From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 11 jan 2007 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1177, December 13th 2006) In this report the fifth game of the Ryu-O match between Watanabe and Sato.= Another very interesting and complicated game that Watanabe won after Sato= had been dictating the pace for a long time but without finding a way thro= ugh Watanabe=EF=82=A2s stubborn defense. Here is the game with comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"] [Event "19th Ryu-O sen, December 6th and 7th 2006"] 1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00 2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00 3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:02:00 4.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:03:00 5.G6i-7h 00:02:00 00:03:00 6.P8d-8e 00:02:00 00:06:00 7.B8h-7g 00:02:00 00:06:00 8.P3c-3d 00:02:00 00:06:00 9.S7i-8h 00:02:00 00:06:00 10.B2bx7g+ 00:02:00 00:06:00 11.S8hx7g 00:02:00 00:06:00 In this very important fifth game, Sato plays the Kakugawari opening, just = like in the first game which he won convincingly. 12.S3a-4b 00:02:00 00:06:00 13.P9g-9f 00:02:00 00:06:00 14.P9c-9d 00:02:00 00:07:00 15.P1g-1f 00:02:00 00:07:00 16.P1c-1d 00:02:00 00:07:00 17.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:07:00 18.S7a-7b 00:02:00 00:08:00 19.P4g-4f 00:02:00 00:08:00 20.P6c-6d 00:02:00 00:08:00 21.S4h-4g 00:02:00 00:08:00 22.S7b-6c 00:02:00 00:08:00 23.K5i-6h 00:02:00 00:08:00 24.G6a-5b 00:02:00 00:08:00 25.S4g-5f 00:03:00 00:08:00 26.S6c-5d 00:03:00 00:09:00 27.S5f-4e 00:12:00 00:09:00 Sato seemed to play the classic Reclining Silver position, but the silver i= s only reclining for a little while. At the first opportunity, Sato shows h= is characteristically positive opening play. 28.S5d-5e 00:12:00 01:21:00 There have not been many games with this position, but both 28.Sx4e and 28.= S5e have been played before. What follows is some interesting silver maneuv= ering, where both silvers take a pawn in the opponent camp and then retreat= . 29.S4ex3d 00:17:00 01:21:00 30.S5ex4f 00:17:00 01:21:00 31.R2h-4h 00:41:00 01:21:00 32.S4f-5e 00:41:00 01:28:00 33.K6h-7i 00:49:00 01:28:00 34.P6d-6e 00:49:00 01:36:00 35.G4i-5h 01:39:00 01:36:00 36.R8b-8d 01:39:00 02:13:00 37.S3d-4e 02:16:00 02:13:00 38.P4c-4d 02:16:00 02:14:00 39.S4e-3f 02:21:00 02:14:00 40.S4b-4c 02:21:00 02:15:00 41.K7i-8h 02:22:00 02:15:00 42.K5a-4b 02:22:00 02:36:00 43.G5h-6h 02:25:00 02:36:00 44.N2a-3c 02:25:00 02:47:00 45.L1i-1g 03:18:00 02:47:00 Sato is combining an edge attack with an attack on the silver on 5e. 46.P4d-4e 03:18:00 03:24:00 47.P1f-1e 04:13:00 03:24:00 48.P1dx1e 04:13:00 03:29:00 49.P5g-5f 04:13:00 03:29:00 50.P*3e! 04:13:00 04:26:00 Good reply by Watanabe. White looked in trouble, because 50.Sx5f is answere= d by P*5g and 50.S5e-4d by 51.R1h P*3e Lx1e. Even if black gives up the sil= ver, the break through on the edge is too strong.=20 51.S3fx3e 04:23:00 04:26:00 51.Sx4e also seems playable, but Sato seemed to like his chances after the = silver exchange that follows. 52.P*3d 04:23:00 04:27:00 53.P5fx5e 05:18:00 04:27:00 54.P3dx3e 05:18:00 04:27:00 55.P5e-5d! 05:18:00 04:27:00 Another strong looking move by Sato. 56.R8dx5d 05:18:00 04:58:00 57.R4h-5h 05:18:00 04:58:00 58.R5d-2d 05:18:00 04:58:00 Not much choice. 58.Rx5h+ Gx5h S*6i looks inviting, but after P*4d Sx4d R*8= b black is better. 59.B*7b 05:18:00 04:58:00 With the promotion of the bishop ensured and the black king in a much stron= ger castle than the white king it seems that black has the upper hand. Howe= ver, in reality the position is still very complicated. The white king has = a lot of space to run and black has not enough pieces to build a decisive a= ttack. 60.N8a-9c 05:18:00 05:08:00 61.S*6c 05:19:00 05:08:00 62.S*5d 05:19:00 05:10:00 63.S6cx5b+ 05:43:00 05:10:00 64.S4cx5b 05:43:00 05:10:00 65.G*6d 06:10:00 05:10:00 66.G3b-4c 06:10:00 05:42:00 67.P2f-2e 06:43:00 05:42:00 68.N3cx2e 06:43:00 05:44:00 69.P*5e 06:44:00 05:44:00 70.S5dx5e 06:44:00 05:46:00 71.R5hx5e 06:44:00 05:46:00 72.R2dx6d 06:44:00 05:46:00 73.R5e-5i! 07:09:00 05:46:00 Looks strange because the rook was already in a strong position on 5e, but = this is the common professional practice of giving the opponent a choice of= evils. Black threatens both Bx4e+ and B8a+ and if white spends a silver on= the defense of the pawn on 4e with 74.S*4d, then after 75.+B8c black will = put the rook under pressure. This is a position that white cannot possibly = win. 74.P4e-4f!! 07:09:00 06:30:00 If brilliancy is measured by a pressroom full of professionals who think th= at this is an awful move while it actually gives you the chance to win the = game, than this move is absolutely brilliant. Watanabe spends two moves on = making a tokin that seems to be going nowhere, giving Sato the chance to at= tack whichever way he wants. There is no way this can be good, or can it? 75.B7b-4e+ 07:15:00 06:30:00 76.P4f-4g+ 07:15:00 06:30:00 77.+B4e-5e 07:15:00 06:30:00 78.R6d-1d 07:15:00 06:35:00 79.P*4d 07:20:00 06:35:00 Sato was pretty happy here, but Watanabe is waiting for his chance. 80.G4cx4d 07:20:00 06:41:00 81.L1gx1e 07:20:00 06:41:00 82.R1d-2d 07:20:00 06:41:00 83.L1ex1a+ 07:21:00 06:41:00 84.G4dx5e 07:21:00 06:41:00 85.R5ix5e 07:21:00 06:41:00 86.P8e-8f 07:21:00 06:47:00 87.R5ex3e 07:31:00 06:47:00 88.S*3d 07:31:00 07:16:00 89.R3ex6e 07:32:00 07:16:00 90.+P4g-5g 07:32:00 07:17:00 91.G6hx5g 07:33:00 07:17:00 92.P8fx8g+ 07:33:00 07:17:00 93.G7hx8g 07:33:00 07:17:00 94.P*8f 07:33:00 07:26:00 95.G8gx8f 07:33:00 07:26:00 96.P*8e 07:33:00 07:26:00 97.G8f-8g 07:33:00 07:26:00 98.R2d-1d 07:33:00 07:30:00 99.P*1g 07:44:00 07:30:00 The tokin that Watanabe so carefully made, has been sacrificed to weaken th= e black castle. The attack on the head of the black king has opened the pos= ition up further. Still, the black king is still quite strong at the top, s= o things are very complicated. 100.G*8f! 07:44:00 07:33:00 Another daring move and generally condemned in the press room. Even after 1= 01.Gx8f Px8f white is not threatening mate, so giving black an extra gold f= or his attack is very risky. Even Watanabe was not sure about this move: "I= thought I could be laughed at". His gamble pays off. The white king is sti= ll well enough defended at the top to make attacking for black very difficu= lt. Putting the pressure on Sato with G*8f invites the mistake. 101.+L1a-2a 07:54:00 07:33:00 The alternative 101.R6b+ Gx8g Kx8g Rx1a K7h is winning for black because th= e king can run away, but after 101.R6b+ B*4d P6f Rx1a there is no telling w= ho will win. 102.P*6d 07:54:00 07:37:00 103.R6ex6d 07:54:00 07:37:00 104.B*5e 07:54:00 07:37:00 105.P*4c 07:54:00 07:37:00 106.K4b-3c 07:54:00 07:41:00 107.L*6f? 07:56:00 07:41:00 Sato throws away the game with only one bad move. If he would have played 1= 07.R6e, the outcome of this game would have been anybody's guess. For examp= le 108.Gx8g Kx8g B*6i S*7h G*8f Sx8f Px8f Kx8f P*8e Rx8e Nx8e S*6i and even= a deep post-mortem analysis could not reach a conclusion. 108.B5ex6d 07:56:00 07:51:00 109.L6fx6d 07:56:00 07:51:00 110.K3c-2d 07:56:00 07:51:00 Despite having many pieces in hand, Sato cannot stop the white king from en= tering. The game is decided, even though Watanabe is very careful to safely= enter before launching his final attack. 111.S7gx8f 07:58:00 07:51:00 112.P8ex8f 07:58:00 07:51:00 113.G8gx8f 07:58:00 07:51:00 114.R*2h 07:58:00 07:54:00 115.P*5h 07:58:00 07:54:00 116.R2hx2i+ 07:58:00 07:54:00 117.G*4d 07:59:00 07:54:00 118.N2ex3g+ 07:59:00 07:58:00 119.G4dx3d 07:59:00 07:58:00 120.K2d-2e 07:59:00 07:58:00 121.P*2g 07:59:00 07:58:00 122.R1dx1g+ 07:59:00 07:58:00 123.S*2f 07:59:00 07:58:00 124.+R1gx2f 07:59:00 07:58:00 125.P2gx2f 07:59:00 07:58:00 126.K2e-1f 07:59:00 07:58:00 127.R*1b 07:59:00 07:58:00 128.P*1e 07:59:00 07:58:00 129.P*3i 07:59:00 07:58:00 130.S*6h 07:59:00 07:58:00 131.B*3c 07:59:00 07:58:00 132.N*2d 07:59:00 07:58:00 133.K8h-9h 07:59:00 07:58:00 134.K1f-2g 07:59:00 07:58:00 135.B3c-5e+ 07:59:00 07:58:00 136.+R2ix3i 07:59:00 07:58:00 137.P*1i 07:59:00 07:58:00 138.S*7h 07:59:00 07:58:00 139.S*1h 07:59:00 07:58:00 140.K2g-3h 07:59:00 07:58:00 141.G*2i 07:59:00 07:58:00 142.+R3ix2i 07:59:00 07:58:00 143.S1hx2i 07:59:00 07:58:00 144.K3hx2i 07:59:00 07:58:00 145.+B5ex3g 07:59:00 07:58:00 146.S*9g 07:59:00 07:59:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:59:00 Mate after 147.Nx9g B*8i etc. or 147.Kx9g N8e K9h G*9g Nx9g B*8i K8g S7g+. = Another great fight in which Watanabe showed how patient he can be despite = his youth. Not despairing over a position that looks worse, but making it h= ard for his opponent and waiting for a chance. After losing the first two g= ames it seems that Watanabe would yield his Ryu-O title without a fight, bu= t after winning the next three he is suddenly one game from defending his t= itle. Can he do it with the black pieces in the sixth 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.= 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=3DTEXFOOTER --^----------------------------------------------------------------