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58th Meijin-sen, Game 3
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Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Meijin
White: Maruyama Tadahisa, Challenger
58th Meijin-sen, Game 3, May 8th and 9th 2000
Notes by Reijer Grimbergen
1.P7g-7f 2.P3c-3d 3.P2g-2f 4.P8c-8d
5.P2f-2e 6.P8d-8e 7.G6i-7h 8.G4a-3b 9.P2e-2d 10.P2cx2d 11.R2hx2d
12.P8e-8f 13.P8gx8f 14.R8bx8f 15.R2dx3d 16.B2b-3c 17.R3d-3f 18.S3a-2b
19.P*8g 20.R8f-8e
This is a game that Sato has to
win to stay in the match as no shogi player has ever come back
from 3-0 down in a best-of-seven match. In the first game Sato also
faced the R8e Yokofudori, so this development is no surprise. Even
though Sato lost in game 1, he got a very good position after the
opening, so there is no reason to avoid this strategy.
21.R3f-2f 22.K5a-4a 23.S3i-3h 24.S7a-6b 25.K5i-6h 26.G6a-5a 27.P3g-3f
28.P7c-7d 29.N2i-3g 30.N8a-7c 31.P4g-4f 32.P5c-5d 33.B8hx3c+ 34.N2ax3c
35.P6g-6f!?
A new idea. In the game between Tanigawa and Maruyama in
the A class Junisen in January this year, Tanigawa played 35.N7g
and got into trouble after 36.R5e. The weak point 5g turned out
to be more important than the awkward position of the white rook.
Sato's idea is to play N7g later. If the rook still moves to 5e,
the weak point 5g can be defended with a gold move to 6g.
36.B*4d 37.R2f-2i 38.B4dx6f 39.N8i-7g 40.R8e-8d 41.G4i-5h
42.B6f-4d?
Looks natural, but immediately after the game Maruyama suggested
42.P*8f as better. If 43.Px8f then 44.P7e seems good for white.
If black defends with 43.S8h then 44.Px8g+ Sx8g P*8f S9h P*2h R4i
N8e Nx8e Rx8e G5h-6g leads to an unclear position with chances for
both players.
43.G5h-6g 44.P1c-1d 45.P*2d 46.P*2f 47.S7i-8h 48.P5d-5e 49.B*4g!
This bishop works very well. If white does nothing, the
knight on 3c will get lost after 51.P3e~P3d.
50.P*3d
Admitting
a strategic defeat. Having to drop back a pawn here is very painful.
51.P4f-4e
52.B4d-5c 53.P7f-7e
The bishop on 4g is also working on the left side of the board,
having its eye on the weak point 7d.
54.B5cx7e
55.P3f-3e 56.N3cx4e
After the game, Maruyama
admitted that he seriously considered resigning here. Black has
an overwhelming position and he can pick the weak spots that he
want to aim at. 56.Nx4e is the only way to get some play for the
knight.
57.N3gx4e 58.P4c-4d
59.R2ix2f?
If there is too much that looks
good, it is easy to get confused. Sato could have won quickly
here with 59.P*4b. If white takes this pawn, the fork N*5d is
devastating. Moving away with 60.K5b fails to 61.Px3d Px4e N*4d.
This variation is what made Maruyama consider resignation earlier.
60.P4dx4e
61.P3ex3d?
A second mistake to complicate things further. 61.P*4d G5b (to
defend against P2c+ followed by P4c+) Px3d B5c N*3e B4d P2c+ Sx2c
Rx2c+ Gx2c Nx2c+ followed by P3c+ is winning for black. Even an
early escape with K5a does not help after S*7b. Now things get
a little dangerous for black.
62.B7e-5c 63.R2f-2e 64.P*8f 65.N7g-6e 66.N*5f!
This knight drop is a very good try.
67.B4gx5f?
Again a mistake by Sato. 67.Gx5f
Px5f Nx5c= does not give white a bishop and still is a safe win.
Black now no longer has the advantage.
68.P5ex5f 69.N6ex5c+ 70.S6bx5c
71.P2d-2c+ 72.S2bx2c 73.P3d-3c+ 74.G3bx3c 75.B*6f 76.S2c-2d 77.P*3d
78.P8fx8g+?
Shogi can be a tough game. Maruyama has battled back from a hopeless
position to a complicated endgame with everything to play for. However,
here he throws all of his hard work away. After 78.Gx3d Bx8d Gx2e
Bx7c+ R*4h N*5h R3h+ nothing is decided yet.
79.S8hx8g 80.S2dx2e 81.P3dx3c+ 82.N*7e 83.+P3c-4c 84.G5a-4b
85.+P4cx5c 86.G4bx5c 87.B6f-3c+ 88.K4a-5b 89.S*5a 90.N7ex6g+ 91.G7hx6g
92.P5fx5g+ 93.G6gx5g 94.B*7g 95.+B3cx7g 96.N7c-6e 97.G*4b 98.K5b-6a
99.S5a-6b+
Resigns
Time: 08:48:00 08:55:00
And after 100.Kx6b B*5a K7a Bx8d+ white has no mate and no good
defence.
Sato got the win he desperately needed,
but he got a good scare after three mistakes in short order when
he had a clearly winning position. Maruyama will be disappointed
to lose this one in the end, but his decision to play on when he
considered resigning might have some psychological significance.
After all, by playing on he showed that he is in better form
than the Meijin, making only one mistake while Sato made three.
Game four will tell us more about the impact of this.
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