58th Meijin-sen, Game 6
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Black: Maruyama Tadahisa, Challenger
White: Sato Yasumitsu, Meijin
58th Meijin-sen, Game 6, 14-15 June 2000
Notes by Reijer Grimbergen
1.P2g-2f
2.G4a-3b
3.P7g-7f
4.P8c-8d
5.G6i-7h
6.P8d-8e
7.B8h-7g
8.P3c-3d
9.S7i-8h
10.B2bx7g+
11.S8hx7g
A do or die game for Maruyama, as he must win this game to take the match to a deciding seventh game. Despite his loss in game 4, he was not expected to change his game plan and indeed chose the Kakugawari again.
12.S3a-4b
13.S3i-3h
14.S7a-7b
15.P9g-9f
16.P1c-1d
17.P1g-1f
18.P9c-9d
19.P4g-4f
20.P6c-6d
21.S3h-4g
22.S7b-6c
23.K5i-6h
24.K5a-4a
25.S4g-5f
26.K4a-3a
27.K6h-7i
28.S6c-5d
29.P6g-6f
30.K3a-2b
31.P3g-3f
32.R8b-6b
Like in game 4, Sato is aiming for a quick attack.
33.P2f-2e
The sealed move and a surprise. Commentators expected 33.P7e to make it hard for white to use the knight on 8a. With 33.P2e Maruyama shows that he believes that Sato's attack is not strong enough and that his counter attack will be stronger.
34.P6d-6e?!
A decision that was probably influenced by the success of the quick attack in game 4. Sato himself had the feeling that this might be an overplay, but he could not help himself and played it anyway. The simple 34.S3c is probably better.
35.P6fx6e
36.S5dx6e
37.S5fx6e
38.R6bx6e
39.P*6f
40.R6e-6b
41.P1f-1e!
There is Maruyama's counter attack. It is very strong indeed.
42.P1dx1e
43.P2e-2d
44.P2cx2d
45.R2hx2d
46.P*2c
47.R2dx3d
48.P8e-8f
49.P*1b
50.L1ax1b
51.P8gx8f?
Here Maruyama misses a very good chance. After 51.P*1c! Lx1c B*1a K3a S*2b K4a R8d black has a very good position. Note that P*1c is a vital pawn sacrifice, as 51.B*1a immediately fails to Kx1a Rx3b+ S3c and black has no good continuation.
52.S4b-3c
53.R3d-8d
54.P*8c
55.R8dx8c+
56.P*8b
57.+R8c-8e
58.P*6e!
Things have now changed in white's favour. Black has to exchange the promoted rook here, as white is threatening to win it with S*7d. With a rook in hand, white's attack gets a lot more power.
59.+R8ex6e
60.R6bx6e
61.P6fx6e
62.B*2g
63.S*3h
64.B2gx3f+
65.P*3d
Maruyama realises that he is in trouble and tries to complicate the position.
66.S3c-4d?!
Hard to judge, but taking the pawn might have been better. 66.Sx3d R*6d is a double attack on silver and gold, but after R*6i K8h P*6f Rx3d P6g+ Rx3f +Px7h Kx7h G*7i K8h Gx8i K7h G7i K8h and now white has to give up the initiative with P*3c. This is a very tough position, but it seems easier for white to play the attack as R6g+ next is devastating.
67.K7i-8h
Here Sato feared that the game would end in sennichite after 67.B*4g +Bx4g (+Bx4f P*1c is good for black) Sx4g B*2g S3h B3f+ B*4g. It seems that Maruyama never gave this possibility any thought.
68.P*6f
69.S7gx6f
70.+B3f-6i?
A clear mistake that changes the game again in Maruyama's favour. After 70.R*6i S7g P9e Px9e Lx9e Lx9e P*6f L*6h S*6g white has a strong attack.
71.R*6g!
It seems that Sato overlooked this move. He now has to retreat the bishop and never gets a good attack going anymore.
72.+B6i-3f
73.P6e-6d
74.+B3fx4f
75.S6f-7g
76.P9d-9e
77.P9fx9e
78.P*6f
79.S7gx6f
80.+B4fx1i
81.N2i-3g
82.L*3f
83.P*4e
84.L3fx3g+
85.P4ex4d
86.+L3gx3h
87.S*4a
88.G3b-4b
89.P4dx4c+
90.G4bx4c
91.P*2d
92.P*3b
93.G4ix3h
94.L9ax9e
95.B*1a!
The deciding move. Of course 95.Lx9e was impossible because of N*9f, but this bishop sacrifice has been calculated very deep. White can get an entering king, but Maruyama has judged correctly that he will have no trouble to mate the king in the black camp.
96.K2b-1c
White can not take the bishop. 96.Kx1a P2c+ and there is no defence.
97.S4ax3b=
98.G4cx3d
99.B1a-2b+
100.K1cx2d
101.+B2bx2c
102.K2d-2e
103.P*2f
104.K2ex2f
105.+B2cx3d
106.S*2g
107.L*2i
108.+B1ix2i
109.G*3g
110.K2f-1g
111.G3gx2g
112.K1g-1h
113.P*1i
114.K1hx1i
115.R6g-6i
Resigns
Time: 08:12:00 08:59:00
A nice way to finish. The rook that first worked well in defence, now plays a deciding role in attack. There is no defence against S*2h next, so Sato resigned. The meijin match is going the full stretch for the third year in a row. Sato is perhaps the favourite still, as he has experience with this situation and won the seventh game in the previous two years. However, one
feels that the furigoma will be watched with more than average
anticipation as both players seem to be hard to beat with black.
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