From: Reijer Grimbergen yz yamagata-u ac jp> Date: 22 jan 2007 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1181, January 17th 2007) In this report the first game of the Osho match between Habu and Sato. Another Habu-Sato match, but because of the dramatic Osho match they played last year Sato will want to beat Habu more than ever. His start is good, because he won the replay of the first game after the game initially ended in sennichite. Here are the sennichite game and the replay with comments: [Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [White "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [Event "56th Osho-sen, Game 1"] [Date "January 11th 2007"] 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 00:08:00 5.P2f-2e 00:14:00 00:08:00 6.B2bx8h+ 00:14:00 00:18:00 7.S7ix8h 00:14:00 00:18:00 8.S3a-2b 00:14:00 00:18:00 9.S3i-4h 00:17:00 00:18:00 10.S2b-3c 00:17:00 00:20:00 11.P4g-4f 00:20:00 00:20:00 12.S7a-6b 00:20:00 00:25:00 13.S4h-4g 00:21:00 00:25:00 14.P6c-6d 00:21:00 00:26:00 15.P3g-3f 00:33:00 00:26:00 16.S6b-6c 00:33:00 00:29:00 17.S8h-7g 00:44:00 00:29:00 18.K5a-4b 00:44:00 00:37:00 19.N2i-3g 00:50:00 00:37:00 20.G6a-5b 00:50:00 01:03:00 21.P1g-1f 01:09:00 01:03:00 22.P1c-1d 01:09:00 01:12:00 23.P9g-9f 01:27:00 01:12:00 24.P9c-9d 01:27:00 01:23:00 25.G4i-5h 01:29:00 01:23:00 26.P7c-7d 01:29:00 01:35:00 27.S4g-5f 01:34:00 01:35:00 28.P8c-8d 01:34:00 01:55:00 29.K5i-6h 01:37:00 01:55:00 30.S6c-5d 01:37:00 02:35:00 31.P6g-6f 02:07:00 02:35:00 32.K4b-3a 02:07:00 02:40:00 33.K6h-7i 02:17:00 02:40:00 34.N8a-7c 02:17:00 02:54:00 35.G6i-7h 02:26:00 02:54:00 36.P4c-4d 02:26:00 02:58:00 37.K7i-8h 02:33:00 02:58:00 38.G5b-4c 02:33:00 03:13:00 39.R2h-4h 02:47:00 03:13:00 40.K3a-2b 02:47:00 03:30:00 41.P4f-4e 02:51:00 03:30:00 42.P4dx4e 02:51:00 03:32:00 This position is the main point of the Kakugawari with tempo loss. Without the loss of tempo because of 6.Bx8h+, the white pawn is now on 8e instead of 8d and the majority of games is won by black from this position. However, with the pawn still on 8d, white has the counterattack N8e and this makes all the difference. For example, black has tried B*5a but then N8e is good. Also, Sx4e has been tried, but then after P*4d the majority of games has been won by white. 43.N3gx4e 03:34:00 03:32:00 A new move by Sato, but it doesn't seem to give black anything extra. 44.S3c-4d 03:34:00 04:10:00 45.B*3g 03:41:00 04:10:00 This should be the point of Sato's idea, but it just doesn't seem to be a good idea to drop the bishop in one's own position here. In the Kakugawari opening the bishop is supposed to be dropped in the opponent camp. 46.N7c-8e 03:41:00 04:27:00 47.S7g-8f 04:01:00 04:27:00 48.R8b-8a 04:01:00 04:37:00 49.B3gx6d 04:43:00 04:37:00 50.P*6e 04:43:00 04:50:00 51.P1f-1e 05:49:00 04:50:00 52.P1dx1e 05:49:00 04:53:00 53.P2e-2d 05:49:00 04:53:00 54.P2cx2d 05:49:00 04:56:00 55.P*2e 05:49:00 04:56:00 56.P2dx2e 05:49:00 05:33:00 57.B6d-7c+ 05:54:00 05:33:00 58.P6ex6f 05:54:00 05:43:00 59.+B7c-7b 06:02:00 05:43:00 60.R8a-3a 06:02:00 05:44:00 61.+B7b-7c 06:05:00 05:44:00 62.R3a-8a 06:05:00 05:49:00 63.+B7c-7b 06:05:00 05:49:00 64.R8a-3a 06:05:00 05:49:00 65.+B7b-7c 06:05:00 05:49:00 66.R3a-8a 06:05:00 05:49:00 67.+B7c-7b 06:05:00 05:49:00 68.R8a-3a 06:05:00 05:49:00 69.+B7b-7c 06:05:00 05:49:00 70.R3a-8a 06:05:00 05:49:00 Sennichite 06:05:00 05:49:00 In the end, neither player can afford to change the moves and this game ends in sennichite. [Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"] [White "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"] [Event "56th Osho-sen, Replay Game 1"] [Date "January 12th 2007"] 1.P7g-7f 05:44:00 00:00:00 After a one hour recess, the game is replayed with reversed colors. The rules for the Osho match state that each player is given at least two hours for the replay. Sato had used 6 hours and 5 minutes of the allotted 8 hours for the first game, so he is given 2 hours. Habu had used 5 hours and 49 minutes, so he is given 2 hours and 11 minutes plus the 5 minutes extra Sato received in order to have a minimum of 2 hours. 2.P3c-3d 05:44:00 06:00:00 3.P2g-2f 05:44:00 06:00:00 4.P5c-5d 05:44:00 06:00:00 5.P2f-2e 05:46:00 06:00:00 6.R8b-5b 05:46:00 06:00:00 Having white in the replay with shorter time is usually a disadvantage, but Sato's style is to open up the game quickly, whether he is black or white, so for him it probably doesn't make much difference. 7.B8hx2b+ 05:48:00 06:00:00 8.S3ax2b 05:48:00 06:00:00 9.P9g-9f 05:48:00 06:00:00 10.P9c-9d 05:48:00 06:00:00 11.S7i-7h 05:48:00 06:00:00 12.S7a-7b!?! 05:48:00 06:00:00 This looks too risky to be playable. The square 8b is a gaping hole for a bishop drop... 13.K5i-6h 05:58:00 06:00:00 14.P5d-5e 05:58:00 06:03:00 15.S3i-4h 05:59:00 06:03:00 16.S2b-3c 05:59:00 06:03:00 17.P6g-6f 06:03:00 06:03:00 18.P5e-5f 06:03:00 06:05:00 19.P5gx5f 06:07:00 06:05:00 20.R5bx5f 06:07:00 06:05:00 21.S7h-6g 06:07:00 06:05:00 22.R5f-5b 06:07:00 06:05:00 23.K6h-7h 06:07:00 06:05:00 24.K5a-6b 06:07:00 06:12:00 25.B*8b 06:10:00 06:12:00 Habu decides to call Sato's bluff. After all, a free bishop promotion this early in the game has to be good, or... 26.L9a-9c 06:10:00 06:16:00 27.G6i-6h 06:14:00 06:16:00 28.R5b-5d! 06:14:00 06:42:00 A brilliant strategic novelty by Sato. He will use the black promoted bishop as a target to support his edge attack by switching the rook to the 9th file. If white can time the rook switch to the 9th file well, black has to defend the promoted bishop and white gets an extra move for his attack. 29.P8g-8f 06:42:00 06:42:00 30.G6a-7a 06:42:00 07:02:00 31.B8b-9a+ 06:42:00 07:02:00 32.P9d-9e 06:42:00 07:03:00 33.P9fx9e 06:43:00 07:03:00 34.P*9f 06:43:00 07:03:00 35.L9ix9f 06:44:00 07:03:00 36.B*7d 06:44:00 07:03:00 37.K7h-8g 06:44:00 07:03:00 38.R5d-5e! 06:44:00 07:04:00 Another great rook move. It is tempting to play 38.Bx9d here, but after 39.Kx9d Lx9e Kx9e L*9c K8e the black king can't be mated. After 38.R5e white threatens to take with the rook on 9e instead of the lance, which is of course devastating. Even though Habu us fully aware of this, he has only pawns in hand which make it difficult to defend against this threat. 39.P9e-9d 06:46:00 07:04:00 Probably best, but now white can achieve his goal: a successful breakthrough on the edge. 40.B7dx9f 06:46:00 07:04:00 41.K8gx9f 06:46:00 07:04:00 42.L9cx9d 06:46:00 07:04:00 43.K9f-8g 06:46:00 07:04:00 44.L9d-9i+ 06:46:00 07:04:00 45.P*9c 07:16:00 07:04:00 46.R5e-9e 07:16:00 07:05:00 47.P9c-9b+ 07:16:00 07:05:00 48.R9e-9h+ 07:16:00 07:05:00 49.K8g-7g 07:16:00 07:05:00 50.+L9ix8i 07:16:00 07:06:00 51.G6h-7h 07:16:00 07:06:00 52.P*9f 07:16:00 07:31:00 53.P*5d 07:31:00 07:31:00 54.S3c-4d 07:31:00 07:31:00 55.+P9b-8b 07:32:00 07:31:00 56.P9f-9g+ 07:32:00 07:31:00 57.P*9i 07:43:00 07:31:00 58.+R9hx9i 07:43:00 07:31:00 59.+P8bx7a 07:44:00 07:31:00 60.K6bx7a 07:44:00 07:33:00 61.B*5c 07:55:00 07:33:00 62.L*6b 07:55:00 07:38:00 The deciding move. The black pieces on the left are all crying. 63.B5c-7e+ 07:58:00 07:38:00 This quickens the end, but the alternative 63.G*8b K6a Gx7b Kx7b S*8b also wins for white after Sx5c +Bx8a K6a Px5c+ +P8g! Gx8g (Kx8g +L8h Gx8h B*9f K7g +Rx8h Kx8h G*8g is mate) B*8h K6h B7i+ K5h +R9h N*7h G*6h K5g Gx6g K5f P*5e and now Kx5d is not mate, but then S*4d followed by Sx5c takes the black promoted pawn, after which black has no way to get to the white king. This is also losing, but probably gives black slightly more chances than in the game. 64.+L8i-8h 07:58:00 07:41:00 Sato still needs to be careful. Winning the bishop with 64.+P8g Gx8g +Rx9a looks good, but after P*9f the rook is shut out and the white attack is stopped. 65.S4h-5i 07:58:00 07:41:00 66.+L8hx7h 07:58:00 07:46:00 67.S6gx7h 07:58:00 07:46:00 68.+P9g-8h 07:58:00 07:46:00 Resigns 07:59:00 07:46:00 Black seems to have nothing else than 69.G*8b K6a Px5c+, but this isn't even a mating threat, so white can just play +R9g L*8g N*5e and win easily in attack. A very good start for Sato, who is looking to erase the painful memories of last year's Osho match where he came back from 3-0 down, only to lose the deciding seventh 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.aBVYf3.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 --^----------------------------------------------------------------