From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 04 jan 2005 Subject: Some time ago in Shukan Shogi (no. 1072-1074, November 24th, December Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Get a Holy Bible for FREE! http://click.topica.com/= caacYkCa2i6YsbnuqMaa/PermissionData ------------------------------------------------------------------- The winter holidays provide a rare opportunity to catch up on many=20 things, including the Shukan Shogi reports. In this report the 3rd and=20 4th game of the Ryu-O match between Moriuchi and Watanabe. Moriuchi=20 seemed to take control of the match by winning the third game with the=20 white pieces, but Watanabe did the same in game 4 to even the match.=20 Here are the games with comments: [Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"] [White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Ryu-O"] [Event "17th Ryu-O sen, Game 3"] [Date "November 17th and 18th 2004"] 1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:02:00 3.S7i-6h 00:03:00 00:02:00 4.P3c-3d 00:03:00 00:02:00 5.P6g-6f 00:04:00 00:02:00 6.S7a-6b 00:04:00 00:03:00 7.P5g-5f 00:05:00 00:03:00 8.P5c-5d 00:05:00 00:03:00 9.S3i-4h 00:07:00 00:03:00 10.S3a-4b 00:07:00 00:05:00 11.G4i-5h 00:10:00 00:05:00 12.G4a-3b 00:10:00 00:08:00 13.G6i-7h 00:15:00 00:08:00 14.K5a-4a 00:15:00 00:10:00 15.K5i-6i 00:17:00 00:10:00 16.G6a-5b 00:17:00 00:14:00 17.S6h-7g 00:21:00 00:14:00 18.S4b-3c 00:21:00 00:15:00 19.B8h-7i 00:22:00 00:15:00 20.B2b-3a 00:22:00 00:15:00 21.P3g-3f 00:23:00 00:15:00 22.P4c-4d 00:23:00 00:15:00 23.G5h-6g 00:26:00 00:15:00 24.P7c-7d 00:26:00 00:16:00 25.S4h-3g 00:30:00 00:16:00 26.B3a-6d 00:30:00 00:16:00 27.B7i-6h 00:34:00 00:16:00 28.G5b-4c 00:34:00 00:17:00 29.K6i-7i 00:36:00 00:17:00 30.K4a-3a 00:36:00 00:19:00 31.K7i-8h 00:39:00 00:19:00 32.K3a-2b 00:39:00 00:20:00 The Yagura as in game 1, but this time Moriuchi is playing it more=20 slowly. The quick attack he used in the first game led to a devastating=20 loss in only 89 moves, so his choice is understandable. 33.S3g-4f 00:57:00 00:20:00 34.S6b-5c 00:57:00 00:33:00 35.N2i-3g 00:59:00 00:33:00 36.P9c-9d 00:59:00 00:34:00 37.P1g-1f 01:02:00 00:34:00 38.P1c-1d 01:02:00 00:35:00 39.P2g-2f 01:04:00 00:35:00 40.S3c-2d 01:04:00 00:35:00 41.R2h-3h 01:05:00 00:35:00 42.B6d-7c 01:05:00 00:39:00 43.L1i-1h 01:10:00 00:39:00 44.P8d-8e!? 01:10:00 00:41:00 A small surprise. The winning percentage of white against the Yagura has= =20 not been very high in the past years, but Moriuchi changed this by=20 showing new ways of attacking, starting with 44.P9e instead of 44.P8e.=20 However, Watanabe and Moriuchi also played this in an exhibition game in= =20 Fukuoka in August, and then Watanabe won quite convincingly. This seems=20 to have been the main reason for playing P8e instead of P9e. 45.L9i-9h 01:25:00 00:41:00 46.B7c-6d 01:25:00 00:42:00 47.K8h-9i 01:28:00 00:42:00 48.S5c-4b 01:28:00 00:47:00 49.P2f-2e 01:41:00 00:47:00 50.S2d-1c 01:41:00 01:24:00 51.S4f-5g 01:46:00 01:24:00 52.N8a-7c 01:46:00 01:39:00 53.P4g-4f 01:47:00 01:39:00 54.P9d-9e 01:47:00 02:28:00 55.R3h-4h 03:14:00 02:28:00 56.N2a-3c 03:14:00 02:44:00 57.R4h-4i 03:48:00 02:44:00 58.K2b-2a 03:48:00 03:45:00 59.S5g-4h 04:41:00 03:45:00 60.R8b-8d 04:41:00 04:15:00 61.G7h-8h 04:48:00 04:15:00 62.S1c-2b 04:48:00 04:28:00 63.S4h-5i? 05:20:00 04:28:00 The natural move is 63.S5g, but Watanabe did not like 64.N4e after that.= =20 After 63.S5i, 64.N4e Px4e Bx3g+ Px4d is good for black because of the=20 power of the black rook on 4i. Still, Watanabe is too fixated on the 4th= =20 file here. White also wants to exchange the pawns on 7e, but with the=20 silver on 4h or 4g, P7e fails to Px7e Bx7e R7i followed by S7f. The=20 silver on 5i blocks the path of the rook, so now white can play P7e... 64.P7d-7e 05:20:00 04:47:00 65.P7fx7e 05:28:00 04:47:00 66.B6dx7e 05:28:00 04:47:00 67.S5i-5h 05:28:00 04:47:00 68.B7e-5c 05:28:00 04:59:00 69.P4f-4e 05:30:00 04:59:00 70.P4dx4e 05:30:00 05:10:00 71.N3gx4e 05:30:00 05:10:00 72.N3cx4e 05:30:00 05:23:00 73.R4ix4e 05:30:00 05:23:00 74.P*4d 05:30:00 05:49:00 75.R4e-4g 05:38:00 05:49:00 76.N*7e 05:38:00 06:12:00 77.P1f-1e 05:44:00 06:12:00 78.P1dx1e 05:44:00 06:21:00 79.P*1d 05:44:00 06:21:00 80.N7ex8g=3D! 05:44:00 06:27:00 Completely overlooked by Watanabe. Taking the gold seemed to be the only= =20 move, but Moriuchi judged that with the silver on 6g, the black position= =20 would be very hard to break down. The point 8g is an important weakness=20 of the Anaguma castle and this becomes a liability for black in the rest= =20 of the game. 81.G8hx8g 05:47:00 06:27:00 82.P*7f 05:47:00 06:27:00 83.G6gx7f 06:30:00 06:27:00 Interesting discussion at this point after the game. In the press room=20 83.N*1c Lx1c Px1c+ Px7g+ G8hx7g was discussed as a way to try and turn=20 things around. Watanabe's comment: "If the position is bad then a mutual= =20 attack might have been better. However, I though I was a little better=20 here...". The young challenger seems to see things differently than most= =20 people. 84.P*7e 06:30:00 06:27:00 85.G7fx7e 06:31:00 06:27:00 86.B5cx7e 06:31:00 06:27:00 87.P*7h? 06:31:00 06:27:00 In the press room the opinion was that white had the better position,=20 but as pointed out, Watanabe did not agree. He felt confident here that=20 he could stop the white attack and cash in on his material advantage.=20 Analysis after the game seems to show that he was right, but that=20 87.P*7h was an important mistake. If he would have played 87.N*7h=20 instead, it would have been very difficult for white to continue the=20 attack. The knight on 7h defends both 8f and 6f which are important=20 attacking bases for white. For example, Moriuchi intended to play=20 88.R7d, but then 89.Lx1e P*1b S6g B6d P*8d! is good for black because=20 Rx8d fails to N*7f. Watanabe thought that instead of using a knight he=20 could also do with a pawn, but that was a little bit too confident. 88.P9e-9f 06:31:00 06:58:00 89.P9gx9f 06:31:00 06:58:00 90.P8e-8f 06:31:00 07:14:00 91.S7gx8f 06:32:00 07:14:00 92.B7ex8f! 06:32:00 07:14:00 This is the move that Watanabe might have taken a little too lightly.=20 After 92.Bx6f P*8h there is no good way for white to continue the attack. 93.G8gx8f 07:32:00 07:14:00 94.L9ax9f 07:32:00 07:14:00 95.P*8g 07:33:00 07:14:00 96.N7c-8e 07:33:00 07:23:00 97.G8fx9f 07:57:00 07:23:00 98.P*7g 07:57:00 07:23:00 99.B*6g 07:59:00 07:23:00 100.S*7f 07:59:00 07:29:00 101.G9fx8e 07:59:00 07:29:00 102.S7fx6g+! 07:59:00 07:42:00 The only move that wins for white. 102.Rx8e Bx7f Px7h+ S*7i +Px6h Bx8e=20 +Px7i R*7a wins the white tokin on 7i and 102.Sx8g+ Bx7g Rx8e Bx8e P*9g=20 Nx9g G*7i P*8i +Sx7h R*8a G3a B9f and the white attack doesn't have=20 enough power. 103.S5hx6g 07:59:00 07:42:00 104.R8dx8e 07:59:00 07:42:00 105.K9i-8h 07:59:00 07:42:00 106.P*9g 07:59:00 07:51:00 107.S*8f 07:59:00 07:51:00 108.P9gx9h+ 07:59:00 07:51:00 109.K8hx9h 07:59:00 07:51:00 110.R8e-8a 07:59:00 07:51:00 111.N*1c 07:59:00 07:51:00 112.L1ax1c 07:59:00 07:55:00 113.P1dx1c+ 07:59:00 07:55:00 114.B*6i 07:59:00 07:56:00 115.N8ix7g 07:59:00 07:56:00 116.B6ix4g+ 07:59:00 07:57:00 117.N*1d 07:59:00 07:57:00 118.L*9b 07:59:00 07:57:00 119.P*9g 07:59:00 07:57:00 120.+B4g-6i 07:59:00 07:57:00 121.N1dx2b+ 07:59:00 07:57:00 122.G3bx2b 07:59:00 07:57:00 123.N*1d 07:59:00 07:57:00 124.L9bx9g+ 07:59:00 07:58:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:58:00 Mate after 124.Sx9g G*9i Kx9i R*8i Kx8i Rx8g+ or 124.Kx9g P*9f Kx9f N*8d= =20 K8e N*7c etc. An important win for Moriuchi with the white pieces. The=20 match is still young, but it now puts a lot of pressure on young=20 Watanabe to win the next game with white as well. Can the young prodigy=20 respond? [Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Ryu-O"] [White "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"] [Event "17th Ryu-O sen, Game 4"] [Date "November 24th and 25th 2004"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:01:00 4.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 5.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:02:00 6.P8d-8e 00:00:00 00:02:00 7.G6i-7h 00:00:00 00:02:00 8.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:02:00 9.P2e-2d 00:00:00 00:02:00 10.P2cx2d 00:00:00 00:02:00 11.R2hx2d 00:00:00 00:02:00 12.P8e-8f 00:00:00 00:02:00 13.P8gx8f 00:00:00 00:02:00 14.R8bx8f 00:00:00 00:02:00 15.R2dx3d 00:02:00 00:02:00 16.B2b-3c 00:02:00 00:02:00 17.R3d-3f 00:02:00 00:02:00 18.S3a-2b 00:02:00 00:02:00 19.P*8g 00:02:00 00:02:00 20.R8f-8e 00:02:00 00:03:00 21.R3f-2f 00:02:00 00:03:00 22.K5a-4a 00:02:00 00:04:00 23.K5i-5h 00:26:00 00:04:00 24.S7a-6b 00:26:00 00:06:00 25.G4i-3h 00:27:00 00:06:00 26.G6a-5a 00:27:00 00:10:00 27.S3i-4h 00:27:00 00:10:00 28.P7c-7d 00:27:00 00:12:00 29.P3g-3f 00:27:00 00:12:00 30.P*2e 00:27:00 00:40:00 31.R2f-2h 00:30:00 00:40:00 32.P*8f 00:30:00 00:40:00 33.P8gx8f 00:40:00 00:40:00 34.R8ex8f 00:40:00 00:40:00 35.P4g-4f 00:41:00 00:40:00 36.R8fx7f 00:41:00 00:42:00 37.B8hx3c+ 00:48:00 00:42:00 38.N2ax3c 00:48:00 00:42:00 39.S4h-4g 00:57:00 00:42:00 40.P2e-2f 00:57:00 00:47:00 41.P*8h 01:43:00 00:47:00 42.R7f-7e 01:43:00 00:49:00 43.R2hx2f 01:46:00 00:49:00 44.B*4d 01:46:00 01:04:00 45.P3f-3e 02:14:00 01:04:00 46.B4dx8h+ 02:14:00 01:17:00 47.P*7f 02:14:00 01:17:00 48.R7ex7f 02:14:00 01:17:00 49.P*7g 02:14:00 01:17:00 50.+B8hx7h 02:14:00 01:17:00 51.S7ix7h 02:14:00 01:17:00 52.R7f-8f 02:14:00 01:17:00 53.P*8g 02:16:00 01:17:00 54.R8f-8e 02:16:00 01:19:00 55.S4g-3f 02:54:00 01:19:00 56.P*8h 02:54:00 01:27:00 57.P3e-3d 03:04:00 01:27:00 58.P*2c 03:04:00 01:39:00 59.N2i-3g 03:33:00 01:39:00 60.P8hx8i+ 03:33:00 01:52:00 61.S7hx8i 03:38:00 01:52:00 62.R8ex8g+ 03:38:00 01:55:00 63.R2f-2i 03:40:00 01:55:00 64.P*8h 03:40:00 02:23:00 This game shows once again how far opening theory has advanced in modern= =20 professional shogi. This position has been played before not once, but=20 two times. In the 4th game of the 72nd Kisei match between Goda and=20 Habu, Habu played 64.N*5d, but despite winning this game, Habu was not=20 convinced that this was a good move. Then, in the 4th game of the Oza=20 match, Moriuchi played this same position against Habu with white and=20 played 64.N*2f. Habu won that game as well, but in the post-mortem=20 analysis the move 64.P*8h was discovered and considered good for white=20 after 65.B*9h +R8e S7h N*8f. This variation was given both in Shukan=20 Shogi and Shogi Sekai and Watanabe said after the game: "I played P*8h=20 because I trusted this analysis". In the press room, Moriuchi's=20 preparation in answer to P*8h was eagerly awaited. 65.B*9h 04:59:00 02:23:00 The sealed move and a sigh of relief from the press room. Because of the= =20 exceptionally high pace of this game, there were fears that it would end= =20 on the first day. There was even talk about having the sealed move=20 earlier than planned, at 4 o'clock instead of at 6. When asked about the= =20 high pace of the game on the first day, the players just said that the=20 opponent was playing so fast, so they found it hard to slow down. An=20 interesting phenomenon known to many players of all levels. 66.+R8g-8e 04:59:00 02:49:00 67.P3dx3c+?! 05:08:00 02:49:00 If this was it, Moriuchi made a mistake in his preparation somewhere. As= =20 Fujii pointed out, black can always take this knight, so there is no=20 need to take it now. The only reason to take it now is that black has=20 read the game to the end, but the next moves show that this is not the=20 case. It seems likely that Moriuchi lost a psychological battle here. By= =20 not changing the moves, he bluffed that he had something, counting on=20 the extra pressure on Watanabe to win this game and not running into=20 some prepared variation by Moriuchi. When Watanabe called his bluff,=20 Moriuchi had to admit that he had nothing and instead of further=20 embarrassing himself by losing in exactly the same fashion as pointed=20 out in Shukan Shogi and Shogi Sekai, he decided to go for a desperate=20 attack. Because it is an illogical move, 67.Px3c+ took Watanabe by=20 complete surprise, but there is no real problem. 68.S2bx3c 05:08:00 03:06:00 69.N3g-4e 05:09:00 03:06:00 70.P*3g! 05:09:00 04:30:00 In the post-mortem analysis, Moriuchi said that things were going=20 according to plan until this move, which he had overlooked. 71.G3h-3i? 06:17:00 04:30:00 71.Gx3g fails to Px8i+ Nx3c+ Gx3c P*3d +R8h N*6h N*5e and white wins=20 because this is a mating threat: Px3c+ N*6f K4i (Px6f +Rx6h etc.) G*4h=20 Kx4h +Rx6h K3i N*4g Sx4g Nx4g=3D Gx4g S*3h. The importance of 70.P*3g is= =20 clear from this variation. Without it, N*5e is not a mating threat.=20 Despite this, 71.G3i is also bad for black. 71.G4h was the only move to=20 stay in the game. Watanabe admitted that he was not sure how to continue= =20 after this move. He would take the time to find something and if there=20 was no good attack, he would just play G3b and see what Moriuchi would=20 come up with. The pawn on 3g is a thorn in black's side. 72.P8hx8i+ 06:17:00 04:59:00 73.N4ex3c+ 06:19:00 04:59:00 74.G3bx3c 06:19:00 04:59:00 75.P*3d 07:01:00 04:59:00 76.+R8e-8h 07:01:00 05:06:00 77.N*6h 07:22:00 05:06:00 78.N*6f! 07:22:00 06:11:00 The shortest way to victory. 78.Px6f fails to 79.N*5e which threatens=20 mate after +Rx6h. Black therefore has to defend by dropping a piece=20 after 79.N*5e and then white can just play G3b and black has no pieces=20 to set up a strong attack. 79.K5h-4g 07:26:00 06:11:00 80.G3c-3b 07:26:00 06:11:00 81.P6gx6f 07:36:00 06:11:00 82.+R8hx9h 07:36:00 06:12:00 83.L9ix9h 07:45:00 06:12:00 84.B*6i 07:45:00 06:12:00 85.N*5h 07:55:00 06:12:00 86.N*5e 07:55:00 06:13:00 87.K4g-4h 07:55:00 06:13:00 88.G*3h 07:55:00 06:17:00 89.G3ix3h 07:55:00 06:17:00 90.P3gx3h+ 07:55:00 06:17:00 91.K4hx3h 07:55:00 06:17:00 92.B6ix5h+ 07:55:00 06:17:00 93.S*2a 07:55:00 06:17:00 94.S*4g 07:55:00 06:18:00 95.K3h-2h 07:55:00 06:18:00 96.P*3a 07:55:00 06:22:00 Resigns 07:58:00 06:22:00 Black has no mate after 97.Sx3b+ Px3b R*2a K5b, while white has a mate=20 with an extra silver after S*3g. Black has no attack without giving=20 white the pieces he needs, so Moriuchi resigned here. A fine win by=20 Watanabe who showed nerves of steel or the brashness of youth in this=20 game by following a known variation. He is rewarded with a 2-2 tie in=20 the match and the black pieces in the next game. --=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: ------------------------------------------------------------------- ** Get Your Own Support-a-Cure Yellow Bracelet for $1.99 **=20=20=20 Show your support for finding cures for both AIDS & Cancer.=20 Get yours for just $1.99. 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