11th Ryu-O Match Game 1
Black: Tanigawa, Ryu-O
White: Fujii, Challenger
11th Ryu-O-sen, Game 1, October 15th and 16th 1998
1.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0
The first game of the Ryu-O match is always a special occasion, since it is
played outside of Japan. This year the game was played in New York. Because
of the 13 hour time difference between New York and Japan (in Japan it is
13 hours later), it must have been very hard for the players. For Fujii there
was the added handicap of playing his first title match game. After the
furigoma also gave the title holder black, it was expected that Tanigawa would
have a considerable advantage in this game.
2.P3c-3d 0/0 3/3
3.P2g-2f 2/2 0/3
4.P4c-4d 0/2 6/9
5.S3i-4h 2/4 0/9
6.R8b-4b 0/4 3/12
7.K5i-6h 2/6 0/12
8.S7a-7b 0/6 3/15
9.K6h-7h 3/9 0/15
10.P9c-9d 0/9 1/16
11.P5g-5f 11/20 0/16
12.S3a-3b 0/20 11/27
13.B8h-7g 30/50 0/27
14.S3b-4c 0/50 4/31
15.G4i-5h 60/110 0/31
16.P6c-6d 0/110 68/99
17.P6g-6f 16/126 0/99
18.P7c-7d 0/126 29/128
19.G5h-6g 2/128 0/128
20.N8a-7c 0/128 5/133
21.P2f-2e 20/148 0/133
22.B2b-3c 0/148 5/138
23.S4h-5g 0/148 0/138
24.P9d-9e 0/148 42/180
Before the match Fujii said that he did not know what Tanigawa would play
against him, but that he intended to play from his own strength. No surprise
that the first game brings the "Fujii system". This opening is designed to
make it hard for the Ibisha side to play Anaguma.
25.P5f-5e!? 48/196 0/180
Tanigawa's prepared move. The idea is to make a strong attack against the
anaguma impossible by closing the bishop diagonal to the black king. After
this attack is no longer dangerous, black wants to play the anaguma after
all. It looks like black might lose the pawn on 5e quickly, but things are
not that easy.
26.P4d-4e 0/196 13/193
27.S5g-5f 11/207 0/193
28.S4c-4d 0/207 1/194
29.K7h-8h 4/211 0/194
30.G4a-5b 0/211 46/240
After 30.Sx5e Sx5e Bx5e P2d black is better.
31.G6i-7h 12/223 0/240
32.K5a-6b 0/223 8/248
33.B7g-6h 7/230 0/248
34.R4b-2b 0/230 1/249
35.P4g-4f 7/237 0/249
36.P4ex4f 0/237 11/260
37.B6hx4f 0/237 0/260
38.P*4e 0/237 0/260
39.B4f-6h 0/237 0/260
40.K6b-7a 0/237 0/260
41.P8g-8f 49/286 0/260
42.P8c-8d 0/286 30/290
43.L9i-9h 15/301 0/290
With the bishop and rook no longer threatening, black switches to the anaguma.
White now has a very important choice: allow black to finish the anaguma or
play a quick attack after all.
44.P8d-8e 0/301 47/337
Fujii judges that black has the better play after 44.S8c K9i G7b S8h K8b and
decides to attack. This looks like an overplay, but it is true to Fujii's style
and to the system that bears his name.
45.P8fx8e 1/302 0/337
46.P6d-6e 0/302 26/363
47.P6fx6e 31/333 0/363
48.S4dx5e 0/333 1/364
49.S5fx5e 4/337 0/364
50.B3cx5e 0/337 1/365
51.B6h-7g 0/337 0/365
52.B5ex7g+ 0/337 0/365
53.G6gx7g 0/337 0/365
54.B*3c 0/337 0/365
55.P*5e! 6/343 0/365
It looked like white had some serious threats on the long diagonal, but this
"defend against major pieces by drawing them closer"-tesuji reverses the
initiative.
56.B3cx5e 0/343 0/365
57.S*6f 18/361 0/365
58.B5e-4d 0/361 20/385
59.P8e-8d 6/367 0/385
This is a painful pawn so close to the white king. Tanigawa has the advantage
here.
60.P*8f 0/367 26/411
61.P*5e 2/369 0/411
62.S*8g 0/369 0/411
63.G7hx8g 13/382 0/411
64.P8fx8g+ 0/382 0/411
65.K8hx8g 0/382 0/411
66.G*8e 0/382 1/412
Tries to attack and defend.
67.P7f-7e! 16/398 0/412
Another good move that keeps the advantage with black.
68.P*8f 0/398 3/415
69.K8g-7h 1/399 0/415
70.G8ex8d 0/399 15/430
71.P7ex7d 3/402 0/430
72.G8dx7d 0/402 0/430
73.P*7e 0/402 0/430
74.G7d-8d 0/402 1/431
75.S*7f? 0/402 0/431
Improving the thickness around the king and supporting the pawns on 7e and 6e.
It looks like a good move, but this gives white the move he needs to get
counterplay. Better is 75.P*8e Nx8e (Gx8e P7d) Gx8f and with the weak knight
on 8e and a silver and bishop still in hand, black is clearly better.
76.P*6d 0/402 1/432
77.P*8e 7/409 0/432
78.G8d-8c 0/409 0/432
79.P7e-7d 20/429 0/432
80.N7cx6e 0/429 7/439
81.G7gx8f 0/429 0/439
82.G8cx7d 0/429 0/439
83.S7i-6h 6/435 0/439
84.B4d-3e 0/435 9/448
85.P*7e 1/436 0/448
86.G7d-7c 0/436 0/448
87.P3g-3f 0/436 0/448
88.B3e-4f 0/436 0/448
89.R2h-1h 0/436 0/448
90.R2b-4b 0/436 0/448
91.P5e-5d 1/437 0/448
92.P5cx5d 0/437 1/449
93.K7h-8g 5/442 0/449
94.P1c-1d 0/442 2/451
95.B*2f? 2/444 0/451
Tries to force something but there is nothing. If black would have played
95.P9f B1c Px9e P4f P*4c things would still have been very difficult for
both sides. The bishop on 2f becomes a white target.
96.K7a-8a 0/444 3/454
97.P9g-9f 3/447 0/454
98.P2c-2d! 0/447 1/455
Now black is in big trouble. This pawn is going all the way to pick up the
rook on 1h, a rook that white can use very effectively against the black king.
99.P7e-7d 10/457 0/455
100.G7cx7d 0/457 0/455
101.P9fx9e 1/458 0/455
102.P2dx2e 0/458 0/455
103.B2f-5i 0/458 0/455
104.P2e-2f 0/458 0/455
105.P*4g 0/458 0/455
106.P2f-2g+ 0/458 0/455
107.P4gx4f 0/458 0/455
108.+P2gx1h 0/458 0/455
109.P9e-9d 0/458 0/455
110.P*9b 0/458 0/455
111.S6f-7e 0/458 0/455
112.P*7c 0/458 3/458
113.S7ex7d 1/459 0/458
114.P7cx7d 0/459 0/458
115.B*6f 1/460 0/458
116.R4b-4c 0/460 1/459
117.P*5c 1/461 0/459
118.R4cx5c 0/461 0/459
119.N2i-3g 0/461 0/459
120.S*5e 0/461 2/461
121.B6f-8d 1/462 0/461
122.R*4g 0/462 3/464
123.N8i-7g 1/463 0/464
124.P*8b! 0/463 5/469
It looked like black had some real attack himself, but this move kills all
quick attacking possibilities. Thereby the rook on 5c is freed of defense
duties and can now join in the attack.
125.L1ix1h 0/463 0/469
126.R5c-2c 0/463 3/472
127.P*5c 2/465 0/472
128.G5b-6c 0/465 0/472
129.G*5b 2/467 0/472
130.N6ex7g+ 0/467 2/474
131.S6hx7g 0/467 0/474
132.R2c-2i+ 0/467 1/475
133.G5bx6a 4/471 0/475
134.S7bx6a 0/471 0/475
135.N*3i 0/471 0/475
136.R4g-4i+ 0/471 1/476
137.B5i-6h 0/471 0/476
138.N*7c 0/471 1/477
139.N3gx4e 2/473 0/477
140.+R2ix1h 0/473 0/477
141.K8g-9f 0/473 0/477
142.+R4i-9i 0/473 0/477
143.S7f-8g 0/473 0/477
144.L*8c 0/473 0/477
145.B8dx7c+ 0/473 0/477
146.G6cx7c 0/473 0/477
147.P*6b 0/473 0/477
148.S6a-7b 0/473 0/477
149.P5c-5b+ 0/473 0/477
150.P9b-9c 0/473 0/477
151.P9dx9c+ 2/475 0/477
152.L9ax9c 0/475 0/477
153.P*9e 0/475 0/477
154.B*6i 0/475 0/477
Resigns 0/475 0/477
Time: 07:55:00 07:57:00
White is threatening mate after +Rx9h, but there is no good defense. After
the best defense 155.G*9g, white can for example win by 156.Lx8e Gx8e G*8d.
A dream start for Fujii in his first title match appearance. Can Tanigawa
make his vast experience count and bounce back in game 2?