From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 08 jun 2006 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1148, May 24th 2006) Two games in this Shukan Shogi report: the fourth game of the Meijin match between Moriuchi and Tanigawa and the fourth game of the Asahi Open match between Habu and Fujii. Moriuchi won in the Meijin match to take a 3-1 lead, while Habu won in the Asahi Open to win the match 3-1 and defend his Asahi Open title. Here are the games with comments: [Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Meijin"] [White "Tanigawa Koji, Challenger"] [Event "64th Meijin-sen, Game 4"] [Date "May 18th and 19th 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 00:05:00 7.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:05:00 8.P9c-9d 00:02:00 00:12:00 9.K5i-6h 00:03:00 00:12:00 10.R8b-4b 00:03:00 00:17:00 Although Tanigawa is an Ibisha player by nature, the Shikenbisha opening was no surprise. Before the match, Tanigawa said that he wanted to play many different openings and because the first game was a Kakugawari with tempo loss, the second game a Gokigen Nakabisha and the third game a Yagura opening, the options had become rather limited. Before the game, Moriuchi also hinted at the possibility at playing the Kakugawari with tempo loss again with reversed colors, but Tanigawa settled for the Shikenbisha opening. 11.K6h-7h 00:08:00 00:17:00 12.S3a-3b 00:08:00 00:25:00 13.P5g-5f 00:09:00 00:25:00 14.S7a-7b 00:09:00 00:28:00 15.G4i-5h 00:12:00 00:28:00 16.S3b-4c 00:12:00 00:41:00 17.S4h-5g 00:15:00 00:41:00 18.P9d-9e 00:15:00 00:55:00 19.P3g-3f 00:16:00 00:55:00 20.K5a-6b 00:16:00 00:56:00 21.P3f-3e 00:16:00 00:56:00 The quick attack against the Fujii system is an important theoretical issue among professionals at the moment. See for example the first game of the Asahi Open match between Habu and Fujii, which had the same opening. 22.R4b-3b 00:16:00 01:43:00 23.P4g-4f 00:17:00 01:43:00 24.P3dx3e 00:17:00 01:46:00 25.P4f-4e 00:18:00 01:46:00 26.G4a-5b 00:18:00 01:47:00 27.P4ex4d 00:19:00 01:47:00 28.S4c-3d 00:19:00 01:48:00 29.R2h-4h 00:26:00 01:48:00 30.R3b-4b 00:26:00 01:55:00 31.S5g-4f 00:27:00 01:55:00 32.P*4g 00:27:00 02:28:00 33.R4hx4g 00:48:00 02:28:00 Up until this point, the position was the same as the Habu-Fujii game mentioned earlier. There it followed 33.Gx4g L1b S6h K7a R2h K8b G7i and the game continued at a rather low pace for a while. 33.Rx4g is not a new move, but clearly sharper than 33.Gx4g. It is quite unusual to start the hostilities on the first day of a two day title match, but obviously Moriuchi was well prepared. 34.B3cx4d 00:48:00 02:46:00 35.B8hx4d 00:49:00 02:46:00 36.R4bx4d 00:49:00 02:46:00 37.B*2b 00:49:00 02:46:00 38.R4d-7d 00:49:00 03:27:00 39.R4g-4h 01:17:00 03:27:00 The first time Moriuchi takes his time for a move (28 minutes). The alternative is 39.S5g P*4c R2g B*3c Bx3c+ Nx3c P2d to use the rook on the second file. It is hard to say if using the rook on the 4th file is better or worse than using it on the 2nd file. 40.B*3c 01:17:00 03:42:00 41.B2bx3c+ 01:31:00 03:42:00 42.N2ax3c 01:31:00 03:42:00 43.B*6e 01:31:00 03:42:00 44.B*8d 01:31:00 04:29:00 Now we are in unknown territory and we are also at the end of the first day. It is becoming a pattern in this match, but Tanigawa had used almost three times as much time at this point (Moriuchi 1 hour and 31 minutes, Tanigawa 4 hours and 29 minutes). 45.B6ex7d 02:38:00 04:29:00 46.P7cx7d 02:38:00 04:50:00 47.S4f-5g 02:59:00 04:50:00 48.N3c-4e 02:59:00 04:51:00 49.S5g-6f 03:00:00 04:51:00 50.P*4g 03:00:00 04:51:00 51.G5hx4g 04:20:00 04:51:00 52.S3dx2e 04:20:00 05:14:00 53.G6i-5h! 04:55:00 05:14:00 The obvious 53.P*4f is bad because of 54.S3f Gx3f N5g+, and in the press room 53.G6h or S6h was expected to defend against this knight promotion. 53.G5h looks like bad shape, but is much better because the theme of this position is the attack of the bishop on the rook on 4h. 54.P6c-6d 04:55:00 05:40:00 55.P*4f 05:10:00 05:40:00 56.P6d-6e 05:10:00 05:56:00 57.S6fx6e 05:12:00 05:56:00 58.B*3i? 05:12:00 06:28:00 The reason why 53.G5h was a good move now becomes clear. After 58.Bx4h+ G4gx4h the black position is still protected against a rook drop. With the gold on 6h, taking the bishop with the gold on 4g leaves an undefended gold on 4h, which makes the white attack much quicker. Tanigawa therefore played 58.B*3i instead, threatening N5g+ G4gx5g Bx5g+ next after which the black position collapses. Also, 59.Px4e P*4f is good for white. Still, 58.B*3i is a move that doesn't feel right. After all, there is already a bishop attacking the black rook... The right way to play here was 58.S6c. For example, 59.Px4e N7c P6f Nx6e Px6e B*6f which is good for white. Also, 59.P7e Px7e is just creating attacking possibilities for white at the head of the black king. Finally, if black plays 59.P5e, white can play B*3i which is much better than the game, because the white king is better protected. Tanigawa had seen S6c, but only thought about P*6d next, underestimating the power of N*7c which seems to weaken the king at first glance. 59.R4h-3h! 06:07:00 06:28:00 Simple, but white has no good continuation. Still, the game is close. 60.N4e-5g+ 06:07:00 06:29:00 61.G4gx5g 06:07:00 06:29:00 62.B3ix5g+ 06:07:00 06:29:00 63.G5hx5g 06:35:00 06:29:00 64.B8dx5g+ 06:35:00 06:29:00 65.N*6f! 06:35:00 06:29:00 Attack and defense. This knight attacks the vital pawn on 7d and also defends against the white pawn drop on 6f. 66.G*6c? 06:35:00 07:15:00 The losing move. Correct was 66.K7a. For example, 67.S6h +B4g Rx3e N7c Nx7d G*8a R*4a G*6c and because the white king is better defended than the black one, this position is far from clear. The point here is that as long as the king is on 6b, Nx7d is a check, so a counter-attack on the silver with N7c doesn't work. 67.S7i-6h 06:56:00 07:15:00 68.+B5gx4f 06:56:00 07:43:00 69.R*4a 07:13:00 07:43:00 70.+B4fx1i 07:13:00 07:44:00 71.R3hx3e 07:27:00 07:44:00 72.G*3d 07:27:00 08:04:00 73.R3e-3i 07:52:00 08:04:00 74.K6b-7a 07:52:00 08:07:00 75.P*3g 08:03:00 08:07:00 The game is over. The white gold and silver are idle and the promoted bishop cannot work in defense. Tanigawa tries to make a fight of it, but Moriuchi doesn't give him anything. 76.+B1i-2h 08:03:00 08:18:00 Or 76.N7c Sx7d P*6e Sx6c+ Gx6c G*5b Px6f B*4c and it is clear that black is earlier. 77.R3i-7i 08:05:00 08:18:00 78.N8a-7c 08:05:00 08:31:00 79.S6ex7d 08:06:00 08:31:00 80.+B2h-2g 08:06:00 08:31:00 81.P*4c 08:10:00 08:31:00 82.P*6e 08:10:00 08:34:00 83.P4c-4b+ 08:13:00 08:34:00 84.G5b-6b 08:13:00 08:40:00 85.S7dx7c+! 08:23:00 08:40:00 Perfect until the end. 85.Sx6c+ allows white to pull back the promoted bishop in defense with attack on the rook. 86.S7bx7c 08:23:00 08:42:00 No choice. 86.G6cx7c fails to N*7d and 86.G6bx7c to +P5b. 87.+P4b-5a 08:25:00 08:42:00 88.G6ax5a 08:25:00 08:44:00 89.R4ax5a+ 08:25:00 08:44:00 90.L*6a 08:25:00 08:44:00 91.N*7e 08:31:00 08:44:00 92.S*7b 08:31:00 08:46:00 93.N7ex6c+ 08:38:00 08:46:00 94.+B2gx6c 08:38:00 08:46:00 95.+R5ax1a 08:38:00 08:46:00 96.P6ex6f 08:38:00 08:46:00 97.P6gx6f 08:38:00 08:46:00 98.G3d-4e 08:38:00 08:48:00 99.G*5g 08:38:00 08:48:00 100.P*4f 08:38:00 08:51:00 101.B*4c 08:41:00 08:51:00 102.P2c-2d 08:41:00 08:51:00 103.+R1a-2b 08:43:00 08:51:00 104.S2e-2f 08:43:00 08:54:00 105.P7f-7e 08:45:00 08:54:00 106.N*6d 08:45:00 08:54:00 107.G*6g 08:47:00 08:54:00 Resigns 08:47:00 08:54:00 The position is not close to mate, but the white attack is completely stopped and Moriuchi can choose from many different good moves like P6e. Even though the white king still is protected will, Tanigawa decided not to wait for the inevitable and resigned here. Despite fighting a cold, Moriuchi again plays some very high level shogi to get within one win of defending his Meijin title. And here is the fourth game of the Asahi Open with comments: [Black "Fujii Takeshi, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Asahi"] [Event "24th Asahi Open, Game 4"] [Date "May 15th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.P6g-6f 00:02:00 00:01:00 4.S7a-6b 00:02:00 00:02:00 5.S7i-7h 00:03:00 00:02:00 6.P5c-5d 00:03:00 00:03:00 7.S7h-6g 00:05:00 00:03:00 8.P3c-3d 00:05:00 00:03:00 9.P1g-1f 00:07:00 00:03:00 10.K5a-4b 00:07:00 00:04:00 11.R2h-6h 00:09:00 00:04:00 12.K4b-3b 00:09:00 00:05:00 13.S3i-3h 00:13:00 00:05:00 14.G6a-5b 00:13:00 00:07:00 15.G6i-5h 00:16:00 00:07:00 16.S6b-5c 00:16:00 00:08:00 17.P4g-4f 00:22:00 00:08:00 18.P8d-8e 00:22:00 00:19:00 19.B8h-7g 00:22:00 00:19:00 20.P1c-1d 00:22:00 00:20:00 21.K5i-4h 00:24:00 00:20:00 22.P7c-7d 00:24:00 00:21:00 23.K4h-3i 00:25:00 00:21:00 24.S5c-6d 00:25:00 00:22:00 A quick attack again. In the first game Habu played P3e followed by S4f, in the third game S6g-5g and now the old-style S5c-6d. The way of attack is different in each case, but the theme is the same: is the Fujii system capable of handling a quick attacking system? 25.K3i-2h 00:27:00 00:22:00 26.P7d-7e 00:27:00 00:25:00 27.R6h-7h 00:30:00 00:25:00 28.P7ex7f 00:30:00 00:33:00 29.S6gx7f 00:31:00 00:33:00 30.R8b-7b 00:31:00 00:34:00 31.P6f-6e 00:35:00 00:34:00 32.B2bx7g+ 00:35:00 00:35:00 33.R7hx7g 00:35:00 00:35:00 34.S6d-5e 00:35:00 00:35:00 35.B*8c 00:40:00 00:35:00 This move was first played by Kosaka (7-dan) and combined with the Fujii win in the Nihon series, this position was considered more or less unplayable for white. 36.R7b-7c 00:40:00 00:39:00 37.B8c-6a+ 00:40:00 00:39:00 38.B*8h 00:40:00 00:39:00 39.P*7d 01:01:00 00:39:00 40.R7cx7d 01:01:00 00:44:00 41.S7f-7e!? 01:01:00 00:44:00 This is the same way Fujii played in the Nihon Series game against Maruyama (played on October 30th 2005). Fujii won that game convincingly and ever since it has been considered the right way to play for the furibisha side, but Aono expressed his doubts. There is the risk of having this silver on 7e until the end of the game and he suggested 41.Sx8e as better here. 42.R7d-9d 01:01:00 00:45:00 43.P6e-6d 01:13:00 00:45:00 44.P6cx6d 01:13:00 00:46:00 45.+B6ax9d 01:15:00 00:46:00 46.P9cx9d 01:15:00 00:46:00 47.R*8b 01:24:00 00:46:00 This is a new move. In the Nihon Series game, Fujii played 47.R*7a and after 48.B*9c Rx8a+ Bx7g+ Nx7g Bx7e B*7d black already had a big advantage. Still, the Nihon Series is a public game with short thinking time, so it can hardly be considered the final word on this opening. Dropping the rook on 8b is slightly better than dropping it on 7a. If 48.B*9c then Rx8a+ is the same as in the Fujii-Maruyama game, but if white doesn't drop the bishop, there is the advantage that the black rook is working better on the second rank, pointing straight at the king. 48.B8hx9i+ 01:24:00 01:13:00 Habu's new idea. After the game, he just said: "because B*9c is bad...". Fujii could only nod in agreement. 49.R8bx8a+ 01:31:00 01:13:00 50.P1d-1e 01:31:00 01:17:00 51.P1fx1e 01:33:00 01:17:00 52.P*1g 01:33:00 01:19:00 53.L1ix1g 01:46:00 01:19:00 54.P*1f 01:46:00 01:55:00 55.L1gx1f 01:46:00 01:55:00 56.+B9ix8i 01:46:00 01:55:00 White can use this knight on 2d, and Habu was pretty happy with his position here. Fujii had a different opinion. He thought that 54.P*1f was an overplay. This being said, 54.P*1f put Fujii off. Without this move, he was planning to play 57.S8d here, attacking with two rooks. After this, 58.N*2d R7b+ (R7a+ L*5a doesn't work) Nx1f K3i B*6c N*5c G4a-4b +Rx6c Gx6c B*4a K2b Bx2c+ Kx2c +Rx3a R*1h +Rx2a is almost a forced line. Fujii thought that he would lose after P*2b here, but the conclusion in the press room was that N*3f wins for black then. Therefore, after +Rx2a, white has to play Kx3c which leads to a very complicated endgame. Different variations led to the king escaping, sennichite, or the white king getting caught on the other side of the board by the silver on 8d. In any case, anything could have happened then. Because of misreading P*2b as a loss, Fujii plays it differently. 57.+R8ax9a? 02:00:00 01:55:00 The game stays very close until the end, but this gives white the advantage and Habu is brilliant at taking that tiny advantage home. 58.+B8i-8h 02:00:00 01:58:00 59.P*7h 02:02:00 01:58:00 60.N*2d 02:02:00 02:03:00 61.L*1i 02:02:00 02:03:00 62.B*4d 02:02:00 02:22:00 63.N*3f 02:14:00 02:22:00 64.N2dx3f 02:14:00 02:30:00 65.P3gx3f 02:14:00 02:30:00 If now 66.N*2d, black can play G4g and strengthen his position while being under attack. 66.S5ex4f! 02:14:00 02:30:00 67.P*4g 02:15:00 02:30:00 68.S4f-5e! 02:15:00 02:30:00 Habu-style professional technique. With the last two moves, he has foiled black's plans to make a high mino, more or less forcing Fujii into action at a bad time. 69.P1e-1d 02:19:00 02:30:00 After the game, Fujii regretted this move, feeling like he had been forced to make a vital choice, but it is hard to say what else he could have played here. 70.P*1h 02:19:00 02:35:00 71.L1ix1h 02:19:00 02:35:00 72.+B8hx7g 02:19:00 02:35:00 73.P7hx7g 02:19:00 02:35:00 74.P*1g 02:19:00 02:35:00 75.L1hx1g 02:19:00 02:35:00 76.N*2d 02:19:00 02:35:00 77.S3h-3g 02:33:00 02:35:00 78.B4dx1g+! 02:33:00 02:36:00 First Habu delayed his game with Sx4f followed by S5e and now he puts his foot on the accelerator. Habu himself wasn't sure about the position here, but this changing of pace is high class shogi technique. 79.N2ix1g 02:36:00 02:36:00 80.N2dx1f 02:36:00 02:36:00 81.K2h-3i 02:45:00 02:36:00 82.L*2d 02:45:00 02:37:00 83.P1d-1c+ 02:52:00 02:37:00 84.L1ax1c 02:52:00 02:43:00 85.N*2e 02:52:00 02:43:00 86.L*5a 02:52:00 02:44:00 87.B*1b 02:52:00 02:44:00 88.R*1h 02:52:00 02:50:00 89.G4i-3h 02:57:00 02:50:00 90.L2dx2e 02:57:00 02:50:00 91.N1gx2e 02:57:00 02:50:00 92.N*4e 02:57:00 02:50:00 93.B1bx2a+ 02:58:00 02:50:00 94.K3bx2a 02:58:00 02:50:00 95.N*3c 02:58:00 02:50:00 96.K2a-3b 02:58:00 02:50:00 97.B*2a 02:59:00 02:50:00 98.K3b-4b 02:59:00 02:50:00 99.N3cx4a+ 02:59:00 02:50:00 100.K4bx4a 02:59:00 02:50:00 101.G*2i 02:59:00 02:50:00 102.N4ex3g+ 02:59:00 02:53:00 103.G2ix1h 02:59:00 02:53:00 104.N*4e 02:59:00 02:53:00 105.G3hx3g 02:59:00 02:53:00 106.N4ex3g+ 02:59:00 02:53:00 107.N2e-3c= 02:59:00 02:53:00 108.K4a-4b 02:59:00 02:53:00 109.R*4a 02:59:00 02:53:00 110.K4b-5c 02:59:00 02:54:00 111.+R9a-9c 02:59:00 02:54:00 112.L*6c 02:59:00 02:54:00 113.L*3h 02:59:00 02:54:00 114.B*6g! 02:59:00 02:57:00 This puts the black king in hisshi, but Habu's hand was shaking when he played it. He still wasn't sure that he was winning here. 115.L3hx3g 02:59:00 02:57:00 Or 115.Gx6g S*4h (S*2h is also mate). 116.B6gx5h+ 02:59:00 02:57:00 117.B2ax4c+ 02:59:00 02:57:00 118.G5bx4c 02:59:00 02:57:00 119.+R9cx6c 02:59:00 02:57:00 120.K5cx6c 02:59:00 02:57:00 121.R4ax4c+ 02:59:00 02:57:00 122.S*5c 02:59:00 02:57:00 Only now Habu was certain that there was no mate and that he would win this game and the match. 123.G*7d 02:59:00 02:57:00 124.K6c-6b 02:59:00 02:57:00 125.P*6c 02:59:00 02:57:00 126.K6b-7a 02:59:00 02:57:00 Resigns 02:59:00 02:57:00 No meaningful check and no defense. An exciting game where Fujii again just came up short. In the end, the difference might have been the position of the silver on 7e versus the position of the silver on 5e. Both stayed there until the end, and the silver on 5e was clearly the better one. Despite losing, Fujii said after the game that he was happy with his play except for the third game. Habu takes his third consecutive Asahi Open title. This must have been a relief for him after losing the play-off for the Meijin match against Tanigawa, the Kisei challenger game against Suzuki and crashing out of the Ryu-O tournament in just a couple of weeks. -- 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/ --^---------------------------------------------------------------- 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=TEXFOOTER --^----------------------------------------------------------------