From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 03 feb 2006 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1131-1132, January 25th and February Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- First Month Free! Save up to 50% on your phone bill.=20 Free Activation, Free Equipment! Packet8 30-day money back guarantee. 1-877-868-1135 http://click.topica.com/= caaer6na2i6YsbnuqMaa/ TMONE ------------------------------------------------------------------- A double header this time with the second and the third game of the Osho= =20 title match between Habu and Sato. Habu won both games, but both were=20 interesting fights (the second game more than the third, though). Sato=20 is a bit unlucky to be left empty-handed after three games in this=20 match, but Habu is in great form at the moment. Here are the games with=20 comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [Event "55th Osho-sen, Game 2"] [Date "January 19th and 20th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:03:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:03:00 4.P4c-4d 00:01:00 00:05:00 5.P2f-2e 00:02:00 00:05:00 6.B2b-3c 00:02:00 00:07:00 7.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:07:00 8.P9c-9d 00:02:00 00:09:00 9.P9g-9f 00:12:00 00:09:00 10.R8b-4b 00:12:00 00:34:00 11.K5i-6h 00:13:00 00:34:00 12.S3a-3b 00:13:00 00:35:00 13.K6h-7h 00:13:00 00:35:00 14.S3b-4c 00:13:00 00:36:00 15.P5g-5f 00:16:00 00:36:00 16.S7a-7b 00:16:00 00:52:00 17.G4i-5h 00:20:00 00:52:00 18.K5a-6b 00:20:00 00:54:00 19.S4h-5g 00:31:00 00:54:00 20.P6c-6d 00:31:00 00:56:00 21.B8h-5e 01:07:00 00:56:00 22.S7b-6c 01:07:00 01:18:00 23.B5e-7g!? 01:36:00 01:18:00 Sato's new idea. The normal way of playing after B5e is to retreat the=20 bishop to 3g and to keep the pressure on the white position from there.=20 Sato is aiming for something more subtle, giving white the choice=20 between playing with the silver on 6c (weak castle formation) or losing=20 a move by retreating the silver to 7b. Habu choose the first option, but= =20 he is not able to completely solve the white opening problems. 24.P7c-7d 01:36:00 02:01:00 25.P6g-6f 01:38:00 02:01:00 26.N8a-7c 01:38:00 02:02:00 27.G5h-6g 01:42:00 02:02:00 28.P4d-4e 01:42:00 02:13:00 Positive play. Black seems to be aiming for a strong castle formation=20 and white is taking the time to build this formation to set up a strong=20 attack. 29.P6f-6e!? 02:07:00 02:13:00 Even more positive response by Sato. Rather than waiting, he opens up=20 the game himself. A rather violent fights ensues. 30.N7cx6e 02:07:00 03:06:00 31.B7gx3c+ 02:08:00 03:06:00 32.N2ax3c 02:08:00 03:06:00 33.S5g-6f 02:11:00 03:06:00 34.G6a-7b 02:11:00 04:14:00 35.P2e-2d 02:37:00 04:14:00 36.P2cx2d 02:37:00 04:17:00 37.R2hx2d 02:37:00 04:17:00 38.P4e-4f 02:37:00 04:17:00 39.P4gx4f 03:28:00 04:17:00 40.S4c-3b 03:28:00 04:19:00 41.R2d-2b+ 03:37:00 04:19:00 42.R4bx4f 03:37:00 04:20:00 43.S7i-6h 03:39:00 04:20:00 44.P*2a 03:39:00 05:29:00 45.+R2b-2h 03:59:00 05:29:00 46.R4f-4g+?! 03:59:00 05:30:00 Promoting on 4i might have been better here, but after Sato's reply the=20 promotion on 4g is correct. 47.K7h-8h?! 04:39:00 05:30:00 Probably better was 47.P*4h and only after white retreats the promoted=20 rook (for example to 4b), black plays 49.K8h. In that case white doesn't= =20 have many attacking options and after the slow 50.K8a G7h K8b, black has= =20 the better position because of his stronger castle. Sato may have been=20 reluctant to use a pawn on 4h, but the white attack is looking pretty=20 dangerous. Still, he might have calculated it all correctly. 48.B*4i 04:39:00 05:42:00 49.G6i-7h 04:49:00 05:42:00 50.B4i-3h+ 04:49:00 05:50:00 51.+R2h-2d 04:56:00 05:50:00 52.+B3h-4i 04:56:00 06:39:00 53.+R2dx3d 05:22:00 06:39:00 54.P*4d 05:22:00 06:39:00 55.P*2d 06:07:00 06:39:00 56.P2a-2b 06:07:00 06:39:00 57.P2d-2c+ 06:12:00 06:39:00 58.P2bx2c 06:12:00 06:39:00 59.P*2d 06:12:00 06:39:00 60.P2cx2d 06:12:00 06:41:00 61.P*2c 06:12:00 06:41:00 62.G4a-3a 06:12:00 06:49:00 63.B*3e! 06:19:00 06:49:00 Strong move. This bishop works both in attack and defense. The pawn on=20 2c now becomes very effective. 64.G3a-4b 06:19:00 07:00:00 The obvious 64.P7e fails to 65.P2b+ Gx2b S5e and black will probably win= =20 the attacking race (for example, +R4h next is answered by +Rx4d). The=20 bishop on 3e is holding the black position together. 65.P2c-2b+ 06:20:00 07:00:00 66.S3b-4c 06:20:00 07:00:00 67.+R3d-2c 06:20:00 07:00:00 68.P7d-7e 06:20:00 07:14:00 69.+P2b-3a 06:54:00 07:14:00 70.P7ex7f 06:54:00 07:19:00 71.+R2c-2b 06:55:00 07:19:00 72.G4b-5b 06:55:00 07:21:00 73.+P3a-4a 06:55:00 07:21:00 74.P*3b 06:55:00 07:30:00 75.+R2bx1a 07:12:00 07:30:00 76.+R4g-3h 07:12:00 07:34:00 77.L*7e 07:23:00 07:34:00 78.P7f-7g+ 07:23:00 07:47:00 79.N8ix7g 07:23:00 07:47:00 80.N6ex7g+ 07:23:00 07:48:00 81.S6fx7g 07:25:00 07:48:00 82.P*7d 07:25:00 07:48:00 83.N*5e 07:31:00 07:48:00 84.P7dx7e 07:31:00 07:48:00 85.+P4a-5a?! 07:37:00 07:48:00 Black is still winning after this move, so it can not really be called a= =20 mistake, but Sato could have made things easier for himself by playing=20 85.+P4b here. Then 86.Gx4b Nx6c+ Gx6c S*5a K5b (K7c Sx4b+) +R3a L*4a=20 Sx4b+ Lx4b G*5a K6b P*7d and black has a winning attack. 86.L*7f 07:37:00 07:49:00 87.+P5ax5b 07:39:00 07:49:00 88.S4cx5b 07:39:00 07:49:00 89.S7gx7f 07:49:00 07:49:00 90.P7ex7f 07:49:00 07:49:00 91.L*7e 07:49:00 07:49:00 92.S*7g 07:49:00 07:51:00 93.K8h-9h 07:50:00 07:51:00 Black can not take the silver on 7g or P*7d will become possible. 94.N*7d 07:50:00 07:55:00 Not the best looking move, but white has no choice. 94.+Bx6g looks good=20 because after both 95.Sx6g or 95.Gx6g the black king is mated after G*8h= =20 etc. However, after 95.Gx7g Px7g+ S*7a and wins or 95.Gx7g G*8h K9h and=20 there is no mate. Close, but black wins by one move. 95.G6gx7g 07:52:00 07:55:00 96.P7fx7g+ 07:52:00 07:55:00 97.G7hx7g 07:52:00 07:55:00 98.+R3hx2i 07:52:00 07:55:00 99.N5ex6c+ 07:53:00 07:55:00 100.S5bx6c 07:53:00 07:55:00 101.L7ex7d 07:58:00 07:55:00 102.S6cx7d 07:58:00 07:55:00 103.S*6a 07:58:00 07:55:00 104.L*9g 07:58:00 07:55:00 105.K9h-8h 07:58:00 07:55:00 106.N*7f 07:58:00 07:55:00 107.G7gx7f 07:58:00 07:55:00 108.+B4ix7f 07:58:00 07:55:00 109.+R1a-5a 07:58:00 07:55:00 110.K6b-7c 07:58:00 07:55:00 111.S6ax7b+ 07:58:00 07:55:00 112.K7cx7b 07:58:00 07:55:00 113.N*8d 07:59:00 07:55:00 114.K7b-6c 07:59:00 07:56:00 115.N*7e 07:59:00 07:56:00 116.+B7fx7e 07:59:00 07:56:00 117.G*6b 07:59:00 07:56:00 118.K6c-7c 07:59:00 07:56:00 119.+R5a-7a 07:59:00 07:56:00 120.K7cx8d 07:59:00 07:56:00 121.S*7c 07:59:00 07:56:00 122.K8d-8e 07:59:00 07:56:00 123.G*8f 07:59:00 07:56:00 124.+B7ex8f 07:59:00 07:57:00 125.P8gx8f 07:59:00 07:57:00 126.K8ex8f! 07:59:00 07:58:00 A long sequence of checks that ultimately should have led to mate. Sato=20 may have been put off by this move. He mainly analyzed 126.K7f B*6g K6e=20 Sx6d+ Kx6d B4f K5d +Rx7d K4e S*3d and white has no defense while the=20 rook on 7d makes it impossible to mate the black king. Because of the=20 working of the rook on 7d, Habu chooses the more dangerous 126.Kx8f.=20 This should have ended in mate, but with Sato in byoyomi, it was the=20 right choice to try and win this game. 127.S6h-7g 07:59:00 07:58:00 128.K8f-7e 07:59:00 07:58:00 129.S7cx6d=3D 07:59:00 07:58:00 130.K7e-6e 07:59:00 07:58:00 131.+R7ax7d 07:59:00 07:58:00 132.K6ex7d 07:59:00 07:58:00 133.S6d-6c=3D? 07:59:00 07:58:00 Here Sato throws it all away. The reason this move only gets a single=20 question mark is the fact that the winning move was the awful looking=20 133.S*6c, which makes the black attack really heavy. In this special=20 case, it is mate: 134.Kx6d 135.B4f and now 136.K6e B*7d K7e P*7f K8d B5g= =20 K7c G7b B4f or 136.K7e P*7f K8d B*7e K8e P*8f (not mate with a pawn drop= =20 because the lance on 9g is blocking the lance on 9i!) Kx9f Lx9g. When=20 this mate was shown to him after the game, Sato said that he had never=20 been so surprised in his whole shogi career. Truth to be told, Habu had=20 also completely overlooked this mate. 134.K7d-8d 07:59:00 07:58:00 135.B3e-5g 07:59:00 07:58:00 136.P*7e 07:59:00 07:58:00 137.P*8e 07:59:00 07:58:00 138.K8d-9c 07:59:00 07:58:00 139.K8hx9g 07:59:00 07:58:00 140.+R2ix9i 07:59:00 07:58:00 141.K9g-8f 07:59:00 07:58:00 142.S*7c 07:59:00 07:58:00 143.B5gx7e 07:59:00 07:58:00 144.N*8d 07:59:00 07:58:00 145.P8ex8d 07:59:00 07:58:00 146.R*8h 07:59:00 07:58:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:58:00 Mate after 147.Sx8h +Rx8h L*8g G*8e etc. or 147.K7f G*8e K6g L*6e etc. A= =20 great fight that should have been won by Sato, but recently Habu has his= =20 magic powers in full working order, snatching victory from the jaws of=20 defeat. Tough luck for Sato, who now needs to win the third game to get=20 back in this match. [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [White "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [Event "55th Osho-sen, Game 3"] [Date "January 26th and 27th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 This game was played in the Northern prefecture of Iwate. Interesting=20 was that Habu had not been there since a skiing trip when he was in high= =20 school. Habu has played more than 200 title match games in his career,=20 but this was the first time he played one in Iwate... 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:02:00 4.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:02:00 5.G6i-7h 00:09:00 00:02:00 6.P8c-8d 00:09:00 00:02:00 7.P2f-2e 00:19:00 00:02:00 8.P8d-8e 00:19:00 00:02:00 9.P2e-2d 00:25:00 00:02:00 10.P2cx2d 00:25:00 00:02:00 11.R2hx2d 00:25:00 00:02:00 12.P8e-8f 00:25:00 00:02:00 13.P8gx8f 00:27:00 00:02:00 14.R8bx8f 00:27:00 00:02:00 15.R2dx3d 00:35:00 00:02:00 16.B2bx8h+ 00:35:00 00:02:00 17.S7ix8h 00:35:00 00:02:00 18.R8fx7f 00:35:00 00:02:00 19.S8h-7g 02:00:00 00:02:00 20.R7f-7d 02:00:00 00:03:00 21.R3dx7d 02:00:00 00:03:00 22.P7cx7d 02:00:00 00:03:00 23.B*4f 02:00:00 00:03:00 24.P6c-6d 02:00:00 00:15:00 25.R*2h 02:29:00 00:15:00 26.N2a-3c!? 02:29:00 01:36:00 The normal moves here are 26.P*2b (for example played in a Kisei title=20 match game between Habu and Yashiki, 15 years ago) or 26.S2b. After=20 26.N3c, the black rook can promote, but this is an empty promotion and=20 not very effective. Sato wants to use the knight in attack in typical=20 positive style. 27.R2h-2a+ 03:44:00 01:36:00 28.P*2h 03:44:00 02:39:00 29.S3ix2h 04:09:00 02:39:00 30.R*2b 04:09:00 03:04:00 31.+R2ax2b 04:09:00 03:04:00 32.S3ax2b 04:09:00 03:05:00 33.P3g-3f 04:09:00 03:05:00 34.P*8f?! 04:09:00 04:57:00 This was the sealed move and Sato took almost two hours for it.=20 Actually, the move took longer, because there was also the one hour=20 interval for dinner on the first day. Even though it is a rule that play= =20 is adjourned between 19:00 and 20:00 on the first day, this rule is=20 almost never applied because the player to seal the move will do so=20 before seven o'clock. A rare case, but not so strange in this position,=20 because white has a number of options here. 34.P*8f, the move that Sato=20 put in the envelope, surprised everyone. Kato Hifumi (9-dan) didn't like= =20 it much, because after 35.P*8h next, white no longer has the option of=20 attacking with P*8h himself. He expected 34.N7c, to play the double=20 knight attack N4e and N6e. A positive plan that suits Sato's playing=20 style very well. Habu said after the game that he planned 35.R*8a after=20 34.N*7c, but Kato thought that white doesn't have much to fear from this= =20 attack. The reason Sato played 34.P*8f was that he wanted to take away=20 the black attacking options P*8b or P*8d. This might have been a little=20 too cautious. Habu expected 34.P7e, which seems to be the best move. The= =20 threat is P7f Sx7f P*8h Gx8h R*7i and a move like 35.Bx6d fails to the=20 double attack 36.R*8d. 35.P*8h 04:33:00 04:57:00 36.S7a-7b 04:33:00 05:00:00 37.K5i-5h 04:48:00 05:00:00 38.N8a-7c 04:48:00 05:18:00 39.B4fx6d 05:00:00 05:18:00 40.N3c-4e 05:00:00 06:29:00 41.S7g-6f 05:24:00 06:29:00 42.K5a-4b!? 05:24:00 06:31:00 White is in trouble and Sato decides to put in a little trickery. This=20 king move looks very dangerous because of a potential knight drop on 3d. 43.P*7e? 06:03:00 06:31:00 Habu takes the bait and goes for the knight right away. Correct was=20 43.P*2d which threatens N3g next because white no longer has the double=20 attack R*2d. After N3g, white cannot avoid the exchange of the knights,=20 so he has to do something about N*3d which is not easy. 44.P*3g! 06:03:00 06:58:00 Threatens R*2d next, also if this pawn is taken by knight or silver. The= =20 game now suddenly becomes a dogfight. 45.B6d-5e 07:00:00 06:58:00 46.N7c-6e 07:00:00 07:43:00 47.N2ix3g 07:06:00 07:43:00 48.N4ex5g+ 07:06:00 07:47:00 49.S6fx5g 07:06:00 07:47:00 50.B*6i 07:06:00 07:48:00 51.K5hx6i 07:22:00 07:48:00 52.N6ex5g=3D 07:22:00 07:48:00 53.K6i-6h 07:22:00 07:48:00 54.N5gx4i+ 07:22:00 07:48:00 55.P*5d 07:24:00 07:48:00 56.R*5f? 07:24:00 07:58:00 The losing move. It looks tempting, because it attacks the bishop on 5e=20 and also threatens mate (S*7g Gx7g R5i+ K7h G*7i). If Sato would have=20 had a little more time, he would have seen the problem and played the=20 correct 56.R*3h. Then 57.K7g and now 58.G*6e is a mating threat and an=20 attack on the bishop. However, then 59.Px5c+ Kx5c N4e K5b B*6d threatens= =20 mate while defending against the mating threat, so white loses. Correct=20 is 58.Px7e, which is also threatening mate. Then 59.Px5c+ Kx5c N4e K5d=20 R*5c Kx4e and the white king escapes. It seems that after 58.Px7e, black= =20 has to defend with N*6h, but the resulting position is unclear and very=20 hard to play with either side with the limited time on the clock. Sato=20 will have been kicking himself for spending so much time on the sealed=20 move, time he really needed in this position. 57.P5dx5c+ 07:25:00 07:58:00 58.K4bx5c 07:25:00 07:58:00 59.N3g-4e 07:44:00 07:58:00 60.K5c-5b 07:44:00 07:59:00 61.R*5d 07:46:00 07:59:00 Defends the attacked bishop with check... 62.K5b-4a 07:46:00 07:59:00 63.N*5c 07:50:00 07:59:00 64.K4a-4b 07:50:00 07:59:00 65.B*1e 07:50:00 07:59:00 Defends against the mating threat with check... 66.P*2d 07:50:00 07:59:00 67.N5cx6a+ 07:52:00 07:59:00 Resigns 07:52:00 07:59:00 The only move to defend is 68.Sx6a, but then the unfortunate rook on 5f=20 is lost after 69.B6d. A short game, but a lot of excitement until Sato=20 threw it all away with one single move. Habu is now 3-0 up, winning his=20 16th official game in a row. It is hard to imagine Sato making any type=20 of run against Habu in this type of groove. --=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: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Unlimited International Calls to Certain Counties with Packet8. 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