From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 21 nov 2006 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1167, October 4th 2006) In this report the third game of the Oza match between Habu and Sato. Again Sato put up a good fight, but this time he always seemed to be behind. Habu said that Sato's resistance confused him a little, but his endgame sense was enough to win. Here is the game with comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"] [Event "54th Oza-sen, Game 3"] [Date "September 27th 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.P9c-9d 00:00:00 00:04:00 5.P2f-2e 00:01:00 00:04:00 6.P9d-9e 00:01:00 00:05:00 This is an idea by Akutsu (5-dan). The plan is to force black into a quick attack. If black settles for a slow game, the pawn on 9e is an important advantage. However, it is not easy to break down the white position quickly. The first two games with this opening were losses for white, but after a pause this position was played twice again and this time white won both games. Habu said after the game that he didn't think it was such a good strategy, but that the white results were surprisingly good, so he decided to give it a try. There might also have been a psychological reason for playing this. Sato is 2-0 down and already has to force the issue. By playing a strategy that puts even more pressure on black to build a successful attack, Habu might push Sato into an overplay. 7.G6i-7h 00:28:00 00:05:00 8.R8b-4b 00:28:00 00:28:00 9.P2e-2d 00:28:00 00:28:00 10.P2cx2d 00:28:00 00:28:00 11.R2hx2d 00:28:00 00:28:00 12.K5a-6b 00:28:00 00:32:00 13.R2d-2h 01:27:00 00:32:00 The reason that black cannot promote the rook is: 13.R2c+ Bx8h+ Sx8h R2b and even though there are numerous variations after that, there is no way for black to break through. 14.G4a-3b 01:27:00 00:33:00 15.S3i-4h 01:30:00 00:33:00 16.P4c-4d 01:30:00 00:53:00 17.P*2d 01:33:00 00:53:00 18.R4b-4c 01:33:00 00:53:00 19.P3g-3f 01:33:00 00:53:00 20.K6b-7b 01:33:00 00:56:00 21.K5i-6h 02:25:00 00:56:00 22.P4d-4e 02:25:00 01:08:00 23.G4i-5h 02:37:00 01:08:00 24.B2bx8h+ 02:37:00 01:23:00 25.S7ix8h 02:37:00 01:23:00 26.P*2b 02:37:00 01:23:00 27.S4h-3g 02:51:00 01:23:00 28.S3a-4b 02:51:00 01:46:00 29.S8h-7g 02:55:00 01:46:00 30.S4b-3c 02:55:00 01:50:00 31.K6h-7i 02:57:00 01:50:00 32.S3c-4d 02:57:00 01:52:00 33.K7i-8h 03:16:00 01:52:00 34.K7b-8b 03:16:00 01:58:00 35.G5h-6h 03:28:00 01:58:00 36.S7a-7b 03:28:00 02:00:00 37.P5g-5f 03:28:00 02:00:00 38.P5c-5d 03:28:00 02:26:00 39.S3g-4h 03:29:00 02:26:00 40.P3d-3e 03:29:00 02:50:00 41.P3fx3e 03:38:00 02:50:00 42.B*6d 03:38:00 02:54:00 43.S4h-3g 03:53:00 02:54:00 44.S4dx3e 03:53:00 02:56:00 45.R2h-2e 03:58:00 02:56:00 46.S3e-4d 03:58:00 03:14:00 47.P6g-6f? 04:12:00 03:14:00 It is unclear if this mistake was caused by Sato's eagerness to attack the white position or just a simple oversight. Better was 47.L1h. For example, 48.P1d P1f P*3h B*2h R3c B1g R3d and even though this is not really how black wants to play this position, it is much better than the main line. It seems that white has won the opening battle, which makes this opening an interesting object of study. 48.P*3f 04:12:00 03:23:00 49.S3gx3f 04:16:00 03:23:00 This allows a simple bishop promotion, but black has no choice. Sato thought that he could play 49.P6e here and after 50.Bx3g+ Nx3g Px3g+ P2c+ Px2c P*2d Px2d Rx2d P*2c R3d black has the better position. However, Sato suddenly realized that instead of P*2c, white can also play S*2c and then black is pushed back. 50.B6dx1i+ 04:16:00 03:24:00 51.S3f-3e 04:16:00 03:24:00 52.S4d-3c 04:16:00 03:51:00 53.R2e-2f! 04:16:00 03:51:00 Sato is trying to make the best of a bad situation. White is clearly better, but black keeps finding ways to make things difficult for him. 54.+B1i-6d 04:16:00 04:05:00 55.R2f-3f 04:17:00 04:05:00 56.P5d-5e 04:17:00 04:13:00 57.N2i-3g 04:18:00 04:13:00 58.P5ex5f 04:18:00 04:13:00 59.N3g-2e 04:18:00 04:13:00 60.P4e-4f 04:18:00 04:13:00 61.S3ex4f 04:19:00 04:13:00 62.L*4d 04:19:00 04:15:00 63.N2ex3c+ 04:20:00 04:15:00 64.G3bx3c 04:20:00 04:18:00 65.S*6e 04:34:00 04:18:00 66.L4dx4f 04:34:00 04:19:00 67.S6ex6d 04:34:00 04:19:00 68.P5f-5g+ 04:34:00 04:19:00 69.P4gx4f 04:34:00 04:19:00 70.+P5gx6h 04:34:00 04:19:00 71.S6dx7c+ 04:34:00 04:19:00 72.S7bx7c 04:34:00 04:27:00 73.S7gx6h 04:34:00 04:27:00 74.N*5d 04:34:00 04:28:00 75.B*7g! 04:40:00 04:28:00 A move that took even top professional Abe by surprise: "I wouldn't think of that move in a lifetime". When the position is bad, common sense requires that moves must have both an attacking and defending purpose, or one is just pushed off the board. However, 75.B*7g is a defense only move in a bad position. Normally, such a move means that resignation is near. This case is different. Sato thought that after this move the black position surprisingly holds together. Habu agreed, saying that after 75.B*7g he no longer knew how to continue. Abe was speechless: Habu and Sato agreeing on the strength of a move he would never think of, despite being an A-class professional... 76.S*7b 04:40:00 04:37:00 77.B*1f! 04:43:00 04:37:00 Another "strange" bishop drop. It forces white to drop his last pawn, so black can attack with L*7e. Still, dropping a bishop on this end of the board just to force a pawn drop looks like a very low percentage move. 78.P*3d 04:43:00 04:38:00 79.L*7e 04:43:00 04:38:00 80.G*5e 04:43:00 04:47:00 81.L7ex7c+ 04:43:00 04:47:00 82.S7bx7c 04:43:00 04:47:00 83.S*6g 04:49:00 04:47:00 84.G6a-7b 04:49:00 04:48:00 85.P*3e 04:52:00 04:48:00 86.G3cx2d 04:52:00 04:52:00 87.P3ex3d 04:52:00 04:52:00 88.S*2e 04:52:00 04:52:00 89.P3d-3c+ 04:52:00 04:52:00 90.N2ax3c 04:52:00 04:52:00 91.P*5f 04:57:00 04:52:00 92.G5ex6f 04:57:00 04:53:00 93.B1fx2e 04:58:00 04:53:00 94.G2dx2e 04:58:00 04:56:00 95.R3f-3d 04:58:00 04:56:00 96.G6fx7g 04:58:00 04:56:00 97.N8ix7g 04:58:00 04:56:00 98.P*5c 04:58:00 04:56:00 99.P*6d? 04:58:00 04:56:00 This looks good, because it threatens Px6c+ Gx6c S*5b and 100.Px6d leaves an important hole on 6c. Unfortunately, Habu has a great counter. Better was 99.S*4d Rx4d Rx4d L*6f R*3b B*4i P*6d S*6b and even though the position is difficult, it seems hard for black to win. For example, black cannot take on 6c because the white attack would get too powerful after Lx6g+ Sx6g P*6f. Furthermore, white has the drop P*7a to stop the black attack for a while. Despite this, black has infinitely more chances to win than in the game. 100.B*1b 04:58:00 04:56:00 101.S*5b 04:58:00 04:56:00 102.B1bx3d 04:58:00 04:56:00 103.P6dx6c+ 04:58:00 04:56:00 104.G7bx6c 04:58:00 04:56:00 105.S5bx6c+ 04:58:00 04:56:00 106.P*7b 04:58:00 04:56:00 107.+S6cx7c 04:58:00 04:56:00 108.N8ax7c 04:58:00 04:59:00 109.P*6d 04:59:00 04:59:00 110.P*6f 04:59:00 04:59:00 111.P6d-6c+ 04:59:00 04:59:00 112.P6fx6g+ 04:59:00 04:59:00 113.S6hx6g 04:59:00 04:59:00 114.B*5g! 04:59:00 04:59:00 Habu admitted after the game that he was not sure what the strongest move was here. In byoyomi, his endgame sense is perfect. 115.G*7d 04:59:00 04:59:00 116.L*7a 04:59:00 04:59:00 117.P*6h 04:59:00 04:59:00 118.P*6f! 04:59:00 04:59:00 The deciding move. 119.S5h is answered by 120.Bx4f+ followed by +Bx5f next. 119.G7dx7c 04:59:00 04:59:00 120.P7bx7c 04:59:00 04:59:00 121.N7g-8e 04:59:00 04:59:00 122.S*8d 04:59:00 04:59:00 123.S*6b 04:59:00 04:59:00 124.S8dx8e 04:59:00 04:59:00 125.S6bx7a= 04:59:00 04:59:00 126.K8b-9c 04:59:00 04:59:00 127.N*7g 04:59:00 04:59:00 128.P6fx6g+ 04:59:00 04:59:00 129.N7gx8e 04:59:00 04:59:00 130.K9c-8d 04:59:00 04:59:00 Resigns 04:59:00 04:59:00 No mate because of the bishop on 5g and black cannot take the pawn on 6g: 130.Px6g S*7g Kx7g N*6e and mate. With this win, Habu wins the match 3-0 for his 15th consecutive Oza title, extending his own previous record. It also is his 65th title, which means that he passed Nakahara on the all-time list and is now alone in second place behind Oyama. And this all on his 36th birthday, although after the game he pretended that he had forgotten all about his birthday. For Sato, it is another sad end to an Oza challenge. But as Abe put it: "Habu is really strong, winning so often against a player like Sato, who is also incredibly strong". Sato can take that into his next title match, the Ryu-O match against Watanabe. -- 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.aBsjvI.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 --^----------------------------------------------------------------