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HABU TAKES 2-0 LEAD IN OSHO MATCH
Here is game two of the Osho match with comments:
To play through the game in a Java viewer, click here.
Black: Habu Yoshiharu, Osho
White: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger
49th Osho-sen, Game 2, January 17th and 18th 2000
1. P2g-2f
2. P8c-8d
3. P2f-2e
4. P8d-8e
5. G6i-7h
6. G4a-3b
7. P2e-2d
8. P2cx2d
9. R2hx2d
10. P*2c
11. R2d-2f
It is a bit strange to see a game without the R8e Yokofudori these days.
Habu probably looked at the statistics and decides to play an opening that
promises better winning chances for black: the good old Aigakari.
12. S7a-7b
13. S3i-3h
14. P6c-6d
15. P7g-7f
16. P8e-8f
17. P8gx8f
18. R8bx8f
19. P*8g
20. R8f-8b
21. P3g-3f
22. P3c-3d
23. K5i-5h
24. B2bx8h+
25. S7ix8h
26. S3a-2b
27. P3f-3e
28. P3dx3e
29. P*3d
30. R8b-8d!?
The first long pause of the game. Sato did not like 30. S6c S3g S5d S4f and
decides to play a more positive plan, aiming for the black pawn on 3d after
P6e next.
31.N8i-7g?
Now it is Habu's turn to take a lot of time for his move. This knight move
makes white's intended plan impossible, because after P6e Nx6e the black
knight also attacks the focal point 5c. However, the head of the knight
becomes too weak, so this is not a good move. Habu thought long and hard
about 31. S3g P6e G3h Rx3d B*8b L9b B9a+ B*8c. This is what he should have
played.
32.K5a-4b
33.S3h-3g
34.P7c-7d!
Aiming for the weak spot 7f. 32. K4b was a necessary preparation move to avoid B*9e.
35.B*6f
36.P7d-7e
37.S3g-4f
This is good play. The combination B*6f~S4f is setting up a counter attack
with P*2d Px2d P*2c if black gets two pawns in hand.
38.P3e-3f
39.G4i-3h
Of course, 39. Rx3f fails to B*2g.
40.B*4d
41.B6fx4d
42.P4cx4d
43.B*6f
44.R8d-7d
45.R2fx3f
46.P7ex7f
47.N7g-8e
48.S7b-6c
49.N2i-3g
50.P*8d
51.P*7e
52.R7d-7b
53.B6fx4d
54.P8dx8e
55.N3g-4e
56.N*4a
57.B4dx2b+
58.G3bx2b
59.S*3c
There are no more moves to improve the position and Habu is a knight down.
He has to attack to keep some chance of winning. Objectively, his attack
is too weak to succeed and everyone in the press room agreed that Sato
had the better position. Defending is more difficult than attacking, though.
60.N2ax3c
Very tempting is to run away with 60. K5a. However, after 61. Sx2b= P*3e Sx3e
Rx2b P3c+ N2ax3c Nx3c+ Nx3c S4d black has gained the upper hand. Sato's
judgement is perfect here.
61.P3dx3c+
62.N4ax3c
63.N*3d
64.K4b-5b
65.N3dx2b+
66.N3cx4e
67.R3f-3b+
68.P*4b
69.S4fx4e
70.R7bx7e
71.S4e-4d
72.P*3g
73.G3hx3g
74.K5b-6b
75.G*6f!
Not the move one wants to play if the attack needs all the power it can get.
However, after the simple 75. P*7d Sx7d N*6f K7c Nx7d N*4e S*6f Rx7d P*7e
R9d +Nx1a Nx3g+ +Rx3g B*1e white is better. Not having a pawn to drop on
2f is very painful.
76.R7e-7b
77.P*7c
78.K6bx7c
79.+N2bx1a
80.N*4e
81.L*7e
82.K7c-8b
83.L7ex7b+
84.G6ax7b?
So far, Sato has played a perfect game and his position is very good. With
13 minutes left, it becomes difficult to calculate the defence correctly.
Here 84. Sx7b was the right move. After 85. N*7d K7c G4f B*2f white keeps
his big advantage. Sato did not like the check of the knight on 7d and
chose Gx7b.
85.P*7c
86.N8ax7c
87.+R3b-3a
88.N7c-6e
89.R*8a
90.K8b-7c
91.G6fx6e
92.P6dx6e?
This recapture without thinking about other moves costs Sato his advantage.
He had a good winning chance here with 92. B*3i N*4h Px6e G3h B*7e N*6i
L*5d G6h Nx5g+ Nx5g Lx5g+ Gx5g N*4e K4i P*3g Kx3i Px3h+ Kx3h Bx5g+. There is
no mate against the white king, while the black king cannot be defended.
93.N*7e
94.B*3i?
The irony of this move is that it was winning on the previous move, but it is
losing now. Despite taking all of his remaining time, Sato either did not
see that 93. N*7e was a mating threat or he did not see a way to escape from
it. If he would have played 94. Nx5g+ Kx5g B*8d Rx8d+ Kx8d Nx6c+ R*5i things
would not have been clear yet.
95.N7ex6c+
96.K7cx6c
97.+R3a-6a
98.G*6b
99.N*7e
100.K6c-7d
101.+R6ax7b
102.G6bx7b
103.S*8c
104.K7d-6d
105.R8a-6a+
Sato Resigns, Time: 07:57:00 07:59:00
Mate after both 106. B*6c Nx6c+ Gx6c B*5e Kx7e G*7d Gx7d Sx7d+ Kx7d +R7b K8d
B7c+ K9d +R8c and 106. N*6b +Rx6b Gx6b N*5f Kx7d G*7d.
After the game no smiles from either player. Habu because his playing level
is not at the high standard that he sets himself and Sato because he takes
the responsibility of his meijin title very seriously and now has played
two games in a row where he was not able to carry a good position
over the finish line. Game 3 will show how this has affected his confidence.
*****
In other shogi news:
A class: Painful loss for Moriuchi against Habu. Moriuchi (5-2) falls one
step behind Maruyama (6-1) in the challenger race. Habu is now certain of
a spot in the A class for next year (but who would have doubted this?).
*****
B1 Junisen: Inoue(6-2)-Senzaki(6-2) 1-0, Kiriyama(6-2)-Kamiya(4-4) 0-1,
Aono(5-3)-Mori(4-4) 1-0. Inoue leads with 7-2 and needs only one more win
out of two games to secure his return to the A class. Aono, Kiriyama and
Senzaki will fight for the other promotion spot.
*****
B2 Junisen: The four leaders Fujii, Waki, Miura and Fukaura all won. Waki
still has his chances in his own hands, which would mean upsetting two of
the three brilliant young players he shares the lead with.
*****
C2 Junisen: Sugimoto(7-0)-Kawakami(4-3) 0-1, Iizuka(6-1)-Oshima(4-3) 0-1,
Horiguchi(6-1)-Matsuura(2-5) 1-0, Nozuki(6-1)-Sekine(0-8) 1-0. With
two rounds to play, Sugimoto, Horiguchi and Nozuki have promotion in their
own hands with 7-1. They are followed by 7 players with 6-2.
*****
Kisei league B: Izumi-Moriuchi 0-1. If Moriuchi beats Yonenaga next, he
qualifies for the quarterfinals.
- Reijer Grimbergen
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