From: Reijer Grimbergen fu is saga-u ac jp> Date: 16 mar 2004 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1034, March 3rd 2004) This week in Shukan Shogi the 4th game of the Osho match between Habu and Moriuchi and the second game of the Kio match between Maruyama and Tanigawa. Moriuchi won to take a 3-1 lead in the Osho match and Maruyama won to equalize the Kio match. Here are the games with comments: [Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [Event "53rd Osho-sen, Game 4"] [Date "February 25th and 26th 2004"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.S7i-6h 00:03:00 00:01:00 4.P3c-3d 00:03:00 00:06:00 5.P6g-6f 00:03:00 00:06:00 6.S7a-6b 00:03:00 00:08:00 7.P5g-5f 00:03:00 00:08:00 8.P5c-5d 00:03:00 00:14:00 9.S3i-4h 00:04:00 00:14:00 10.S3a-4b 00:04:00 00:20:00 11.G4i-5h 00:04:00 00:20:00 12.G4a-3b 00:04:00 00:25:00 13.G6i-7h 00:05:00 00:25:00 14.K5a-4a 00:05:00 00:27:00 15.K5i-6i 00:07:00 00:27:00 16.G6a-5b 00:07:00 00:35:00 17.S6h-7g 00:08:00 00:35:00 18.S4b-3c 00:08:00 00:37:00 After an irregular Ibisha, Nakabisha and Yokofudori, the first Yagura of this match. 19.B8h-7i 00:08:00 00:37:00 20.B2b-3a 00:08:00 00:38:00 21.P3g-3f 00:08:00 00:38:00 22.P4c-4d 00:08:00 00:40:00 23.G5h-6g 00:08:00 00:40:00 24.P7c-7d 00:08:00 00:49:00 25.S4h-3g 00:12:00 00:49:00 26.B3a-6d 00:12:00 00:55:00 27.P2g-2f 00:16:00 00:55:00 28.G5b-4c 00:16:00 01:08:00 29.B7i-4f 00:16:00 01:08:00 30.S6b-7c 00:16:00 02:06:00 31.K6i-7i 00:17:00 02:06:00 32.K4a-3a 00:17:00 02:07:00 33.P2f-2e 00:17:00 02:07:00 34.P8d-8e 00:17:00 02:09:00 35.K7i-8h 00:21:00 02:09:00 36.K3a-2b 00:21:00 02:10:00 37.P1g-1f 00:21:00 02:10:00 38.P9c-9d 00:21:00 02:45:00 39.P9g-9f 00:28:00 02:45:00 40.B6d-4b 00:28:00 02:46:00 Subtle opening play. 40.P1d leads to the basic Waki system after 41.Bx6d Sx6d S2f. If white does not want to play that, 40.B4b is the alternative. This is losing tempo, but white can play the strong bogin attack because black has pushed the edge pawn to 9f. 41.S3g-2f 00:38:00 02:46:00 42.P4d-4e 00:38:00 02:51:00 43.B4f-3g 00:42:00 02:51:00 44.R8b-9b 00:42:00 02:53:00 45.P4g-4f 00:55:00 02:53:00 46.P4ex4f 00:55:00 02:56:00 So far, the position was identical to last December's Asahi Open game between Sato Yasumitsu and Kitahama. Kitahama played 46.S8d, but lost without a chance after 47.Px4e. 46.Px4f is Habu's simple improvement. 47.B3gx4f 00:59:00 02:56:00 48.S7c-8d 00:59:00 02:57:00 49.K8h-7i 02:12:00 02:57:00 50.P9d-9e 02:12:00 03:10:00 51.P9fx9e 02:14:00 03:10:00 52.S8dx9e 02:14:00 03:10:00 53.N2i-3g 02:43:00 03:10:00 54.P*9g 02:43:00 04:44:00 The sealed move. Here 54.P*4e is an alternative. After 55.Lx9e Rx9e B8b+ P*9g P*9i L*9h white seems to be getting a reasonable attack, but Habu dismissed this variation because the final move L*9h was too heavy. 55.P*9c 03:30:00 04:44:00 56.R9bx9c 03:30:00 04:45:00 57.B4f-8b+ 03:30:00 04:45:00 58.P8e-8f 03:30:00 04:46:00 59.P2e-2d 03:31:00 04:46:00 60.P2cx2d 03:31:00 05:06:00 A change of plan. The natural move is 60.Sx2d and that is what Habu intended. However, after 61.P*4d Gx4d +Bx8a black gets a big advantage. For example, Px8g+ Gx8g R8c can be answered by +B7a with attack on the gold on 4d (this is the point of sacrificing a pawn on 4d). Because of having to play Px2d, Habu thought his position was worse here. However, actually it is too close to call. 61.P*2c 04:29:00 05:06:00 62.K2b-1b 04:29:00 05:08:00 63.P8gx8f 04:44:00 05:08:00 64.S9ex8f 04:44:00 05:17:00 65.S7gx8f 05:31:00 05:17:00 66.B4bx8f 05:31:00 05:17:00 67.S*4a 05:32:00 05:17:00 68.G3b-4b 05:32:00 05:49:00 69.S4a-5b= 06:08:00 05:49:00 This time a change of plan by Moriuchi. He intended to play 69.+Bx9c 70.Lx9c 71.R*3a and S3b= next seems to be very difficult to defend. However, Moriuchi saw just in time that after R*3a, white has the devilish move 72.B*2b!!. Then 73.Px2b+ Sx2b S1e Sx3a Sx2d P*2g Rx2g R*3i K8h P9h+ Lx9h P*8g Kx8g Rx8i+ is mate because black does not have any good pieces in hand to interpose. By the way 72.S*2b instead of B*2b does not work: 73.Px2b+ Sx2b and now S3b=!. Then Sx3a S*2c is mate (with a bishop instead of a silver, white has 2b to escape after B*2c). 70.G4bx5b 06:08:00 06:50:00 71.+B8bx9c! 06:08:00 06:50:00 Giving an exclamation mark to such a simple looking move might be surprising, but the move order is extremely important in this position. For example, after 69.+Bx9c Lx9c (Nx9c is bad because of R*3a and because the knight blocks the lance, the mate given earlier is no longer possible) S5b=, white can play G4c-5c!. Then N4e Kx2c threatens B*4f next and white has the upper hand. Furthermore, because black has not exchanged the bishop for the rook yet, 70.G4c-5c (instead of 70.Gx5b) can now be answered by N4e (white has no bishop to drop on 4f). In this endgame there is a lot going on below the surface. 72.N8ax9c 06:08:00 06:51:00 If 72.Lx9c, black will pick up the knight on 8a when the same variation is played as in the game. 73.R*3b 06:08:00 06:51:00 74.K1bx2c 06:08:00 06:51:00 75.R3bx5b+ 06:08:00 06:51:00 76.G4c-4b 06:08:00 06:51:00 77.+R5b-6a 06:40:00 06:51:00 78.S*3b 06:40:00 06:52:00 79.G7h-6h! 06:47:00 06:52:00 Great move. 79.+Rx9a or 79.N4e fails to B*4f. 79.G7h-6h takes this fork out of the position and also defends against B5i+. Still, 79.G7h-7g or 79.N7g look more natural. Moriuchi has seen that 79.G7h-7g fails to B6d and P2e next is difficult to defend against. Also, 79.N7g P9h+ Lx9h P*9g looks good for white. 80.B*4i? 06:47:00 07:16:00 The decisive mistake. Things are still very complicated after 80.P*8h Kx8h Bx6h+ Gx6h B*3i. For example, R3h Bx6f+ or P*2b Bx2h+ Px2a+ +Bx3g and white seems to be winning. 81.P*2e 06:52:00 07:16:00 82.S*3i 06:52:00 07:33:00 83.P2ex2d 07:30:00 07:33:00 84.S3cx2d 07:30:00 07:34:00 85.R2h-2i 07:30:00 07:34:00 Important. Black can now take the silver on 3i at any convenient time. 86.B4i-3h+ 07:30:00 07:35:00 87.P*2e 07:30:00 07:35:00 88.S2d-3c 07:30:00 07:37:00 89.G*2d 07:30:00 07:37:00 90.K2c-1b 07:30:00 07:54:00 Or 90.Sx2d Px2d K3c +Rx6c P*4c N4e K4d (or K3c S*2c etc.) P*4f and no defense. 91.R2ix3i 07:30:00 07:54:00 92.+B3hx3i 07:30:00 07:54:00 93.S*2c 07:30:00 07:54:00 Resigns 07:30:00 07:54:00 Mate after 94.Sx2c Gx2c Kx2c +Rx2a and now S2b S*2d or N*1e followed by S*2c after any interposing drop on 2b. A very interesting endgame, mainly because of the variations that did not appear on the board. Moriuchi takes a 3-1 lead and now is very close to the first double crown of his career. [Black "Maruyama Tadahisa, Kio"] [White "Tanigawa Koji, Challenger"] [Event "29th Kio-sen, Game 2"] [Date "February 22nd 2003"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:00:00 4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:01:00 5.P2f-2e 00:01:00 00:01:00 6.P8d-8e 00:01:00 00:01:00 7.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:01:00 8.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:01:00 9.P2e-2d 00:01:00 00:01:00 10.P2cx2d 00:01:00 00:01:00 11.R2hx2d 00:01:00 00:01:00 12.P8e-8f 00:01:00 00:02:00 13.P8gx8f 00:01:00 00:02:00 14.R8bx8f 00:01:00 00:02:00 15.R2dx3d 00:01:00 00:02:00 16.B2b-3c 00:01:00 00:03:00 17.R3d-3f 00:02:00 00:03:00 18.S3a-2b 00:02:00 00:03:00 19.P*8g 00:02:00 00:03:00 20.R8f-8e 00:02:00 00:04:00 Maruyama is one of the main specialists in this opening. Here we see a psychological game that is often played between strong shogi professionals. Rather than avoiding the specialty of the opponent, Tanigawa meets it head on, hoping to cause some extra psychological damage in case of a win. The pressure is on Maruyama, who can not really afford to lose the first two games of the short Kio match (although that is exactly what he did against Habu last year). 21.R3f-2f 00:03:00 00:04:00 22.K5a-4a 00:03:00 00:04:00 23.K5i-5h 00:05:00 00:04:00 24.P7c-7d 00:05:00 00:27:00 25.P3g-3f 00:41:00 00:27:00 26.P*2e 00:41:00 00:48:00 27.R2f-2h 00:42:00 00:48:00 28.P*8f 00:42:00 00:48:00 29.B8hx3c+ 01:03:00 00:48:00 30.N2ax3c 01:03:00 00:49:00 31.N8i-7g 01:03:00 00:49:00 32.R8e-8d 01:03:00 01:00:00 33.P8gx8f 01:12:00 01:00:00 34.R8dx8f 01:12:00 01:07:00 35.S7i-8h 01:14:00 01:07:00 36.B*6d 01:14:00 01:36:00 37.B*3g 01:23:00 01:36:00 38.B6dx3g+ 01:23:00 01:41:00 39.N2ix3g 01:23:00 01:41:00 40.R8fx7f 01:23:00 01:41:00 41.S3i-3h 01:33:00 01:41:00 42.B*5e 01:33:00 02:11:00 43.B*4f 02:36:00 02:11:00 44.B5ex4f 02:36:00 02:58:00 45.P4gx4f 02:36:00 02:58:00 46.P*3e 02:36:00 02:58:00 47.N3gx2e 02:37:00 02:58:00 48.N3cx2e 02:37:00 02:58:00 49.R2hx2e 02:37:00 02:58:00 50.B*3d 02:37:00 02:59:00 Tanigawa has been dropping his bishop a couple of times, only to exchange it on the next move. This might look like a loss of tempo, but trying to bring the black pieces to bad squares is more important. If white can keep finding useful moves, he will win easily. On the other hand, if white runs out of moves, he will be overrun. In this position, Tanigawa felt that he was doing OK and that his attack had a good chance of succeeding. In reality, the position is very difficult. 51.R2ex3e 02:37:00 02:59:00 52.N*6f 02:37:00 02:59:00 53.K5h-6h 02:37:00 02:59:00 54.N6fx7h+ 02:37:00 03:05:00 55.K6hx7h 02:37:00 03:05:00 56.P*8g 02:37:00 03:05:00 57.S8h-7i 03:05:00 03:05:00 58.G*4d? 03:05:00 03:19:00 Not at all a Tanigawa move and clearly a change of plan. This position hangs on the move 58.G*6f, which is what Tanigawa originally planned. This threatens both Bx6g+ and Rx7g+, so it looks like black can not defend. The only move is 59.Rx3d, after which 60.Rx7g+ 61.K6i is forced. The problem is now how to continue for white. 62.Gx6g is answered by P*7h and P*6h and the white attack runs out of steam. Also, the violent 62.+Rx7i Kx7i Gx6g backfires after R*2a P*3a Rx3b+ Kx3b Rx2b+ Kx2b N*3d and white is mated with the extra rook! Tanigawa planned 62.N*6e, but lost confidence in the position after he saw 63.S6h +Rx6h Kx6h Nx5g+ K7h +Nx6g Kx8g and the black escapes in the open field. However, after the passive G*4d, the white attack comes to a grinding halt and black can basically do as he pleases the rest of the way. Do or die, 58.G*6f was the only move here. 59.R3e-8e 03:28:00 03:19:00 60.N8a-7c 03:28:00 03:19:00 61.R8e-8a+ 03:28:00 03:19:00 62.N7c-6e 03:28:00 03:19:00 63.S7i-6h 03:28:00 03:19:00 64.P8g-8h+ 03:28:00 03:22:00 65.+R8ax8h 03:28:00 03:22:00 66.N6ex7g+ 03:28:00 03:22:00 67.S6hx7g 03:28:00 03:22:00 68.R7fx4f 03:28:00 03:22:00 It looks like white still has something here, because of the double threat P*3g and P*8g +Rx8g N*7e. 69.N*5i! 03:43:00 03:22:00 Perfect defense to both threats. 70.P*3g can now be answered by S4g and the knight on 5i also defends 6g, which takes care of the other threat. Here Maruyama was confident that he would win this game. 70.P7d-7e 03:43:00 03:45:00 71.S3h-4g 03:50:00 03:45:00 72.R4fx4g+ 03:50:00 03:47:00 73.N5ix4g 03:50:00 03:47:00 74.S*7f 03:50:00 03:47:00 75.G4i-5h 03:55:00 03:47:00 76.P*8g 03:55:00 03:47:00 77.+R8h-9h 03:55:00 03:47:00 78.S7fx7g+ 03:55:00 03:51:00 79.K7hx7g 03:55:00 03:51:00 80.S*7f 03:55:00 03:54:00 81.K7g-6h 03:55:00 03:54:00 82.N*4f 03:55:00 03:54:00 83.P*4b 03:55:00 03:54:00 Resigns 03:55:00 03:54:00 Not mate, but 84.Kx4b fails to B*2d followed by Bx4f, while 84.Gx4b fails to R*2a. There is no way that white can get to the black king, so here Tanigawa resigned. He can try again with the black pieces in the third game, which is a pivotal one. -- 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.bnoHb0.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 --^----------------------------------------------------------------