From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 22 aug 2005 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1105, July 20th 2005) Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ben & Jerry=92s=AE or H=E4agen-Dazs=AE? Take our Nationwide Ice Cream Survey today! Receive a FREE* $100=20 Restaurant Gift Card of your choice or $100 worth of Ben &=20 Jerry=92s=AE or H=E4agen-Dazs=AE ice cream for participating! http://click.topica.com/= caadOvZa2i6YsbnuqMaa/Ice Cream Research Survey ------------------------------------------------------------------- Like me, Habu and Sato have a busy summer. They meet in three=20 consecutive title matches: Kisei, Oi and Oza. So far, Sato seems to be=20 in the slightly better form, leading the Kisei match and taking the=20 first game of the Oi match as well. Here is this opening game with comments= : [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Oi"] [Event "46th Oi-sen, Game 1"] [Date "July 13th and 14th 2005"] 1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:04:00 00:01:00 4.P5c-5d 00:04:00 00:08:00 5.P2f-2e 00:12:00 00:08:00 6.R8b-5b 00:12:00 00:10:00 Habu plays the Gokigen Nakabisha in this first game. A very popular way=20 of playing for white, so in that sense not a major surprise. However,=20 seeing Habu play this opening one can not help but remember the fourth=20 game of this year's Meijin match against Moriuchi. In that game Habu=20 suffered a total defeat, so why would he again play an opening in which=20 he has had such a bad experience? They key might be in Habu's response=20 to a similar question he was asked when he played the R8e-Yokofudori:=20 "Because I don't understand it". Playing an opening at the big stage=20 seems to deepen Habu's understanding much more than just playing it in=20 practice or studying it at home. 7.B8hx2b+ 00:13:00 00:10:00 8.S3ax2b 00:13:00 00:10:00 9.P9g-9f 00:14:00 00:10:00 10.K5a-6b 00:14:00 01:01:00 11.K5i-6h 00:31:00 01:01:00 12.K6b-7b 00:31:00 01:05:00 13.S3i-4h 00:32:00 01:05:00 14.P5d-5e 00:32:00 02:21:00 Habu has used 51 minutes for 10.K6b and 76 minutes for 14.P5e, which=20 seems to support the theory above. He is of course well aware of the=20 opening theory in this position, but playing it himself leads to new=20 insights. Still, Habu may not have liked what he saw... 15.P9f-9e 00:59:00 02:21:00 Pushing the pawn on the edge is an important asset of the black=20 position. More attacking options and less chances for the white king to=20 escape up the board. 16.P5e-5f 00:59:00 02:29:00 17.P5gx5f 01:05:00 02:29:00 18.R5bx5f 01:05:00 02:29:00 19.S7i-8h 01:06:00 02:29:00 20.S2b-3c 01:06:00 02:40:00 21.S8h-7g 01:07:00 02:40:00 22.R5f-5a 01:07:00 02:44:00 23.K6h-7h 01:08:00 02:44:00 24.K7b-8b 01:08:00 02:45:00 25.G6i-6h 01:13:00 02:45:00 26.S7a-7b 01:13:00 02:46:00 27.P3g-3f 01:23:00 02:46:00 28.P6c-6d 01:23:00 02:59:00 29.P4g-4f 01:32:00 02:59:00 30.G4a-3b 01:32:00 03:24:00 31.P1g-1f 02:23:00 03:24:00 32.P1c-1d 02:23:00 03:33:00 33.S4h-4g 03:32:00 03:33:00 34.P*5f 03:32:00 04:09:00 35.R2h-5h 03:39:00 04:09:00 36.S3c-4d 03:39:00 04:11:00 37.P*5b 03:50:00 04:11:00 38.G6ax5b 03:50:00 04:27:00 39.R5hx5f 03:52:00 04:27:00 40.B*2h 03:52:00 04:28:00 41.B*4a! 04:40:00 04:28:00 Black already seemed to have the edge, but this is a big blow that Habu=20 might have underestimated. 41.B*6b looks the same, but then 42.P5e Bx5a+= =20 Gx5a R5h Bx1i+ is good for white (being a lance up). 42.G3b-4b 04:40:00 04:42:00 No choice. 42.P*5e R5h Rx4a (not Bx1i+ as above because the gold on 3b=20 is hanging) Rx2h gives black a much better position. 43.B4ax5b+ 04:40:00 04:42:00 44.G4bx5b 04:40:00 04:43:00 45.G*4b 05:00:00 04:43:00 46.P*5e 05:00:00 04:43:00 47.G4bx5a 05:00:00 04:43:00 48.G5bx5a 05:00:00 04:43:00 49.R5f-5i 05:00:00 04:43:00 50.B2hx1i+ 05:00:00 04:49:00 51.R*3a 05:00:00 04:49:00 52.G*6a 05:00:00 04:49:00 53.G4i-3h 05:04:00 04:49:00 54.N2a-3c 05:04:00 04:51:00 55.R3ax1a+ 05:04:00 04:51:00 56.L*5b 05:04:00 04:51:00 57.P*5g 05:25:00 04:51:00 58.N3cx2e 05:25:00 04:53:00 59.R5i-7i 05:27:00 04:53:00 60.+B1i-1h 05:27:00 04:57:00 61.+R1ax1d 05:35:00 04:57:00 62.N2e-1g+ 05:35:00 04:58:00 63.+R1d-2e 06:01:00 04:58:00 64.P3d-3e 06:01:00 05:04:00 65.P3fx3e 06:10:00 05:04:00 66.P5e-5f 06:10:00 05:07:00 67.P5gx5f 06:10:00 05:07:00 68.P*5e 06:10:00 05:07:00 69.P3e-3d 06:18:00 05:07:00 70.P5ex5f 06:18:00 05:07:00 71.P*5h 06:18:00 05:07:00 72.P2c-2d 06:18:00 05:11:00 73.+R2ex2d 06:19:00 05:11:00 74.P*2g 06:19:00 05:11:00 75.N2ix1g 06:20:00 05:11:00 76.+B1hx1g 06:20:00 05:11:00 77.P3d-3c+ 06:20:00 05:11:00 78.N*6e 06:20:00 06:04:00 79.+P3cx4c 06:52:00 06:04:00 80.P5f-5g+ 06:52:00 06:05:00 81.P5hx5g 06:56:00 06:05:00 82.L5bx5g+ 06:56:00 06:05:00 83.G6hx5g 06:56:00 06:05:00 84.N6ex5g+ 06:56:00 06:05:00 85.P*5b 06:56:00 06:05:00 86.G5a-6b 06:56:00 06:08:00 87.P5b-5a+ 07:00:00 06:08:00 88.G6ax5a 07:00:00 06:08:00 89.+P4cx4d 07:05:00 06:08:00 90.P2g-2h+ 07:05:00 06:17:00 91.P*5h 07:06:00 06:17:00 92.+N5gx6g 07:06:00 06:19:00 93.K7hx6g 07:06:00 06:19:00 94.+P2hx3h 07:06:00 06:19:00 95.L*8f? 07:19:00 06:19:00 Sato has made a promoted rook and has gradually improved his position=20 despite Habu's desperate attack. However, 95.L*8f is a mistake. Correct=20 was 95.P9d Px9d P*9b Lx9b N*8f aiming at N*7d next. If then P8d, black=20 can strongly attack on the edge with P*9c Lx9c P*9e. 96.B*7d! 07:19:00 06:24:00 Sato may have overlooked this move. 97.S4g-5f 07:30:00 06:24:00 98.P*2c 07:30:00 06:34:00 99.+R2d-3c 07:30:00 06:34:00 100.P*3b 07:30:00 06:37:00 101.+R3c-4c 07:30:00 06:37:00 102.G5a-5b 07:30:00 06:44:00 103.+R4c-5d 07:30:00 06:44:00 104.B7dx5f 07:30:00 06:55:00 105.+R5dx5f 07:34:00 06:55:00 106.+B1gx4d 07:34:00 06:55:00 Text book Furibisha play: Using a couple of pawns to drive the promoted=20 rook back into the own position, followed by picking up the tokin on 4d=20 and activating the promoted bishop. More important than removing the=20 tokin is the fact that the black king and black promoted rook are very=20 badly positioned. The position is very difficult now, and Sato realizes=20 that he has no time to waste. 107.N*7e 07:34:00 06:55:00 108.G*5e 07:34:00 07:10:00 109.+R5fx5e 07:46:00 07:10:00 110.+B4dx5e 07:46:00 07:10:00 111.G*6f 07:46:00 07:10:00 112.+B5ex4f 07:46:00 07:20:00 113.S*5g 07:46:00 07:20:00 114.P6d-6e 07:46:00 07:41:00 115.S5gx4f 07:48:00 07:41:00 116.P6ex6f 07:48:00 07:41:00 117.S7gx6f 07:51:00 07:41:00 118.S*7d 07:51:00 07:41:00 119.L*8e 07:51:00 07:41:00 120.P*6e 07:51:00 07:47:00 121.L8ex8c+ 07:51:00 07:47:00 122.K8b-7a 07:51:00 07:47:00 123.S6f-5g 07:51:00 07:47:00 124.G*6f 07:51:00 07:49:00 125.K6g-7h 07:55:00 07:49:00 126.S7dx7e 07:55:00 07:51:00 127.S5gx6f 07:55:00 07:51:00 128.P6ex6f 07:55:00 07:51:00 129.G*8b 07:56:00 07:51:00 130.K7a-6a 07:56:00 07:51:00 131.+L8cx7b 07:56:00 07:51:00 132.G6bx7b 07:56:00 07:51:00 133.G8bx7b 07:56:00 07:51:00 134.K6ax7b 07:56:00 07:51:00 135.K7h-8h 07:57:00 07:51:00 136.L*9f 07:57:00 07:55:00 This is a mating threat: G*9g Lx9g (or Nx9g R*6h followed by S*7g) Lx9g+= =20 Kx9g R*9i L*9h N*8e etc. Because of this, many felt that Habu had=20 managed to turn the tables, but Sato has found a way out. 137.B*4e 07:59:00 07:55:00 138.K7b-6a 07:59:00 07:55:00 139.P7fx7e 07:59:00 07:55:00 140.G*6g 07:59:00 07:57:00 141.G*7b 07:59:00 07:57:00 142.K6a-5a 07:59:00 07:57:00 143.B4ex6g 07:59:00 07:57:00 144.P6fx6g+? 07:59:00 07:57:00 Seems like the only move in this position, but it is the decisive=20 mistake. Here Habu missed a chance to put Sato in major difficulties=20 with 144.R*6h!. Then 145.B7h defends the check and saves the bishop, but= =20 then 146.P6g+ is a mating threat. The difference between this and the=20 game will become clear in the final position. After 146.P6g+ there seems= =20 to be no black mate, but that doesn't necessarily mean that white is=20 winning. For example 147.G*6b Gx6b Gx6b Kx7b N*5d K6c P*6d Kx5d B*4e K5c= =20 P6c+ K4b B4ex6g defends against the white mating threat with a mating=20 threat. This looks good for black, but actually can be countered again=20 by G*5f! (Bx5f N*7f K7g G*6f is mate). It would have been great to see=20 how both players would have handled such an endgame in byoyomi, but=20 unfortunately the game is suddenly over after 144.Px6g+. 145.G*6b 07:59:00 07:57:00 146.G5bx6b 07:59:00 07:58:00 147.G7bx6b 07:59:00 07:58:00 148.K5ax6b 07:59:00 07:58:00 149.N*5d 07:59:00 07:58:00 150.K6b-5b 07:59:00 07:58:00 151.B*6a 07:59:00 07:58:00 152.K5b-5c 07:59:00 07:58:00 153.S*4b 07:59:00 07:58:00 154.K5cx5d 07:59:00 07:58:00 155.S*4e 07:59:00 07:58:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:58:00 Mate after 156.K6c G*5c K6d G5d K6e G5e K6f G5f. Not that for this mate=20 to work, the rook on 7i needs to defend 7e and 7f. In the variation=20 after 144.Px6g+, the bishop on 7h is blocking the rook, so this mate=20 doesn't work. After Sato got an overwhelming advantage in the middle=20 game, many expected the game to be over soon, but Habu showed what a=20 good fighter he is by getting back in this game. He didn't get the=20 result, but this promises a lot for this Oi title match. On the other=20 hand, Sato was never phased by seeing his advantage disappear, showing=20 that he is in exceptionally good form these days. --=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: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Erase wrinkles without Botox! 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