From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 27 feb 2006 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1135, February 22nd 2006) Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Is your computer freezing up or slowing down? Repair corrupt files and harmful errors - protect your PC Take a 2-minute PC health check-up at no charge! http://click.topica.com/= caaerela2i6YsbnuqMaa/PC Powerscan ------------------------------------------------------------------- A rare occurrence in Shukan Shogi. Two title match games, one on the=20 front page and one on the back page. Habu involved in both games, but in= =20 both cases Habu's picture is the smaller one and the one with the gloomy= =20 face. Two losses for Habu, both in the 4th game of the 55th Osho match=20 against Sato and in the 2nd game of the 31st Kio match. Habu still leads= =20 3-1 in the Osho, but is 2-0 down in the Kio. Moreover, the losses were=20 pretty bad, as can be seen from the commented games: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [Event "55th Osho-sen, Game 4"] [Date "February 14th and 15th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:02:00 4.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:06:00 5.G6i-7h 00:04:00 00:06:00 6.P3c-3d 00:04:00 00:10:00 7.P2f-2e 00:06:00 00:10:00 8.B2bx8h+ 00:06:00 00:24:00 9.S7ix8h 00:06:00 00:24:00 10.S3a-2b 00:06:00 00:24:00 11.P1g-1f 00:18:00 00:24:00 12.P1c-1d 00:18:00 01:00:00 13.S3i-4h 00:21:00 01:00:00 14.S2b-3c 00:21:00 01:01:00 15.P3g-3f 00:36:00 01:01:00 16.S7a-6b 00:36:00 01:35:00 17.P9g-9f 00:47:00 01:35:00 18.P9c-9d 00:47:00 01:55:00 19.S4h-3g 00:58:00 01:55:00 20.P6c-6d 00:58:00 02:28:00 21.S3g-4f 01:03:00 02:28:00 22.S6b-6c 01:03:00 02:28:00 23.P3f-3e 01:04:00 02:28:00 So far the game is following the A class Junisen game of February 1st=20 between the same players. 24.P4c-4d 01:04:00 02:28:00 This move is different. Even though Habu won the Junisen game, it is=20 clear that Sato has prepared something, so Habu changes the moves to=20 avoid Sato's homework. 25.P3ex3d 01:20:00 02:28:00 26.S3cx3d 01:20:00 02:28:00 27.P2e-2d 01:21:00 02:28:00 28.P2cx2d 01:21:00 02:30:00 29.R2hx2d 01:21:00 02:30:00 30.G3b-2c 01:21:00 02:30:00 31.R2d-2h 01:21:00 02:30:00 32.P*2d 01:21:00 02:31:00 33.P5g-5f 02:07:00 02:31:00 34.N2a-3c 02:07:00 02:41:00 35.S8h-7g 02:09:00 02:41:00 36.P4d-4e 02:09:00 03:13:00 37.S4f-5e 03:07:00 03:13:00 38.S3d-4c 03:07:00 03:25:00 39.B*3e 03:21:00 03:25:00 40.K5a-6b 03:21:00 04:14:00 41.B3ex2d 03:28:00 04:14:00 42.P*2e 03:28:00 04:14:00 43.R2h-3h! 04:19:00 04:14:00 This move shows that Sato's positive attitude has not changed even=20 though he is 3-0 behind. Black has won a pawn and 43.B6h seems good=20 enough, but Sato is looking for more, saying after the game that he=20 didn't like 43.B6h G5b P*2d G2b and it seems difficult for black to=20 continue. 43.R3h is a difficult move to play, because white seems to=20 have the strong counter 44.B*2g. Many professionals would not have dared= =20 to play R3h because of this, but Sato has analyzed this deeply and after= =20 the game he showed the following variation: 44.B*2g R3g Bx4i+ Kx4i Gx2d=20 Rx3c+ B*6i (S4c-5b K5h! but not +Rx2d? because of B*5g threatening mate=20 and rook) G6h Bx4g+ P*4h P*3b +R4b G5b B*7a (Kx7a +R3a followed by Px4g). 44.S4c-3d 04:19:00 04:56:00 Habu confirms that Sato was right. Black has won the opening and Habu=20 doesn't seem to have much hope to recover with his pieces all over the=20 place. 45.B2d-6h 04:20:00 04:56:00 46.P2e-2f 04:20:00 04:57:00 47.P*2h 04:24:00 04:57:00 48.G6a-5b 04:24:00 04:59:00 49.K5i-6i 05:27:00 04:59:00 50.G5b-4c 05:27:00 05:32:00 51.B6h-5i 05:44:00 05:32:00 52.S3d-2e 05:44:00 05:37:00 53.K6i-7i 05:48:00 05:37:00 54.G2c-3d 05:48:00 05:39:00 55.K7i-8h 05:48:00 05:39:00 56.P7c-7d 05:48:00 05:59:00 57.P6g-6f! 06:15:00 05:59:00 Sato can not afford to be complacent. This move is necessary, because=20 white threatened to bring the rook into play with K7c. After P6f, K7c is= =20 met with B3g and the black attack along the long diagonal is hard to=20 defend against. 58.P5c-5d 06:15:00 06:15:00 59.N2i-1g 06:17:00 06:15:00 60.P5dx5e 06:17:00 06:15:00 61.N1gx2e 06:17:00 06:15:00 62.N3cx2e 06:17:00 06:15:00 63.B5ix2f 06:17:00 06:15:00 64.S*4d 06:17:00 06:15:00 65.S*3b 06:38:00 06:15:00 66.G4c-3c 06:38:00 06:17:00 67.S3b-2c+ 06:38:00 06:17:00 68.N*3g 06:38:00 06:22:00 69.+S2cx3c 06:39:00 06:22:00 70.G3dx3c 06:39:00 06:22:00 71.G*2d 06:42:00 06:22:00 72.K6b-7c 06:42:00 06:28:00 73.G2dx3c 06:43:00 06:28:00 74.S4dx3c 06:43:00 06:28:00 75.B2f-7a+ 06:47:00 06:28:00 76.G*7b 06:47:00 06:28:00 77.+B7a-6a 07:11:00 06:28:00 78.P5ex5f 07:11:00 06:44:00 79.G4i-4h 07:13:00 06:44:00 80.S*2i 07:13:00 06:57:00 81.R3h-3i 07:14:00 06:57:00 82.P5f-5g+ 07:14:00 06:57:00 83.R3i-5i 07:17:00 06:57:00 84.P*5f 07:17:00 07:00:00 85.+B6a-5a? 07:27:00 07:00:00 Just going for the bad silver on 3c is not good, letting Habu back in.=20 Correct was 85.+Bx2e N9c +B2f N8e +Bx3g. 86.K7c-8c 07:27:00 07:01:00 87.+B5ax3c 07:27:00 07:01:00 88.B*6g 07:27:00 07:03:00 89.G7hx6g 07:37:00 07:03:00 90.+P5gx6g 07:37:00 07:03:00 91.G*7i 07:38:00 07:03:00 92.S2i-3h+ 07:38:00 07:09:00 93.R5ix5f 07:43:00 07:09:00 94.+S3hx4h 07:43:00 07:09:00 95.S*6h 07:46:00 07:09:00 96.+S4h-5h 07:46:00 07:11:00 97.+B3c-2d 07:47:00 07:11:00 98.P4e-4f 07:47:00 07:19:00 99.+B2dx4f 07:47:00 07:19:00 100.+P6gx7g 07:47:00 07:19:00 101.N8ix7g 07:50:00 07:19:00 102.+S5hx6h 07:50:00 07:22:00 103.+B4fx6h 07:50:00 07:22:00 104.S*5d 07:50:00 07:22:00 105.R5f-2f 07:50:00 07:22:00 106.S5d-5e 07:50:00 07:34:00 107.S*6g 07:50:00 07:34:00 108.G*3d 07:50:00 07:36:00 109.P*3e? 07:51:00 07:36:00 Correct was 109.B*2b. 110.S*5i! 07:51:00 07:36:00 Habu magic! This move was completely overlooked by Sato. If 110.+Bx5i=20 then Gx3e and the black rook dies. 111.+B6h-5g 07:55:00 07:36:00 112.S5i-4h=3D 07:55:00 07:36:00 113.+B5gx4h 07:55:00 07:36:00 Overlooking the silver drop must have been a shock for Sato, especially=20 when his time is running out. However, he has stayed cool and even=20 though losing the rook cannot be helped, the promoted bishop is placed=20 better on 4h than on 5i. Sato is very lucky that he still has a=20 minuscule edge in this position. 114.G3dx3e 07:55:00 07:36:00 115.B*3c 07:55:00 07:36:00 116.G*4e 07:55:00 07:39:00 117.P*5f 07:56:00 07:39:00 118.G3ex2f 07:56:00 07:53:00 119.P5fx5e 07:56:00 07:53:00 120.N3g-4i+ 07:56:00 07:53:00 121.+B4hx4i 07:56:00 07:53:00 122.P*5f 07:56:00 07:53:00 123.P5e-5d 07:56:00 07:53:00 124.P5f-5g+ 07:56:00 07:58:00 125.P5d-5c+ 07:56:00 07:58:00 126.+P5gx6g 07:56:00 07:59:00 127.+B4ix6g 07:56:00 07:59:00 128.R*3h 07:56:00 07:59:00 129.S*6h 07:56:00 07:59:00 130.S*5f 07:56:00 07:59:00 131.+B6gx5f 07:56:00 07:59:00 132.G4ex5f 07:56:00 07:59:00 133.+P5cx6c 07:56:00 07:59:00 134.G7bx6c 07:56:00 07:59:00 135.S*7a 07:56:00 07:59:00 136.G5f-6g 07:56:00 07:59:00 137.S7ax8b+ 07:56:00 07:59:00 138.K8cx8b 07:56:00 07:59:00 139.R*6a 07:57:00 07:59:00 Finally, the black win is clear. 140.S*7b 07:57:00 07:59:00 No choice. 140.Gx6h is answered by 141.S*8c K9c (Kx8c Rx6c+ S*7c S*7b=20 and mate) S*8b Kx8c Rx6c+ S*7c (or B*7c) Sx7c+ Nx7c S*7b and mate. 141.S*7a 07:57:00 07:59:00 142.K8b-9b 07:57:00 07:59:00 143.R6ax6c+ 07:58:00 07:59:00 144.S7bx6c 07:58:00 07:59:00 145.G*8b 07:58:00 07:59:00 146.K9b-9c 07:58:00 07:59:00 147.B3c-5a+ 07:58:00 07:59:00 148.R*7h 07:58:00 07:59:00 149.G7ix7h 07:58:00 07:59:00 150.G6gx7h 07:58:00 07:59:00 151.K8h-9h 07:58:00 07:59:00 Resigns 07:58:00 07:59:00 Habu could have tried 152.G8h here, because 153.Kx8h?? Rx6h+ leads to=20 mate. However, Sato would undoubtedly have played 153.K9g, after which=20 there is no mate. On the other hand, black has the multiple mating=20 threats R*8c and N*8e Px8e S*8d and there is no way to defend against=20 this. A fine win by Sato, even though he got a little scare in the=20 middle of it. He is still 3-1 down and needs to win all the remaining=20 games, so his situation has only improved slightly. [Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Kio"] [Event "31st Kio-sen, Game 2"] [Date "February 11th 2006"] 1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:02:00 4.P4c-4d 00:00:00 00:03:00 5.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:03:00 6.B2b-3c 00:00:00 00:03:00 7.S3i-4h 00:00:00 00:03:00 8.P9c-9d 00:00:00 00:08:00 9.K5i-6h 00:00:00 00:08:00 10.P9d-9e 00:00:00 00:15:00 11.K6h-7h 00:00:00 00:15:00 12.R8b-4b 00:00:00 00:15:00 13.P5g-5f 00:02:00 00:15:00 14.K5a-6b 00:02:00 00:15:00 15.B8h-7g 00:04:00 00:15:00 16.G4a-5b 00:04:00 00:16:00 17.K7h-8h 00:14:00 00:16:00 18.K6b-7b 00:14:00 00:16:00 19.S4h-5g 00:18:00 00:16:00 20.S3a-3b 00:18:00 00:18:00 21.G4i-5h 00:18:00 00:18:00 22.K7b-8b 00:18:00 00:22:00 23.P6g-6f 00:19:00 00:22:00 24.S3b-4c 00:19:00 00:23:00 25.G5h-6g 00:33:00 00:23:00 26.S7a-7b?! 00:33:00 00:30:00 Habu's idea in this position is to play the anaguma with P8d, S8c, G7b,=20 followed by L9b. There are some important advantages of playing the=20 anaguma with the edge pawn pushed up to 9e. First, black can not easily=20 play an edge attack. Second, white can play the edge attack if he wants=20 or needs to. Third, even if the white anaguma is broken down, the king=20 has space to escape up the board, which is usually impossible. Still,=20 the comment by Tsukada (9-dan) was: "a greedy strategy". Moriuchi shows=20 why. It seems that white would have been better off by playing the=20 anaguma immediately, but after 26.L9b S7h K9a P8f S8b S8g G7a P9f Px9f=20 Sx9f black can start a strong edge attack. There seems to have been a=20 general flaw with Habu's opening strategy in this game, as he himself=20 admitted after the game. 27.L9i-9h 00:36:00 00:30:00 28.P8c-8d 00:36:00 00:35:00 29.K8h-9i 00:38:00 00:35:00 30.S7b-8c 00:38:00 00:35:00 31.S7i-8h 00:44:00 00:35:00 32.G6a-7b 00:44:00 00:35:00 33.G6i-7i 00:52:00 00:35:00 34.L9a-9b 00:52:00 00:37:00 35.P3g-3f 01:05:00 00:37:00 36.K8b-9a 01:05:00 00:38:00 37.R2h-3h 01:18:00 00:38:00 38.R4b-3b 01:18:00 00:39:00 39.P5f-5e 01:18:00 00:39:00 40.P7c-7d 01:18:00 00:44:00 41.S5g-5f 01:18:00 00:44:00 42.B3c-5a 01:18:00 00:44:00 43.P6f-6e 01:21:00 00:44:00 This is the problem. Black has taken complete control of the center of=20 the board and white can only wait for the attack. 44.B5a-7c 01:21:00 00:44:00 45.P4g-4f 01:37:00 00:44:00 46.G5b-6b 01:37:00 00:44:00 47.R3h-2h 01:50:00 00:44:00 48.R3b-2b 01:50:00 00:45:00 49.R2h-4h 01:51:00 00:45:00 50.R2b-4b 01:51:00 00:45:00 51.L1i-1h 01:54:00 00:45:00 52.L1a-1b 01:54:00 00:46:00 53.R4h-2h 02:08:00 00:46:00 54.R4b-2b 02:08:00 00:47:00 55.P4f-4e 02:11:00 00:47:00 56.P4dx4e? 02:11:00 00:47:00 An important mistake. It is very likely that Habu just thought that this= =20 was going to be an exchange of pawns, completely overlooking the next=20 move. Correct was 56.N3c and after 57.Px4d Sx4d R4h R4b N3g P*4e R4g R4a= =20 "there is nothing to aim for" (Moriuchi). 57.R2h-2g! 02:14:00 00:47:00 Doesn't look like much, but this is very strong. By taking the rook out=20 of the diagonal of the white bishop, black now threatens P2d Px2d P5d=20 and there is nothing that white can do about that. 58.P4e-4f 02:14:00 01:26:00 Habu spent a painful 39 minutes on this move. He couldn't come up with=20 anything. Black gets a winning advantage. 59.P2e-2d 02:24:00 01:26:00 60.P2cx2d 02:24:00 01:29:00 61.P5e-5d 02:25:00 01:29:00 62.R2b-2c 02:25:00 01:31:00 63.B7g-1a+ 02:28:00 01:31:00 64.P5cx5d 02:28:00 01:34:00 65.+B1ax1b 02:29:00 01:34:00 66.S4c-3b 02:29:00 01:34:00 67.P6e-6d 02:44:00 01:34:00 68.B7cx6d 02:44:00 01:38:00 69.G6g-7g 02:48:00 01:38:00 70.P4f-4g+ 02:48:00 02:15:00 71.R2gx4g 03:03:00 02:15:00 72.B6d-1i+ 03:03:00 02:19:00 73.R4g-4b+ 03:09:00 02:19:00 74.R2c-4c 03:09:00 02:19:00 75.+R4bx3b 03:10:00 02:19:00 76.R4c-4i+ 03:10:00 02:19:00 77.P*5c 03:11:00 02:19:00 78.+B1i-4f 03:11:00 02:20:00 79.P5c-5b+ 03:14:00 02:20:00 80.G6b-7c 03:14:00 02:20:00 81.+P5b-6b 03:24:00 02:20:00 82.+B4fx7i 03:24:00 02:20:00 83.S8hx7i 03:24:00 02:20:00 84.+R4ix7i 03:24:00 02:20:00 85.S*8h 03:24:00 02:20:00 86.+R7ix2i 03:24:00 02:20:00 87.+P6bx7b 03:28:00 02:20:00 88.G7cx7b 03:28:00 02:20:00 89.L*8f! 03:31:00 02:20:00 Both attack and defense (against N*8e). 90.G*8b 03:31:00 02:33:00 In the press room, 90.S*7c was considered better, because after 91.B*6a=20 92.G*7a the bishop is attacked and white seems to be alright. However,=20 after 93.+Bx3d +Rx1h P*6d Px6d G*6c the black attack seems to be to strong.= 91.B*6a 03:34:00 02:33:00 92.S*7c 03:34:00 02:38:00 93.+B1bx3d 03:36:00 02:38:00 94.+R2ix1h 03:36:00 02:46:00 95.+R3bx2a 03:37:00 02:46:00 96.N*9f 03:37:00 02:52:00 97.P9gx9f 03:42:00 02:52:00 98.P9ex9f 03:42:00 02:52:00 99.G*7h 03:42:00 02:52:00 100.L*9g 03:42:00 03:14:00 101.N8ix9g 03:43:00 03:14:00 102.P9fx9g+ 03:43:00 03:14:00 103.L9hx9g 03:43:00 03:14:00 104.P*9f 03:43:00 03:14:00 105.L9gx9f 03:43:00 03:14:00 106.L9bx9f 03:43:00 03:14:00 107.P*9g 03:43:00 03:14:00 108.N*6f 03:43:00 03:15:00 109.G7h-7i 03:46:00 03:15:00 110.L9fx9g=3D 03:46:00 03:17:00 111.S8hx9g 03:46:00 03:17:00 112.P*9h 03:46:00 03:17:00 113.K9i-8i 03:46:00 03:17:00 114.L*9b 03:46:00 03:17:00 It seems like white has made a game out of it. This is even a mating=20 threat: P9i+ Kx9i Lx9g=3D etc. 115.P*9d! 03:50:00 03:17:00 This decided the game. First get the lance to 9d and then defend on 9f. 116.L9bx9d 03:50:00 03:18:00 117.P*9f 03:51:00 03:18:00 118.G7b-6b 03:51:00 03:18:00 119.N*6e 03:54:00 03:18:00 120.G6bx6a 03:54:00 03:20:00 121.L*9c 03:55:00 03:20:00 This would not have been possible without 115.P*9d. Black can now keep=20 building mating threats until there is no more defense. 122.G8bx9c 03:55:00 03:31:00 123.N6ex7c+ 03:55:00 03:31:00 124.G6a-7b 03:55:00 03:31:00 125.L*8b 03:56:00 03:31:00 126.G7bx8b 03:56:00 03:31:00 127.+N7cx8b 03:57:00 03:31:00 128.K9ax8b 03:57:00 03:31:00 129.S*7a 03:58:00 03:31:00 130.K8b-7c 03:58:00 03:31:00 131.+B3d-4d 03:58:00 03:31:00 Resigns 03:58:00 03:32:00 Threatening the simple +B6b K6d G*6e, but there is no defense. Also,=20 with only bishop, knight, lance and pawn, white has no mate. A very=20 convincing victory for Moriuchi, who won the opening and won straight=20 from there. They say that bad losses cause less psychological damage=20 than close ones, but Habu is 2-0 down in a best-of-five match, which is=20 definitely a bad position to be in. He has the black pieces in the next=20 game, which gives him a better chance to get back in this match, but it=20 will be hard against a Moriuchi in brilliant form. --=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: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shopping for a new car?=20 Pay 2-3% below invoice on a new car of your choice.=20 Save thousands with our free car discount finder service! http://click.topica.com/= caaerMma2i6YsbnuqMaf/Dealix ------------------------------------------------------------------- --^---------------------------------------------------------------- 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=3DTEXFOOTER --^----------------------------------------------------------------