From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 27 feb 2007 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1183, January 31st 2007) Here is the second game of the Osho match between Habu and Sato. The game was a lesson in Anaguma crushing by Habu. Here is the game with comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [Event "56th Osho-sen, Game 3"] [Date "January 24th and 25th 2007"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.B8h-7g 00:02:00 00:02:00 4.P3c-3d 00:02:00 00:03:00 5.R2h-8h 00:02:00 00:03:00 This could be called a "Sato Special". There have been only five professional games with this position and Sato played two of them. He also won both of the games he played with this opening. White won only one of the five games, so it is kind of surprising that this has not been played more often. 6.K5a-4b 00:02:00 00:06:00 7.S7i-6h 00:03:00 00:06:00 8.K4b-3b 00:03:00 00:08:00 9.K5i-4h 00:03:00 00:08:00 10.S7a-6b 00:03:00 00:19:00 11.K4h-3h 00:03:00 00:19:00 12.G6a-5b 00:03:00 00:20:00 13.K3h-2h 00:04:00 00:20:00 14.P6c-6d 00:04:00 00:49:00 15.G6i-5h 00:38:00 00:49:00 16.P8d-8e 00:38:00 00:57:00 17.L1i-1h 00:49:00 00:57:00 18.S6b-6c 00:49:00 01:21:00 19.K2h-1i 00:50:00 01:21:00 20.B2bx7g+ 00:50:00 01:34:00 21.S6hx7g 00:50:00 01:34:00 22.S3a-2b 00:50:00 01:34:00 23.S3i-2h 00:50:00 01:34:00 Habu is playing the opening completely different from the games that have been played so far. Still, his strategy is a little suspect because white has lost a tempo by exchanging the bishop. Black already has gotten very far into the Anaguma formation and is ready for attack. 24.S2b-3c 00:50:00 01:36:00 25.G4i-3i 01:03:00 01:36:00 26.K3b-2b 01:03:00 01:36:00 27.P9g-9f 01:11:00 01:36:00 28.G4a-3b 01:11:00 01:38:00 29.P9f-9e 01:11:00 01:38:00 30.P1c-1d 01:11:00 01:38:00 31.G5h-4h 01:19:00 01:38:00 32.P1d-1e 01:19:00 01:53:00 33.P7f-7e 01:33:00 01:53:00 34.G5b-4b 01:33:00 01:55:00 35.G4h-3h 01:56:00 01:55:00 36.S6c-5d 01:56:00 01:57:00 37.L9i-9g 02:24:00 01:57:00 38.P4c-4d 02:24:00 02:30:00 39.R8h-9h 02:38:00 02:30:00 40.P4d-4e 02:38:00 03:08:00 Uncharacteristically, Sato has passed up on the early attack, which he regretted after the game. Black has a complete Anaguma, which looks very strong, but white also has a strong castle and the loss of tempo seems to have had no effect. Sato should have started the attack with P8f Px8f Sx8f when this was still possible, maybe even at the 25th move. 41.P9e-9d 03:08:00 03:08:00 It seems like Sato thought that this edge attack was very strong. Even though we are close to the end of the first day, he decided to play it instead of sealing this move. 42.P9cx9d 03:08:00 03:15:00 43.L9gx9d 03:08:00 03:15:00 44.P*9b 03:08:00 03:15:00 45.P7e-7d 04:19:00 03:15:00 The sealed move. Tempting is 45.P*9c Px9c Lx9c+ Lx9c P*9d, but after P*9b white can't break through. Instead, Sato uses a little pawn technique to promote the bishop. 46.P7cx7d 04:19:00 03:29:00 47.P*7b 04:26:00 03:29:00 48.R8bx7b 04:26:00 04:49:00 49.B*8c 04:32:00 04:49:00 50.R7b-7c 04:32:00 04:49:00 51.B8c-6a+ 04:32:00 04:49:00 52.P9b-9c 04:32:00 04:49:00 53.+B6a-6b 04:49:00 04:49:00 The alternative is 53.R9e, but after 54.B*8c +B6b Px9d Rx8e P*8b there is again no way through for black. 54.R7c-8c 04:49:00 05:15:00 Now it is Habu's turn to be patient. He said he really would have liked to play 54.Px9d here, but after 55.+Bx7c Nx7c R*7a N6e Rx9a+ Nx5g+ L*5i white has no good continuation. 55.+B6b-7b 04:57:00 05:15:00 56.R8c-8d 04:57:00 05:16:00 57.L9dx9c= 04:57:00 05:16:00 58.L9ax9c 04:57:00 05:23:00 59.P*9d 04:57:00 05:23:00 60.P8e-8f! 04:57:00 05:23:00 Finally Habu gets the chance to expose the problem of the black position. In the press room only 60.P*9b was analyzed. Then 61.Px9c+ Px9c +B6b R8b +B7a R8d leads to sennichite which is an advantage for white because the replay will be with reversed colors. 60.P8f is much stronger. 61.P8gx8f 05:01:00 05:23:00 62.B*6e 05:01:00 05:45:00 63.R9h-9e 06:01:00 05:45:00 64.P4e-4f 06:01:00 05:45:00 65.P4gx4f 06:01:00 05:45:00 66.B6ex3h+! 06:01:00 05:46:00 The point. Habu has correctly judged that weakening the Anaguma is worth the exchange. A mistake would have been 66.Lx9d because of 67.Rx6e and white doesn't get the chance to get to the Anaguma. 67.G3ix3h 06:01:00 05:46:00 68.P*4g 06:01:00 05:46:00 69.G3hx4g 06:04:00 05:46:00 70.L9cx9d 06:04:00 06:12:00 71.+B7bx9d 06:04:00 06:12:00 72.R8dx9d 06:04:00 06:12:00 73.R9ex9d 06:04:00 06:12:00 74.G*3h! 06:04:00 06:12:00 Again the best move. 74.B*6i is not good because of 75.B*3h Bx4g+ Bx4g G*4h B*6i and white can hold the position together. 75.R*6h! 06:10:00 06:12:00 Sato plays the best defense. Any other move would be answered by B*6i. Unfortunately for him, Habu plays another perfect endgame. 76.P*4h 06:10:00 06:25:00 77.R9d-9b+ 06:27:00 06:25:00 78.G3hx2i! 06:27:00 07:00:00 This was not analyzed in the press room, but taking this knight is much better than taking the silver on 2h. The knight can be used on 5e or 3e to attack the bad gold on 4g. Still, the white attack seems to be slowing down after Gx2i. 79.K1ix2i 06:27:00 07:00:00 80.P4h-4i+ 06:27:00 07:00:00 81.K2i-3h 07:51:00 07:00:00 Sato also felt that there might be something here and spent 1 hour and 24 minutes on this move. In the end, he could only admit that Habu had been right. There is no way to turn the tables in this position. 82.N*5e 07:51:00 07:04:00 The first knight drop on 5e. 83.G*5h 07:56:00 07:04:00 84.N5ex4g+ 07:56:00 07:16:00 85.G5hx4g 07:56:00 07:16:00 86.B*5i 07:56:00 07:17:00 87.R6h-5h 07:56:00 07:17:00 88.G*4h 07:56:00 07:18:00 89.G4gx4h 07:56:00 07:18:00 90.+P4ix4h 07:56:00 07:18:00 91.R5hx4h 07:56:00 07:18:00 92.B5ix4h+ 07:56:00 07:18:00 93.K3hx4h 07:56:00 07:18:00 94.P*4g 07:56:00 07:19:00 95.K4hx4g 07:56:00 07:19:00 96.R*4i 07:56:00 07:19:00 97.K4g-5h 07:56:00 07:19:00 98.R4ix8i+ 07:56:00 07:19:00 99.+R9bx8a 07:56:00 07:19:00 100.N*5e! 07:56:00 07:28:00 The second knight drop on 5e. Black can now threaten mate with 101.N*2e, but after 102.+R7h black is forced to drop a gold after which there is no longer a mating threat and white can win with G*4g. 101.N*5i 07:59:00 07:28:00 102.L*4g 07:59:00 07:39:00 103.S2h-3i 07:59:00 07:39:00 104.G*7h 07:59:00 07:40:00 105.G*6h 07:59:00 07:40:00 106.G7hx7g 07:59:00 07:40:00 107.G6hx7g 07:59:00 07:40:00 108.+R8i-7i 07:59:00 07:40:00 109.N5ix4g 07:59:00 07:40:00 110.N5ex4g+ 07:59:00 07:40:00 111.K5hx4g 07:59:00 07:40:00 112.+R7i-4i 07:59:00 07:40:00 113.L*4h 07:59:00 07:40:00 114.N*5e 07:59:00 07:40:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:40:00 The third knight drop on 5e ends the game. 115.K5f S*6e or 115.K3f S*3e K2e P2d is mate, so Sato resigned. A very instructive game for those who have trouble to attack the Anaguma castle. It gives Habu a 2-1 lead in the match and the black pieces in the next game. -- 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.aB5TiY.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 --^----------------------------------------------------------------