71st Kisei-sen, Game 1
To play through the game in a Java viewer, click
here.
Black: Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger
White: Tanigawa Koji, Kisei
71st Kisei-sen, Game 1, 9 June 2000
Notes by Reijer Grimbergen
1.P7g-7f
A special game between these two rivals as it is exactly the 100th time they meet in an official game. Habu has a big lead of 60 wins against only 39 losses. Tanigawa wants to make it a nice even number while at the same time ending Habu's winning streak at 14. More importantly, he needs this game to have a good start in this Kisei match. In a short five game match, a win in the first game is very important. Still, he will need to break a
jinx, as this was the fifth consecutive year that a Kisei game was played in Awajijima and the previous four games were all won by the Kisei challenger.
2.P3c-3d
3.P2g-2f
4.P4c-4d
5.P2f-2e
6.B2b-3c
7.S3i-4h
8.R8b-4b
Not really a surprise, as Tanigawa said in a pre-match interview that playing the Shikenbisha was a distinct possibility. He might want to rethink his opening after this game...
9.K5i-6h
10.S7a-7b
11.K6h-7h
12.P9c-9d
13.P9g-9f
14.S3a-3b
15.P5g-5f
16.G4a-5b
17.G4i-5h
18.S3b-4c
19.S4h-5g
20.P6c-6d
21.P8g-8f
22.K5a-6b
23.K7h-8g
24.K6b-7a
25.S7i-7h
26.P7c-7d
27.P3g-3f
28.N8a-7c
29.R2h-3h
30.R4b-3b
31.P6g-6f
32.K7a-8b
33.G5h-6g
34.G5b-6c
35.S5g-6h
36.R3b-2b
37.N2i-3g!
Good move by Habu. This knight is blocking the rook and is weak at the vital point 3f, so this move looks a bit awkward. However, Habu has judged correctly that white has no way to make use of the weaknesses.
38.P5c-5d
Admitting strategic defeat. 38.P2d only helps black after 39.R2h.
39.S6h-7g
40.P3d-3e?!
Tanigawa is not the type of player to sit back and watch where the attack will hit him. Attacking the head of the knight is the only positive plan, but it is only good for black.
41.P3fx3e
42.R2b-5b
43.B8h-7i
44.P5d-5e
45.P5fx5e
46.R5bx5e
47.P2e-2d
48.P2cx2d
49.P*2b
50.B3cx2b
51.R3h-2h
52.B2b-3c
53.P3e-3d
54.S4cx3d
55.B7ix2d
56.P*3f
57.B2dx3c+
58.N2ax3c
59.R2h-2b+
60.P*5f
61.P*5h
62.P3fx3g+
63.+R2bx3c
64.B*4c!
White is in deep trouble, but this is a very good fighting move. This defends both the silver and attack the king side.
65.P6f-6e
66.R5ex6e
67.G6g-6f?
Habu completely overlooked the next move. Had he seen it, he would have played the correct 67.K8h +Px4g S6f after black keeps his big advantage.
68.P7d-7e!
Tanigawa magic. White suddenly gets a good counter attack. However, white has not managed to turn the tables yet. Black still has the advantage.
69.G6fx6e
70.N7cx6e
71.S7g-6f
72.P7ex7f
73.N*5e
74.P7f-7g+
75.N8ix7g
76.N6ex7g+
77.K8gx7g
78.G*7f
79.K7g-8h
80.G7fx6f
81.N5ex6c+
82.S7bx6c
83.N*8e
84.N*8a
85.+R3c-4b?
Bad move that leads to an unclear position. Black could have won the game here with 85.B*7e!. After 86.G7f +Rx4c Sx4c G*7c Nx7c B*9c white is mated.
86.P*7b
87.B*5e
88.N*7f
89.K8h-9h
90.G6f-6e
91.P*6b?
Very uncharacteristic. Habu calculated that his attack was one move faster and usually he can be trusted in positions like this. However, he again overlooked something. After simple 91.B4d it is still very much unclear who will win the game.
92.G6ex5e
93.P6bx6a+
94.B*8h!
The wake up call. Habu had only looked at moves like 94.P9e, which lead to mate after 95.G*7c Nx7c Nx7c+ Kx7c +R6b K7d G*8e K6e R*7e K5d R5e! However, with the white bishop on 8h the final check on 5e is not possible, so black no longer has mate. It is an indication of Tanigawa's good form that he had seen everything in only one minute.
95.R*8g
This switch to defence was not planned. Tanigawa now kills the black king very quickly.
96.N*7e
97.R8gx8h
98.N7fx8h+
99.K9hx8h
100.R*8g
101.K8h-7i
102.S*8h
103.K7i-6h
104.P5f-5g+
105.P5hx5g
106.R8g-7g+
Resigns
Time: 04:59:00 04:58:00
And mate after 107.K5h B*7f or 107.Sx7g Sx7g+ Kx7g B8g+.
A big win for Tanigawa after having such a bad position in the early middle game. Habu must be very disappointed, being beaten at the areas where he usually excels: surprise fighting moves and endgame accuracy. He will need to break back with the white piece in game two to keep a fifth crown in sight.
|
