From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 26 mar 2006 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1137-1139, March 8th, 15th and 22nd Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Small Business Virtual Office VoIP Phone System. Big Business Functionality for a Small Business Telephone price. Packet8 Business Sales 1-877-868-1135 http://click.topica.com/= caaexd2a2i6YsbnuqMaa/ TMONE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Catching up again with the two remaining games of the Kio match between=20 Habu and Moriuchi and the 6th game of the Osho match between Habu and=20 Sato. After winning 18 games in a row, the pendulum swings the other way= =20 for Habu as he is finding it very hard to win these days. He got one=20 back in the Kio match, but losing the 4th game meant the loss of his Kio= =20 crown. Also, he was again unable to shut out Sato in the Osho match,=20 losing three games in a row after winning the first three. Here are the=20 games with comments: [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Kio"] [White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [Event "31st Kio-sen, Game 3"] [Date "February 26th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:01:00 4.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:01:00 5.G6i-7h 00:02:00 00:01:00 6.P8c-8d 00:02:00 00:02:00 7.P2f-2e 00:03:00 00:02:00 8.B2bx8h+ 00:03:00 00:02:00 9.S7ix8h 00:03:00 00:02:00 10.S3a-2b 00:03:00 00:02:00 11.P1g-1f 00:04:00 00:02:00 12.S2b-3c 00:04:00 00:05:00 13.P1f-1e 00:04:00 00:05:00 Not a normal way of playing this position, but Habu has experience with=20 this formation as it was also played in the 2nd game of last year's=20 Kisei match. Then Habu saw it from the other side of the board, because=20 Sato had the black pieces then. Sato won that game and Habu must have=20 felt that it was a promising strategy for black. Of course, Moriuchi=20 will also have studied this extensively. 14.S7a-6b 00:04:00 00:05:00 15.S3i-3h 00:06:00 00:05:00 16.P6c-6d 00:06:00 00:08:00 17.P4g-4f 00:09:00 00:08:00 18.S6b-6c 00:09:00 00:10:00 19.S3h-4g 00:10:00 00:10:00 20.K5a-4b 00:10:00 00:12:00 21.S8h-7g 00:10:00 00:12:00 22.G6a-5b 00:10:00 00:14:00 23.P3g-3f 00:11:00 00:14:00 24.P7c-7d 00:11:00 00:16:00 25.N2i-3g 00:12:00 00:16:00 26.P4c-4d 00:12:00 00:16:00 27.R2h-2i 00:14:00 00:16:00 28.N8a-7c 00:14:00 00:20:00 29.G4i-4h!? 00:16:00 00:20:00 The position is slightly different from that in the Kisei game, but Sato= =20 played the straightforward 29.K4h here. The normal way of getting into=20 the right side king formation (which black is aiming for) is to first=20 play the gold to 5h, then the king to 4h. After this, in many cases the=20 king is played to 3h and the gold to 4h. In this development, the gold=20 takes two moves to get to 4h where one move is sufficient. Habu's idea=20 is to avoid this tempo loss by playing G4h immediately, followed by K4i=20 and K3h. 30.P8d-8e!? 00:16:00 00:50:00 The first time either player takes considerable time for a move.=20 Moriuchi spent 30 minutes to come up with a counter plan for black's idea. 31.K5i-6h!? 00:48:00 00:50:00 Habu changed his mind. The point of 30.P8e is that after 31.K4i, white=20 has the option of playing 32.B*6i. For example, 33.G8h N6e S6f P8f Px8f=20 Rx8f P*8g Bx8g+ and white breaks through. Things will not be so easy for= =20 white, but the chances that black ends up in a bad position are pretty=20 high. By the way, in the post-mortem analysis, Moriuchi was a little=20 tight-lipped about this position, only saying that he was not sure if he= =20 would have played the bishop drop. We might see this position again in a= =20 future game... Anyway, Habu decided to give up the idea of playing the=20 right side king, but in this position this is not admitting strategic=20 defeat. The main point of the bishop exchange opening with tempo loss is= =20 that white doesn't play P8e to play the attack N8e. To counter the right= =20 side king, Moriuchi has pushed the pawn to 8e, which eliminates the N8e=20 attack. White might now just end up with a tempo loss, which black has=20 used for pushing the edge pawn to 1e, which could be useful in attack later= . 32.S6c-5d 00:48:00 01:03:00 33.S4g-5f 00:50:00 01:03:00 34.K4b-3a 00:50:00 01:03:00 35.P9g-9f 00:55:00 01:03:00 36.P9c-9d 00:55:00 01:21:00 37.K6h-7i 01:31:00 01:21:00 Now we have a normal double reclining silver opening, with the=20 difference being the gold on 4h, the rook on 2i and the pawn on 1e.=20 Having the gold on 4h and the rook on 2i is rarely seen these days, but=20 actually has a good balance. The 14th Lifetime Meijin Kimura used to=20 play the bishop exchange opening in this way because it defends against=20 all possible white bishop drops. 38.K3a-2b 01:31:00 01:37:00 39.P4f-4e 01:38:00 01:37:00 Habu starts the attack, but... 40.P9d-9e?! 01:38:00 01:38:00 Moriuchi immediately counters it. Never allowing your opponent to attack= =20 first is the modern way of playing shogi, but here the question really=20 is whether the white attack is strong enough. I doubt that Moriuchi=20 would have played this in a two-day match or without knowing that Habu=20 is in the middle of a five game losing streak for the first time in his=20 professional career. 41.P9fx9e 01:39:00 01:38:00 42.P7d-7e 01:39:00 01:38:00 43.P7fx7e 02:06:00 01:38:00 44.N7c-6e 02:06:00 02:10:00 45.S7g-6h 02:09:00 02:10:00 46.P8e-8f 02:09:00 02:44:00 47.P8gx8f 02:09:00 02:44:00 48.R8bx8f 02:09:00 02:44:00 49.P*8g 02:27:00 02:44:00 50.R8f-8a 02:27:00 02:44:00 51.P6g-6f 02:27:00 02:44:00 52.L9ax9e 02:27:00 03:02:00 53.L9ix9e 02:31:00 03:02:00 54.P*7g 02:31:00 03:02:00 55.N8ix7g 03:02:00 03:02:00 56.P*8f 03:02:00 03:03:00 57.L9e-9b+?! 03:03:00 03:03:00 This might not have been the best move. In the press room, after 57.Px8f= =20 Rx8f the unusual move P*9g! was found. White seems to have all kinds of=20 attacking options, like P*9f or P*8g, but none of them work out very=20 well. Both Habu and Moriuchi admitted after the game that P*9g was a=20 good move. Habu instead goes for pestering the rook. He already must=20 have had the idea of making an entering king here, but the white attack=20 is still not so easy to defend against. 58.R8a-8d 03:03:00 03:10:00 59.B*7c 03:06:00 03:10:00 60.R8d-8c 03:06:00 03:50:00 61.B7c-8b+ 03:06:00 03:50:00 62.P8fx8g+ 03:06:00 03:50:00 63.+B8bx8c 03:06:00 03:50:00 64.B*9f 03:06:00 03:50:00 White had to give up the rook but the lance on 9b or 8c are completely=20 out of play at the moment. The issue now becomes whether or not the=20 white attack is strong enough or if black can make an entering king, the= =20 only way to involve the lance and bishop. Black has an important=20 material advantage, which gives him a little breathing space. Even if=20 white wins a piece in attack, black will win if he can make to the other= =20 side of the board. 65.S5f-6g 03:06:00 03:50:00 66.+P8gx7h? 03:06:00 03:55:00 Now black succeeds in getting the king out. The only move for white here= =20 was 66.P*7f!. For example, 67.Px6e Px7g+ Sx7g Sx6e! and even though=20 things are not easy for white, this also goes for black. For example,=20 K6h +Px7h Sx7h N*6f or R*9c +Px7g Rx9f+ P*7f N*6i S*6f and the white=20 attack is still strong. Of course, both players had seen P*7f, but both=20 had missed Sx6e. An unusual double oversight, because getting idle=20 pieces involved in the attack is one of the basic ideas of shogi. 67.S6gx7h 03:06:00 03:55:00 68.N6ex7g+ 03:06:00 03:55:00 69.S6hx7g 03:06:00 03:55:00 70.N*8e 03:06:00 03:55:00 71.K7i-6h 03:14:00 03:55:00 72.N8ex7g+ 03:14:00 03:55:00 73.K6hx7g 03:34:00 03:55:00 74.P*7f 03:34:00 03:57:00 75.K7gx7f 03:34:00 03:57:00 76.B9fx7h+ 03:34:00 03:57:00 77.K7f-8e 03:34:00 03:57:00 The black king can not be stopped, so Habu can no longer lose this game.= =20 Furthermore, Habu has plenty of time (26 minutes), while Moriuchi had=20 only three minutes left here. It was thought that the white resignation=20 was imminent and the photographers made their preparations. However,=20 Moriuchi was not ready to resign yet. 78.S5d-6c 03:34:00 03:57:00 79.K8e-9d 03:39:00 03:57:00 80.S*7b 03:39:00 03:57:00 81.P*8d 03:39:00 03:57:00 82.+B7h-6g 03:39:00 03:57:00 83.N*8e 03:39:00 03:57:00 84.S7bx8c 03:39:00 03:58:00 85.P8dx8c+ 03:39:00 03:58:00 86.+B6gx6f 03:39:00 03:58:00 87.S*8d 03:40:00 03:58:00 88.+B6f-6e 03:40:00 03:59:00 89.R2i-6i 03:42:00 03:59:00 90.+B6e-7f 03:42:00 03:59:00 91.P*8f 03:42:00 03:59:00 92.B*8g 03:42:00 03:59:00 93.R6i-7i 03:42:00 03:59:00 94.P*7g 03:42:00 03:59:00 95.K9d-9c 03:42:00 03:59:00 96.P7g-7h+ 03:42:00 03:59:00 97.R7i-2i 03:43:00 03:59:00 98.+B7f-6e 03:43:00 03:59:00 99.R2i-2f 03:43:00 03:59:00 100.P4dx4e 03:43:00 03:59:00 101.N8e-7c+ 03:43:00 03:59:00 102.+B6e-5d 03:43:00 03:59:00 103.L*5f 03:45:00 03:59:00 104.+B5d-4d 03:45:00 03:59:00 105.R2f-2i 03:45:00 03:59:00 106.P5c-5d 03:45:00 03:59:00 107.P7e-7d 03:47:00 03:59:00 108.B8g-7f+ 03:47:00 03:59:00 109.K9c-8b 03:47:00 03:59:00 110.P5d-5e 03:47:00 03:59:00 111.+N7cx6c 03:47:00 03:59:00 112.G5bx6c 03:47:00 03:59:00 113.P7d-7c+ 03:47:00 03:59:00 114.G6c-5c 03:47:00 03:59:00 115.P2e-2d 03:47:00 03:59:00 116.S3cx2d 03:47:00 03:59:00 117.N*1f 03:47:00 03:59:00 118.P5ex5f 03:47:00 03:59:00 119.N1fx2d 03:47:00 03:59:00 120.P2cx2d 03:47:00 03:59:00 121.P*2c 03:47:00 03:59:00 122.K2bx2c 03:47:00 03:59:00 123.R*4a 03:48:00 03:59:00 The black entering king is completely safe and now finally the end for=20 the white king is near. The two white bishops work in defense, but with=20 this move Habu can exchange one of them, after which the white position=20 collapses. 124.G*3a 03:48:00 03:59:00 125.R4ax4d+ 03:49:00 03:59:00 126.G5cx4d 03:49:00 03:59:00 127.P*2e 03:49:00 03:59:00 128.K2c-3c 03:49:00 03:59:00 129.P2ex2d 03:49:00 03:59:00 130.P*2h 03:49:00 03:59:00 131.R2ix2h 03:49:00 03:59:00 132.P5fx5g+ 03:49:00 03:59:00 133.S*5c 03:50:00 03:59:00 134.+P5gx4h 03:50:00 03:59:00 135.B*6b 03:50:00 03:59:00 136.G4d-5d 03:50:00 03:59:00 137.P2d-2c+ 03:51:00 03:59:00 138.G3bx2c 03:51:00 03:59:00 139.S*4b 03:51:00 03:59:00 Resigns 03:51:00 03:59:00 No mate yet, but after 140.Gx4b Sx4b=3D Kx4b Rx2c+ there is no defense. By= =20 the way, there was a mate after 139.Rx2c+ instead of 139.S*4b. For=20 example, 140.Kx2c P*2d Kx2d P*2e K3c S*2d K3b G*2c K4c P*4d Gx4d Sx4d+=20 K4b B5c+ K4a G*5b. If needed, Habu would undoubtedly have found this=20 mate, but being in a unbeatable position for so long might have made him= =20 a little less sharp. Habu snaps his losing streak and stays in the Kisei= =20 match even though he still 2-1 behind and needs both games to defend his= =20 title. Moriuchi has the black pieces in the next game and will be=20 looking to take win the match in that game. [Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Kio"] [Event "31st Kio-sen, Game 4"] [Date "March 11th 2006"] 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.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:02:00 5.G6i-7h 00:15:00 00:02:00 6.P8c-8d 00:15:00 00:08:00 7.P2f-2e 00:15:00 00:08:00 8.B2bx8h+ 00:15:00 00:09:00 9.S7ix8h 00:15:00 00:09:00 10.S3a-2b 00:15:00 00:09:00 11.S3i-3h 00:18:00 00:09:00 12.S2b-3c 00:18:00 00:10:00 13.P4g-4f 00:18:00 00:10:00 14.S7a-7b 00:18:00 00:12:00 15.S3h-4g 00:18:00 00:12:00 16.P6c-6d 00:18:00 00:12:00 17.S8h-7g 00:23:00 00:12:00 18.S7b-6c 00:23:00 00:14:00 19.K5i-6h 00:23:00 00:14:00 20.K5a-4b 00:23:00 00:20:00 21.G4i-5h 00:23:00 00:20:00 22.G6a-5b 00:23:00 00:23:00 23.K6h-7i 00:28:00 00:23:00 24.P7c-7d 00:28:00 00:26:00 25.P6g-6f 00:30:00 00:26:00 26.S6c-5d 00:30:00 00:33:00 27.P3g-3f 00:31:00 00:33:00 28.P1c-1d 00:31:00 00:38:00 29.P1g-1f 00:31:00 00:38:00 30.K4b-3a 00:31:00 00:48:00 31.N2i-3g 00:33:00 00:48:00 32.P9c-9d 00:33:00 01:00:00 33.P9g-9f 00:39:00 01:00:00 34.P4c-4d 00:39:00 01:09:00 35.S4g-5f 00:40:00 01:09:00 36.N8a-7c 00:40:00 01:16:00 37.P4f-4e 00:47:00 01:16:00 A brave choice by Habu. This position should be the reason to play the=20 Kakugawari with tempo loss in the first place. In the normal Kakugawari,= =20 the white pawn is on 8e instead of 8d, so in this reclining silver=20 position white has the extra option of N8e. However, this position has=20 appeared in professional games 11 times and black won ten times, so=20 statistically it can hardly be called an advantage to have the N8e=20 attack. On the other hand, Habu was the only player to win from this=20 position with the white pieces. This game seems to show that it is not=20 as bad for white as the results seem to indicate. 38.P4dx4e 00:47:00 01:19:00 39.P3f-3e 00:47:00 01:19:00 40.P4e-4f 00:47:00 01:20:00 41.K7i-8h 01:18:00 01:20:00 42.G5b-4c 01:18:00 01:20:00 43.P1f-1e 01:47:00 01:20:00 44.P1dx1e 01:47:00 01:21:00 45.S5f-4e 01:47:00 01:21:00 46.P3dx3e 01:47:00 01:37:00 47.B*5a 01:55:00 01:37:00 48.N7c-8e 01:55:00 01:44:00 49.B5a-7c+ 01:55:00 01:44:00 50.R8b-4b 01:55:00 01:44:00 51.+B7cx6d 02:19:00 01:44:00 52.P3e-3f 02:19:00 02:47:00 53.S4ex3f 02:22:00 02:47:00 54.N8ex7g+ 02:22:00 02:50:00 55.G7hx7g 02:25:00 02:50:00 56.S*4g 02:25:00 02:51:00 57.S3fx4g 02:32:00 02:51:00 58.P4fx4g+ 02:32:00 02:51:00 59.G5hx4g 02:32:00 02:51:00 60.P*3f 02:32:00 02:51:00 61.G4gx3f 02:39:00 02:51:00 62.B*3i 02:39:00 02:51:00 63.R2h-2i 02:56:00 02:51:00 64.B3ix5g+ 02:56:00 02:51:00 65.N*3e 03:07:00 02:51:00 66.+B5g-4g 03:07:00 02:57:00 67.R2i-2f 03:08:00 02:57:00 68.+B4g-6i 03:08:00 02:57:00 69.S*7h 03:13:00 02:57:00 70.S*7i 03:13:00 03:01:00 71.K8h-9h 03:14:00 03:01:00 72.+B6i-6h 03:14:00 03:05:00 73.R2f-2h 03:23:00 03:05:00 74.P9d-9e? 03:23:00 03:14:00 Moriuchi was far from happy with his position here. White has attacked=20 first and the difference between the two king positions is considerable.= =20 On the other hand, the white attack only consists of two pieces, one of=20 which (the bishop on 6h) can be taken any time. Furthermore, the bishop=20 on 6d works in defense. The position is still very difficult, with maybe= =20 a slight edge for white. However, 74.P9e, as natural as it seems, is an=20 overplay. Better was 74.G3d and after 75.P*4c Sx4c Nx4c+ Rx4c P*5d R4i+=20 Px5c+ K2b white is clearly better. 75.+B6dx9a 03:29:00 03:14:00 76.P9ex9f 03:29:00 03:14:00 With a gold in hand, there is a mate in one. Appealing, but not so easy=20 to realize. 77.P8g-8f 03:38:00 03:14:00 78.G4c-3d 03:38:00 03:24:00 79.L*4f! 03:48:00 03:24:00 This lance sacrifice is important, as it defends both against the=20 promotion of the rook and against Gx3e Gx3e +Bx3e. This slows down the=20 white attack considerably, giving the black king time to try and escape=20 up the board. 80.P*4e 03:48:00 03:35:00 81.K9h-8g 03:48:00 03:35:00 82.P4ex4f? 03:48:00 03:44:00 Habu was in two minds here: play the natural Px4f, using the lance on=20 the 9th file to stop the king or play 82.Gx3e 83.Gx3e 84.+Bx4f 85.+Bx4f=20 86.Px4f. In the end, he went for the natural move. A mistake and not=20 really Habu's "magic" style. If he would have played 82.Gx3e, then after= =20 86.Px4f black can try 87.B*5a, but after R5b Bx3c+ Nx3c P2d Px2d P*3d=20 B*8h white has the advantage. Also, 87.P*4c Sx4c N4e S3c-4d seems good=20 for white. There are many difficult variations here, so it is impossible= =20 to make a definite conclusion, but Habu agreed after the game that after= =20 82.Px4f he was in trouble and that he should have played 82.Gx3e instead. 83.P*4c 03:48:00 03:44:00 84.R4b-4a?! 03:48:00 03:44:00 Here 84.R5b is better. Black seems to have the advantage then as well,=20 but the white position would have been stronger and it would have been=20 easier for black to make a mistake. 85.+B9a-6d 03:48:00 03:44:00 86.P4f-4g+ 03:48:00 03:44:00 87.P2e-2d! 03:53:00 03:44:00 The decisive move. 88.Gx2d is answered by 89.N2e and 88.Px2d by 89.P*2c,= =20 so Habu has no choice. 88.S3cx2d 03:53:00 03:46:00 89.P*3c 03:56:00 03:46:00 The natural attack, but Hashimoto (5-dan) pointed out that 89.Nx2c+ Gx2c= =20 +Bx5c is also good for black. 90.G3dx3c 03:56:00 03:47:00 Or 90.Nx3c Rx6h Sx6h=3D B*5b and black wins. 91.N3g-2e 03:57:00 03:47:00 92.G3cx4c 03:57:00 03:48:00 93.N3ex4c+ 03:57:00 03:48:00 94.S5dx4c 03:57:00 03:49:00 95.P*3c 03:57:00 03:49:00 96.N2ax3c 03:57:00 03:50:00 97.+B6dx5c 03:58:00 03:50:00 98.K3a-2b 03:58:00 03:50:00 99.N2ex3c+ 03:58:00 03:50:00 100.S2dx3c 03:58:00 03:50:00 101.N*4e 03:58:00 03:50:00 102.L*9b 03:58:00 03:56:00 103.N4ex3c+ 03:58:00 03:56:00 104.G3bx3c 03:58:00 03:56:00 105.L9ix9f 03:58:00 03:56:00 106.L9bx9f 03:58:00 03:58:00 107.S*4b 03:58:00 03:58:00 108.R4ax4b 03:58:00 03:58:00 109.+B5cx4b 03:58:00 03:58:00 110.P*9e 03:58:00 03:58:00 111.P*9g 03:59:00 03:58:00 112.L9fx9g+ 03:59:00 03:59:00 113.N8ix9g 03:59:00 03:59:00 114.S*9f 03:59:00 03:59:00 115.K8g-9h 03:59:00 03:59:00 116.L*9d 03:59:00 03:59:00 117.S7h-8g 03:59:00 03:59:00 Resigns 03:59:00 03:59:00 After 118.+Bx7g, the bishop no longer defends 1c, so 119.G*2a leads to=20 mate. Also, black has Sx9f or Rx6h next, which completely stops the=20 white attack. With this win, Moriuchi takes the Kio title from Habu.=20 From 1990, Habu won 12 consecutive Kio titles, but the last four years,= =20 the title has changed hands every year. For Moriuchi, it is the first=20 time he takes a title in a one-day title match, the other five titles he= =20 won have all been in two-day title matches. A great way to celebrate the= =20 birth of his first child a week earlier. [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [Event "55th Osho-sen, Game 6"] [Date "March 6th and 7th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:03:00 3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:03:00 4.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:05:00 5.G6i-7h 00:05:00 00:05:00 6.P4c-4d 00:05:00 00:09:00 7.P2f-2e 00:14:00 00:09:00 8.B2b-3c 00:14:00 00:13:00 9.S3i-4h 00:14:00 00:13:00 10.G6a-5b 00:14:00 00:18:00 11.P5g-5f 00:40:00 00:18:00 12.S3a-2b 00:40:00 00:55:00 13.B8h-7g 00:42:00 00:55:00 14.G5b-4c 00:42:00 01:33:00 15.B7g-6h 00:43:00 01:33:00 This is a similar development to the game between Habu and Morishita in=20 the A Junisen just played a couple of days earlier on March 3rd. In that= =20 game Habu exchanged the bishops, which seems to be idea behind black's=20 strategy, but in this game Sato doesn't do this and the game settles=20 into a normal Yagura formation. 16.K5a-4a 00:43:00 01:34:00 17.K5i-6i 00:48:00 01:34:00 18.P5c-5d 00:48:00 01:38:00 19.S7i-8h 00:59:00 01:38:00 20.S7a-6b 00:59:00 01:42:00 21.S8h-7g 01:01:00 01:42:00 22.S6b-5c 01:01:00 01:47:00 23.P3g-3f 01:02:00 01:47:00 24.K4a-3a 01:02:00 02:22:00 25.G4i-5h 01:09:00 02:22:00 26.S5c-6d 01:09:00 02:29:00 Instead of playing the silver to 3c, eliminating the wall silver, Habu=20 moves up the right silver quickly to put pressure on the black=20 formation. Judging from this game, that might have been a little bit too= =20 much. 27.P6g-6f 01:57:00 02:29:00 28.P5d-5e 01:57:00 02:46:00 29.P5fx5e 02:03:00 02:46:00 30.S6dx5e 02:03:00 02:46:00 31.P4g-4f 02:04:00 02:46:00 32.R8b-5b 02:04:00 03:07:00 33.S4h-4g 02:13:00 03:07:00 34.B3c-4b 02:13:00 03:18:00 35.G5h-6g 02:43:00 03:18:00 36.P7c-7d 02:43:00 03:29:00 37.K6i-7i 02:54:00 03:29:00 38.N8a-7c 02:54:00 03:44:00 39.K7i-8h 03:12:00 03:44:00 40.P*5f!? 03:12:00 03:54:00 The main strategic point of this game. The pawn on 5f looks like a thorn= =20 in black's side, but Sato could have prevented this multiple times by=20 dropping a pawn on 5f himself. However, then white can put the silver in= =20 a very good position with S6d-S5c-S5d and it will be difficult for black= =20 to attack. By not playing P*5f, Sato is more or less daring Habu to play= =20 a pawn there himself. After some thought, Habu decides to go for it. 41.R2h-5h! 03:47:00 03:54:00 Sato counted on this positive reply, and rightly so. Black cannot afford= =20 a move like 41.N3g, because the white attack after P6d and P6e is too=20 strong. 42.S2b-3c 03:47:00 03:57:00 43.G6gx5f 04:33:00 03:57:00 44.S5ex5f 04:33:00 03:59:00 45.S4gx5f 04:34:00 03:59:00 46.G*6i 04:34:00 04:08:00 White seems to be winning material, but... 47.P*5c! 04:36:00 04:08:00 There is no good way to take this pawn. After 48.Gx5c or Bx5c, black can= =20 save the bishop with B5g and after 48.Rx5c S*6b R5b Sx7c+ black has the=20 advantage. 48.B4bx5c 04:36:00 05:04:00 49.B6h-5g 04:37:00 05:04:00 50.N7c-8e 04:37:00 05:06:00 51.S7g-6h 04:46:00 05:06:00 52.G6ix6h 04:46:00 05:16:00 53.B5gx6h 04:49:00 05:16:00 54.S*6i 04:49:00 05:18:00 55.R5h-2h 05:26:00 05:18:00 56.P*5g 05:26:00 05:39:00 57.S*6g! 06:03:00 05:39:00 Strong defense. 57.Bx5g is good for white after 58.Sx7h+ Kx7h P7e P8f=20 Px7f Px8e B8f! (this move would not have been possible with the bishop=20 on 6h). 58.B5c-6d 06:03:00 05:59:00 59.P*5e 06:21:00 05:59:00 60.B6dx5e 06:21:00 06:03:00 61.S5fx5e 06:21:00 06:03:00 62.R5bx5e 06:21:00 06:03:00 63.B6h-8f 06:21:00 06:03:00 64.P7d-7e 06:21:00 06:03:00 65.G*6e 06:31:00 06:03:00 66.R5e-5b 06:31:00 06:06:00 67.G6ex7e 06:31:00 06:06:00 68.P5g-5h+ 06:31:00 06:06:00 69.G7ex8e 06:31:00 06:06:00 70.K3a-2b 06:31:00 06:06:00 71.P*5c 06:59:00 06:06:00 72.R5bx5c 06:59:00 06:06:00 73.B8fx5c+ 06:59:00 06:06:00 74.G4cx5c 06:59:00 06:06:00 75.P2e-2d 06:59:00 06:06:00 76.S3cx2d 06:59:00 06:09:00 77.S6gx5h 07:10:00 06:09:00 78.S6ix7h+ 07:10:00 06:09:00 79.K8hx7h 07:10:00 06:09:00 80.B*3i 07:10:00 06:09:00 Black seems to have the advantage, but things are not so simple. This=20 move forces Sato into an attack for which the outcome is unclear. During= =20 the game, neither player knew if the black attack would be strong=20 enough. By forcing Sato's hand, Habu is basically saying: "Try to kill=20 me if you can. Any mistake will be punished". Quite a lot of pressure=20 with the Osho title hanging in the balance. 81.R2hx2d 07:19:00 06:09:00 82.P2cx2d 07:19:00 06:15:00 83.P*2c 07:19:00 06:15:00 84.G3bx2c? 07:19:00 07:10:00 Habu makes the first and decisive mistake. After 55 minutes, he picks=20 the wrong defense. The reasoning behind Gx2c is clear: after this,=20 neither N*1e nor S*4b is a mating threat, so white gets the time to play= =20 Bx6f+, which puts the bishop in a very good position for both attack and= =20 defense. Unfortunately for Habu, black can counter this. Best was=20 84.Kx2c. For example, 85.N*1e K3c S*2c is a mating threat after B*5a=20 G*4b Sx3b+ Kx3b S*2c K4c Bx4b+ Kx4b R*3b, but Bx6f+ is the perfect=20 counter, defending against the mate by allowing an escape up the board=20 and also threatening mate. Black's best option seems to be 85.R*5a but=20 then 86.R*5e S*6g B4h+ N*4g Rx8e Rx5c+ G*4c +R5a P*5g and there seems to= =20 be no win for black: +Rx2a G*2b +Rx1a Px5h+ N*3e Px3e Nx3e Rx3e Px3e=20 +B5i K8h N*9e which is threatening mate and white seems to be winning.=20 This is a very long variation that was played in the post-mortem=20 analysis, but several options were tried without finding a winning=20 variation for black. Habu should have played 84.Kx2c instead of Gx2c. 85.S*3a 07:29:00 07:10:00 86.K2bx3a 07:29:00 07:11:00 87.R*5a 07:29:00 07:11:00 88.G*4a 07:29:00 07:13:00 89.R5ax5c+ 07:29:00 07:13:00 90.B3ix6f+ 07:29:00 07:13:00 89.Rx5c+ is not a mating threat, so Habu thought that this move was good= =20 enough. 91.B*7g! 07:31:00 07:13:00 The perfect counter. Why this is good will become clear later. 92.R*5f 07:31:00 07:15:00 93.N*4c 07:32:00 07:15:00 94.K3a-3b 07:32:00 07:17:00 Here is the point of 91.B*7g. The best defense is to move the king to=20 2b, but then 95.Bx6f Rx6f is not a mating threat, so black wins after=20 N3a+ Gx3a S*4b. The main problem of moving to 2b becomes clear after=20 95.Bx6f Rx5c because Bx4d forks the king and rook. Putting the king on=20 3b means that it is closer to black's attacking pieces and this is just=20 enough for the black attack to be decisive. 95.G*3a 07:33:00 07:17:00 96.K3b-3c 07:33:00 07:34:00 97.B7gx6f 07:34:00 07:34:00 98.R5fx5c 07:34:00 07:34:00 99.S*5e 07:35:00 07:34:00 100.K3c-2b 07:35:00 07:42:00 101.G3ax4a 07:35:00 07:42:00 102.K2b-1b 07:35:00 07:42:00 103.G4a-3a 07:39:00 07:42:00 104.S*2b 07:39:00 07:49:00 105.G*3b 07:53:00 07:49:00 106.S*6e 07:53:00 07:55:00 107.G3ax2a 07:56:00 07:55:00 108.S6ex6f 07:56:00 07:55:00 109.N*1e 07:56:00 07:55:00 110.B*5f 07:56:00 07:57:00 111.K7h-6i 07:56:00 07:57:00 Resigns 07:56:00 07:57:00 No mate after 112.R*3i K6h. Also 112.Rx4c Gx1a Kx1a L*1b Kx1b B*2a K1a=20 Nx2c=3D leads to mate. White has no defense, so Habu resigned. This is=20 only the second time in shogi history that someone has won three=20 consecutive games after losing the first three. The other time was the=20 1978 Judan match between Nakahara and Yonenaga. Yonenaga could not=20 finish his amazing comeback from 3-0 down, as Nakahara won the final=20 game to defend his title. Sato has a chance to carve his name in shogi=20 history by doing the virtually impossible if he can win the final 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: ------------------------------------------------------------------- You could save Hundreds on your Car insurance We track down the best Car Insurance rates for you Click here if you are in the market for Car insurance http://click.topica.com/= caaeA2ta2i6YsbnuqMaf/Firstand10.com ------------------------------------------------------------------- --^---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 --^----------------------------------------------------------------