----------------------------------------------------------- Apply now for a No-Annual-Fee Discover® Platinum Card 0% Intro APR*, No Annual Fee, Up to 2% Cashback Bonus® award* Start Saving Today – APPLY NOW! It's fast, easy and secure. http://click.topica.com/caaciqQa2i6YsbnuqMaa/Discover Card ----------------------------------------------------------- In this Shukan Shogi report the final game of the Asahi Open Tournament between Fukaura and Habu and the 5th game of the Meijin match between Habu and Moriuchi. Asahi Open title holder Fukaura had done everything to keep his title, but in the final game his opening strategy failed and Habu won without much of a fight. In contrast, the Meijin game was very interesting after a long build-up in the Kakugawari. Habu won a game he controlled, but it could have been disaster if Moriuchi would have taken his chances in the endgame. Here are the games with comments: [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"] [White "Fukaura Koichi, Asahi"] [Event "22nd Asahi Open, Game 5"] [Date "May 25th 2004"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00 3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:00:00 4.P8c-8d 00:02:00 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 00:03:00 00:00:00 10.P2cx2d 00:03:00 00:00:00 11.R2hx2d 00:03:00 00:00:00 12.P8e-8f 00:03:00 00:00:00 13.P8gx8f 00:04:00 00:00:00 14.R8bx8f 00:04:00 00:00:00 15.R2dx3d 00:05:00 00:00:00 16.B2b-3c 00:05:00 00:00:00 17.R3d-3f 00:05:00 00:00:00 18.S3a-2b 00:05:00 00:00:00 19.P*8g 00:05:00 00:00:00 20.R8f-8d 00:05:00 00:00:00 It almost looks old-fashioned to pull back the rook to 8d, but Fukaura likes this as well, so it will not have surprised Habu too much. 21.R3f-2f 00:05:00 00:00:00 22.K5a-4a 00:05:00 00:00:00 23.K5i-5h 00:20:00 00:00:00 24.S7a-6b 00:20:00 00:00:00 25.P3g-3f 00:20:00 00:00:00 26.P5c-5d 00:20:00 00:00:00 27.S3i-4h 00:23:00 00:00:00 28.P5d-5e 00:23:00 00:00:00 29.S7i-6h 00:23:00 00:00:00 30.G6a-5a 00:23:00 00:00:00 31.G4i-3h 00:30:00 00:00:00 32.R8d-3d 00:30:00 00:01:00 This is one of Fukaura's specialties. 33.P4g-4f 00:32:00 00:01:00 34.P5e-5f 00:32:00 00:02:00 The right timing for the attack. After 33.P4f, the sideways working of the black rook is blocked by two pawns. 35.P6g-6f 00:34:00 00:02:00 36.P6c-6d 00:34:00 00:02:00 37.N2i-3g 01:08:00 00:02:00 38.P6d-6e 01:08:00 00:03:00 39.S6h-6g 01:08:00 00:03:00 40.P7c-7d 01:08:00 00:30:00 A difficult decision. It looks like white can get the advantage here after 40.Px6f Sx6f P*6e S5e Px5g+ Sx5g P*5d S6d Bx8h+ Gx8h B*4d, which forks rook and gold, but black has the excellent P*6c next. Then S7a is answered by B*5c Bx5c Sx5c= and black has P*5b next. After P*6c white can take only one of the forked pieces, and this is not enough. For example, Bx8h+ Px6b+ Gx6b P*6c is good for black. Also, Bx2f Px6b+ Bx6b (Gx6b is again met by P*6c) P*5c and B*6c is very hard to defend against. After 27 minutes, Fukaura decides to develop his knight on 8a. 41.R2f-2i! 01:36:00 00:30:00 This puts the rook in a safe place where there are no potential forks. This basically takes away all of the white attacking possibilities. The question now is if black can build up an attack that is strong enough to crush the white position. 42.N8a-7c 01:36:00 00:38:00 43.P5gx5f 01:36:00 00:38:00 44.R3dx3f 01:36:00 00:40:00 45.S4h-4g 01:37:00 00:40:00 46.R3f-3d 01:37:00 00:42:00 47.P*3f 01:37:00 00:42:00 48.R3d-2d 01:37:00 00:54:00 49.P*2e 01:49:00 00:54:00 50.R2d-5d 01:49:00 00:57:00 51.K5h-4h 01:50:00 00:57:00 52.P7d-7e 01:50:00 01:07:00 53.P7fx7e 01:51:00 01:07:00 54.R5d-8d 01:51:00 01:08:00 55.P5f-5e 01:51:00 01:08:00 56.B3cx5e 01:51:00 01:12:00 57.S4g-5f 01:51:00 01:12:00 58.B5e-3c 01:51:00 01:18:00 59.P*5e 01:55:00 01:18:00 60.P*3e 01:55:00 01:20:00 61.G3h-4g 01:55:00 01:20:00 62.P3ex3f 01:55:00 01:28:00 63.G4gx3f 01:55:00 01:28:00 64.B3c-4b 01:55:00 01:28:00 65.K4h-4g 02:00:00 01:28:00 66.P*3e 02:00:00 01:32:00 67.G3fx3e 02:06:00 01:32:00 68.B4b-5c? 02:06:00 01:44:00 Probably the losing move. Correct was 68.S3c Px6e S3d to bring the silver into play. Then G3f P*3e G2f N3c B6f S6c S7f P4d N7g K3a G6g G5b and despite the fact that black is two pawns up, there seems to be no way to attack the white position with any reasonable hope of success. 69.G3e-3f 02:08:00 01:44:00 70.P*3e 02:08:00 01:45:00 71.G3f-2f 02:08:00 01:45:00 72.N2a-3c 02:08:00 01:50:00 73.P6fx6e 02:09:00 01:50:00 74.R8d-3d 02:09:00 01:50:00 75.B8h-6f 02:16:00 01:50:00 76.S6b-6c 02:16:00 01:51:00 77.N3g-4e 02:18:00 01:51:00 The problem of 68.B5c is now clear. This knight jump is now very strong. 78.B5c-6b 02:18:00 01:55:00 79.N4ex3c+ 02:22:00 01:55:00 80.S2bx3c 02:22:00 01:55:00 81.S5f-4e 02:22:00 01:55:00 82.R3d-9d 02:22:00 01:57:00 83.N*7d 02:25:00 01:57:00 84.P*2h 02:25:00 02:02:00 If 84.B7a then 85.P*3d is good for black. For example, 86.S4b (or S2b) P5d or 86.S4d S4e-5f followed by P4e and P5d is very difficult to defend. 85.R2i-3i 02:29:00 02:02:00 86.S6cx7d 02:29:00 02:05:00 87.P7ex7d 02:29:00 02:05:00 88.N7cx6e 02:29:00 02:05:00 89.P*3d 02:30:00 02:05:00 90.S3c-4d 02:30:00 02:05:00 91.S4ex4d 02:32:00 02:05:00 92.P*5f 02:32:00 02:09:00 93.P3d-3c+ 02:36:00 02:09:00 Habu has calculated that he is one move faster with his attack. 94.P5f-5g+ 02:36:00 02:34:00 95.B6fx5g 02:36:00 02:34:00 96.N6ex5g+ 02:36:00 02:34:00 97.K4gx5g 02:36:00 02:34:00 98.N*6e 02:36:00 02:36:00 99.K5g-5f 02:43:00 02:36:00 100.B6bx4d 02:43:00 02:36:00 101.+P3cx3b 02:43:00 02:36:00 102.K4ax3b 02:43:00 02:36:00 103.P*3c 02:44:00 02:36:00 104.K3b-4a 02:44:00 02:40:00 105.S*3b 02:47:00 02:40:00 106.K4a-5b 02:47:00 02:55:00 107.S3bx4c+ 02:48:00 02:55:00 108.K5bx4c 02:48:00 02:55:00 109.G*5d 02:48:00 02:55:00 110.K4c-5b 02:48:00 02:55:00 111.N*6d 02:48:00 02:55:00 Resigns 02:48:00 02:59:00 Mate after 111.K6a S*7b, 111.K6b S*6c or 111.K4a S*3b or a simple win after 111.K4b Gx4d. A little bit of a disappointing finish to a close and interesting match. Fukaura never managed to make this game interesting and has to hand over his Asahi Open title to Habu. [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Meijin"] [White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [Event "62nd Meijin-sen, Game 5"] [Date "June 3rd and 4th 2004"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:04:00 00:02:00 4.G4a-3b 00:04:00 00:03:00 5.G6i-7h 00:05:00 00:03:00 6.P8d-8e 00:05:00 00:03:00 7.B8h-7g 00:06:00 00:03:00 8.P3c-3d 00:06:00 00:03:00 9.S7i-8h 00:07:00 00:03:00 10.B2bx7g+ 00:07:00 00:03:00 11.S8hx7g 00:07:00 00:03:00 12.S3a-4b 00:07:00 00:04:00 13.S3i-3h 00:09:00 00:04:00 14.S7a-7b 00:09:00 00:27:00 15.P9g-9f 00:22:00 00:27:00 16.P9c-9d 00:22:00 00:28:00 17.P4g-4f 00:24:00 00:28:00 18.P6c-6d 00:24:00 00:28:00 19.S3h-4g 00:27:00 00:28:00 20.S7b-6c 00:27:00 00:28:00 21.K5i-6h 00:28:00 00:28:00 22.G6a-5b 00:28:00 00:31:00 23.G4i-5h 00:31:00 00:31:00 24.P1c-1d 00:31:00 00:32:00 25.P1g-1f 00:34:00 00:32:00 26.K5a-4a 00:34:00 00:33:00 27.P3g-3f 00:52:00 00:33:00 28.P4c-4d 00:52:00 00:39:00 29.S4g-5f 01:06:00 00:39:00 30.S6c-5d 01:06:00 00:40:00 31.K6h-7i 01:06:00 00:40:00 32.P7c-7d 01:06:00 00:47:00 33.P6g-6f 01:06:00 00:47:00 34.K4a-3a 01:06:00 01:00:00 35.N2i-3g 01:11:00 01:00:00 36.N8a-7c 01:11:00 01:04:00 37.P2f-2e 01:28:00 01:04:00 38.S4b-3c 01:28:00 01:12:00 No modern opening like the R8e Yokofudori or the Kakugawari with one tempo loss this time. Instead we have a normal Kakugawari Reclining Silver opening, which is probably the most deeply analyzed opening strategy in shogi. There is no conclusion yet, but black is winning the majority of games with this position and among professionals there is the opinion that soon a clear winning strategy for black will be found and this opening will completely disappear. 39.P4f-4e 01:58:00 01:12:00 40.P4dx4e 01:58:00 01:18:00 41.P3f-3e 01:58:00 01:18:00 42.S3c-4d 01:58:00 01:23:00 43.P2e-2d 01:59:00 01:23:00 44.P2cx2d 01:59:00 01:23:00 45.R2hx2d 01:59:00 01:23:00 46.P*2c 01:59:00 01:48:00 47.R2d-2h 01:59:00 01:48:00 48.P6d-6e 01:59:00 01:51:00 49.P6fx6e 02:13:00 01:51:00 50.P8e-8f 02:13:00 01:52:00 51.P8gx8f 02:18:00 01:52:00 52.P7d-7e 02:18:00 02:01:00 53.P*2d 02:43:00 02:01:00 54.P2cx2d 02:43:00 02:48:00 55.P*2c 02:47:00 02:48:00 The end of the first day, but still in known territory. Both players also played this position before, in the 6th game of the Osho match. Moriuchi had black then and won the game to take the Osho title from Habu. Who would be the first to change the moves from that game? 56.G3bx2c 02:47:00 04:07:00 57.P*2e 02:55:00 04:07:00 58.P2dx2e 02:55:00 04:35:00 59.P7fx7e 03:04:00 04:35:00 60.P*8h 03:04:00 04:35:00 61.S7gx8h 03:31:00 04:35:00 62.S5dx6e 03:31:00 04:42:00 63.P7e-7d 06:04:00 04:42:00 Played after two and a half hours, indicating that Habu was considering different options here. For example, 63.P*2d Gx2d P*2b looks good as well. If then Kx2b, P7d followed by B*6f is stronger than in the game. 64.S6ex7d 06:04:00 04:46:00 65.P*2b 06:05:00 04:46:00 It is Habu who decides to take a different path from the Osho game. There it followed 65.B*6f G4c Sx4e Sx4e P*4d G4b P*2d Gx2d Nx4e B*3g R3h B4f+ N3c+. It might seem strange that Habu is the one to play a new move, since black won that Osho game, but as Moriuchi pointed out: "In the endgame, white was better". 66.G2cx2b!? 06:05:00 06:14:00 A surprise. Most professionals in the press room expected 66.N3c. 67.B*6f 06:07:00 06:14:00 68.S4dx3e 06:07:00 07:14:00 69.P*2c 07:28:00 07:14:00 70.G2b-1b 07:28:00 07:15:00 Difficult to play, because the white position looks in total disarray. Moriuchi is aiming for a favorite patters: completely destroy the opponent's attack and then win easily. Black has to play very carefully to keep his attack going. 71.R2hx2e 07:28:00 07:15:00 72.P*2d 07:28:00 07:19:00 73.R2e-2i 07:28:00 07:19:00 74.R8b-6b 07:28:00 07:36:00 75.G5h-6g 07:46:00 07:36:00 76.B*3h 07:46:00 08:01:00 77.R2i-2h 08:01:00 08:01:00 78.B3h-4i+ 08:01:00 08:01:00 79.N3gx4e 08:01:00 08:01:00 80.+B4i-3i 08:01:00 08:03:00 81.R2h-6h 08:02:00 08:03:00 82.K3a-3b 08:02:00 08:09:00 83.P*7e 08:15:00 08:09:00 84.S7d-6c 08:15:00 08:17:00 85.P*6d 08:22:00 08:17:00 86.S6cx6d 08:22:00 08:20:00 87.P7e-7d 08:22:00 08:20:00 88.N7c-6e 08:22:00 08:20:00 89.P7d-7c+ 08:23:00 08:20:00 90.S6dx7c 08:23:00 08:25:00 91.S5fx6e 08:23:00 08:25:00 92.R6bx6e 08:23:00 08:26:00 93.G6g-5f 08:23:00 08:26:00 94.R6e-6b 08:23:00 08:43:00 95.N*3c 08:31:00 08:43:00 96.P*4d 08:31:00 08:52:00 97.N3cx2a+ 08:32:00 08:52:00 98.G1bx2c 08:32:00 08:52:00 99.N*6e 08:38:00 08:52:00 100.K3bx2a 08:38:00 08:52:00 101.N6ex7c+ 08:42:00 08:52:00 102.R6b-6a 08:42:00 08:52:00 103.S8h-8g 08:45:00 08:52:00 104.+B3i-4i 08:45:00 08:53:00 105.S*7b 08:53:00 08:53:00 Aiming for 106.R6d +N6c Gx6c Sx6c+ Rx6c G*3c. 106.P*6g 08:53:00 08:55:00 107.R6hx6g 08:53:00 08:55:00 108.N*7e? 08:53:00 08:56:00 After this move, the microphones recorded a big sigh coming from Habu. Habu is not a player to pay much attention to concealing his emotions, but this sigh of relief is a rarity. Here he feared 108.+Bx6g Sx6a= R*5i P*6i +B5h Sx5b+ N*7f which seems winning for white. Unfortunately for Moriuchi, 108.N*7e looks like a good move. White wants to exchange rooks and at the same time make the silver on 7b an idle piece. This is indeed what happens, but with the rook in hand, the black attack is stronger than the white attack. 109.B6fx7e 08:55:00 08:56:00 110.R6ax6g+ 08:55:00 08:56:00 111.G7hx6g 08:55:00 08:56:00 112.K2a-2b 08:55:00 08:56:00 113.R*6a 08:55:00 08:56:00 114.P*6c 08:55:00 08:57:00 115.P*6h 08:56:00 08:57:00 116.P*7f 08:56:00 08:59:00 117.N4ex5c+? 08:58:00 08:59:00 A mistake that could have cost Habu the Meijin title. Correct was 117.+N6c, which wins handsomely for black. 118.R*5i 08:58:00 08:59:00 119.K7i-8h 08:58:00 08:59:00 120.S*6d! 08:58:00 08:59:00 Perfect defense. With the bishop in hand, things like B*7i K9h +Bx6g suddenly becomes possible. 121.B7ex6d 08:59:00 08:59:00 122.P6cx6d 08:59:00 08:59:00 123.S8gx7f 08:59:00 08:59:00 124.G5bx5c 08:59:00 08:59:00 125.+N7c-6c 08:59:00 08:59:00 126.P*8g 08:59:00 08:59:00 127.S7fx8g 08:59:00 08:59:00 128.G5cx6c? 08:59:00 08:59:00 The mistake that costs the game. Unfortunately, the correct way to play is not given. 129.S*3a 08:59:00 08:59:00 130.K2b-1c 08:59:00 08:59:00 131.R6ax6c+ 08:59:00 08:59:00 This is a mating threat. For example, 132.N*7e +Rx2c Kx2c G*2b K3c G*3b K4c N*5e etc. 132.N*5a! 08:59:00 08:59:00 A great last try. This move defends against the mate at an unlikely place: the square 6c (black needs S6c= the make the mate work). 133.+R6c-5c 08:59:00 08:59:00 134.P*5b 08:59:00 08:59:00 135.+R5c-4b! 08:59:00 08:59:00 Winning, but one needs to be Habu to make sure of that in byoyomi. In general, it is a hard move to play, because it leaves white pieces that can potentially block an entering king attempt. When played lightly, it is even possible that N*7e suddenly becomes a mating threat. 136.N*7e 08:59:00 08:59:00 137.G*3c 08:59:00 08:59:00 Habu has calculated that it is not. 138.N7ex8g+ 08:59:00 08:59:00 139.K8hx8g 08:59:00 08:59:00 140.R5ix8i+ 08:59:00 08:59:00 141.K8g-7f 08:59:00 08:59:00 142.+B4ix6g 08:59:00 08:59:00 143.P6hx6g 08:59:00 08:59:00 144.+R8i-7h 08:59:00 08:59:00 145.P*7g 08:59:00 08:59:00 Resigns 08:59:00 08:59:00 White has three possible checks here: 146.N*8d, 146.B*8g and 146.P*7e. However, in all cases black plays 147.K8f and there are a few more checks, but definitely no mate. On the other hand, the white king can not be defended. A very interesting game after a slow start, with Habu in control for much of the game, but in the end lucky to keep his Meijin title, at least for one more game. In other shogi news: ==================== * The new Junisen season has started with the first round in the B1 class. This class is getting stronger every year and it is not so easy anymore to go through it in one year. Rookie Horiguchi, one of the promotion favorites, found this out early by losing his first round game to Morishita. Kitahama, at 28 the youngest player in the class, also was considered a candidate for promotion, but started this year's Junisen campaign with a loss against Senzaki. The battle of former title holders and A class players Shima and Goda was won by Goda, who seems to be stating his claim on a return to the A class. Still, 13 rounds to play in this class, so there is a long way to go yet. * More good news for Habu, as he won the red group of the Oi challenger leagues to set up an encounter with Yamasaki to decide the challenger of Tanigawa. Habu's game against Nakahara already finished at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, which was double surprising considering the fact that Nakahara actually still had his chances in his own hands going into the game. The Oi challenger will be decided on June 25th. * Watanabe became the first player to reach the semi-finals of the Oza challenger tournament by winning his quarterfinal game against Goda. The remaining quarterfinal match-ups are now as follows: Suzuki-Miura, Tanigawa-Moriuchi and Maruyama-Horiguchi Kazushiza. -- 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/ ----------------------------------------------------------- Empower your Team with Remote Access. GoToMyPC Pro provides your organization with instant remote access to email,files, applications and network resources in real time. FREE TRIAL: http://click.topica.com/caaciqTa2i6YsbnuqMaf/ExpertCity ----------------------------------------------------------- --^---------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: shogi-l shogi net EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a2i6Ys.bnuqMa.c2hvZ2kt Or send an email to: shogi-unsubscribe topica com For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER --^----------------------------------------------------------------