|
58th Meijin-sen, Game 4
To play through the game in
a Java viewer, click here.
Black: Maruyama Tadahisa, Challenger
White: Sato Yasumitsu, Meijin
58th Meijin-sen, Game 4, May 18th and 19th 2000
Notes by Reijer Grimbergen
1. P7g-7f 2. P8c-8d 3. P2g-2f
4. G4a-3b 5. G6i-7h 6. P8d-8e 7. B8h-7g 8. P3c-3d 9. S7i-8h 10.
S3a-4b 11. B7gx2b+ 12. G3bx2b 13. S3i-3h 14. G2b-3b 15. S8h-7g 16.
S7a-7b 17. P9g-9f 18. P9c-9d 19. P4g-4f 20. P1c-1d 21. P1g-1f 22.
P6c-6d 23. S3h-4g 24. S7b-6c 25. K5i-6h 26. K5a-4a 27. S4g-5f 28.
K4a-3a 29. K6h-7i 30. P7c-7d
Just like the last two years, the
Kakugawari opening is very important in this Meijin match. In games
for the Meijin title, Sato thus far has perfect losing record
of 0-6 against this opening. Furthermore, in game 2 he was beaten
straight from the opening by Maruyama. In that game, he played the
popular P6e strategy. Here he plays the more conventional P7d-N7c
plan.
31. G4i-5h 32. N8a-7c 33. P3g-3f
34. S6c-5d 35. P6g-6f
36. G6a-6b
This is a little unusual, but not
without significance. With the P7d-N7c position, white's natural
attack is P6e Px6e Nx6e. With the gold on 5b, there would be a hole
on 7c for a bishop drop in that case. 36.G6b covers this hole.
37. N2i-3g
38. P6d-6e!?
The sealed move after very long thought.
Everyone, including Maruyama, expected the game to continue for
a couple of more moves on the first day, but Sato took a really
long time for this brave decision. Almost all professionals
would play 38.R8a here without much thought. The hole on 7a is really
worrying as a bishop or a silver can be dropped here. Maruyama could
not even hide his surprise when he saw Sato's sealed move on the
morning of the second day.
The bravest part of the decision
was that Sato himself was far from convinced that this was the correct
move.
39. P6fx6e 40. S5dx6e 41. S5fx6e
42. N7cx6e 43. S7g-6f 44. P8e-8f 45. P8gx8f
46. P*6d
Not good is 46.Rx8f P*8g R8e S*8f
R8a P*6a and white gets in big trouble (G5b Sx6e S*3i R1h B*2i N*6d).
47. B*5e
The
reason Sato dared to play 38.P6e is that 47.S*7a is looking good
in this position, but leads to a good position for white after 48.R7b
Sx6b+ Rx6b B*7c R6a Bx9a+ S*3i.
48.
B*4d 49. B5ex4d 50. P4cx4d 51. P4f-4e 52. S*3i 53. R2h-2i 54. B*4i
55. S*4g 56. B4ix5h+ 57. S4gx5h 58. S3i-4h+ 59. R2i-2h 60. G*3h
61. R2h-1h 62. +S4hx5h 63. R1hx3h 64. N6ex5g+
65.
S6fx5g?
A mistake
that Maruyama even called the losing move. After 65.P*5i
+N5f S7g +S5g Px4d instead, the position would have been unclear.
66.
+S5hx5g 67. P*5h 68. S*4g!
The problem. After 69.R1h Sx5h=
black has no good defence against S6g+ next.
69. P5hx5g 70. S4gx3h+ 71.
N3g-2e 72. R*4i 73. P*6i 74. +S3h-4h 75. B*7g 76. +S4h-5h 77.
K7i-8h 78. R4ix6i+ 79. G*7i
80. +R6i-4i!
It is tempting to take the lance,
but that would be a mistake after B*5e. It looks like +R4i is
a simple retreat, but this rook also works very well in defence
on the vital fourth file, leaving Maruyama with very few attacking
options.
81. S*7a 82. R8b-7b 83. S7ax6b+
84. R7bx6b 85. G*7c
This took Sato completely by surprise.
He had counted on 85.Bx4d, after which 86.S*6h G7ix6h +Sx6h Gx6h
S*7i K9h Sx6h= is good for white. Maruyama, realising that he
is in trouble, is trying to get away with sennichite.
86. R6b-9b 87. G7c-8c 88. R9b-6b
89. G8c-7c 90. R6b-6a
Sato repeated the moves just to
compose himself and to make sure that he can still win even after
Maruyama's next attack.
91. N*5f 92. S*6h!
The
winning move. Next, Sx7i+ Gx7i P*8g is deadly, so Maruyama has
to do something desperate.
93. N5fx4d 94. S6hx7g+!
The quickest way to win is probably
still 94.Sx7i+ Gx7i P*8g Kx8g +Rx7i, but Nx3b+ followed by S*3c
is very dangerous. Sato does not take any risks.
95. N8ix7g
96. B*6f
This bishop is also working in defence.
A blunder would have been 96.S*6h G7ix6h +Sx6h Gx6h B*7i K7h and
the black king escapes.
97. B*5b 98. B6fx4d 99. B5bx6a+
100. N*6f 101. S*4a
Maruyama's last try does not work,
but 101.Px4d Nx7h+ Kx7h P*8g P*6i +Sx6i Gx6i P8h+ Kx8h +Rx6i +Bx3d
is also winning for white.
102.
N6fx7h+ 103. G7ix7h 104. P*8g 105. G7hx8g 106. +S5h-6h 107. S4ax3b+
108. K3ax3b 109. G*4c 110. S4bx4c 111. +B6ax4c 112. K3bx4c 113.
P4ex4d 114. K4cx4d 115. B*6f 116. S*5e
Resigns
Time: 08:59:00 07:58:00
This win must be a great relief for Sato. He has equalled
the match at 2-2, the momentum is completely his after two wins
and he has black in the next game. Most of all, he must be relieved
that he finally managed to win a Kakugawari game in the Meijin match
after six failed attempts.
The Meijin title will now be decided
in a best-of-three, so the next game is perhaps the most important
one of the match. Who will get to one game within the Meijin
title?
|
