12th Ryu-O Match Game 5

Black: Suzuki Daisuke, Challenger
White: Fujii Takeshi, Ryu-O
12th Ryu-O sen, Game 5, November 25th and 26th 1999
1.P7g-7f           0/0          0/0
2.P3c-3d           0/0          5/5
3.P1g-1f           1/1          0/5
4.P8c-8d           0/1          14/19
5.P5g-5f           11/12        0/19
6.P8d-8e           0/12         24/43
7.R2h-5h           0/12         0/43
8.G6a-5b           0/12         27/70
9.P5f-5e           10/22        0/70

Suzuki likes the wild variations of the Gokigen Nakabisha. He also played
this opening in game 2, with disastrous results. However, in this game he
is black, which has given him an extra move. This move, 3.P1f, will make
an important difference.

10.P8e-8f?!        0/22         93/163

Like in game 2, Fujii takes up the challenge. With white this might be not
such a good idea...

11.P8gx8f          4/26         0/163
12.R8bx8f          0/26         0/163
13.P5e-5d!         51/77        0/163

The sharpest possible variation. In game 2 Suzuki had to defend here and
lost without a chance.

14.P5cx5d          0/77         1/164
15.B8hx2b+         0/77         0/164
16.S3ax2b          0/77         0/164
17.B*7g            1/78         0/164
18.R8fx8i+         0/78         0/164
19.B7gx2b+         0/78         0/164
20.N*5e            0/78         33/197
21.K5i-4h          7/85         0/197
22.+R8ix9i         0/85         0/197
23.+B2bx2a         39/124       0/197
24.N5ex6g+         0/124        19/216
25.R5hx5d          128/252      0/216

This move ended the first day. Only 25 moves have been played, but what
excitement! It is very rare for a title match game to have the board on
fire after such a few moves. Violent as it may be, the moves above are
all more or less forced.

26.P*5c            0/252        109/325

After long thought. 26.L*5c is very tempting here. White seems to win after
27.R8d B*6f and 27.Rx3d +N5g K3h +Nx4g K2h B*6g. However, black also has
27.Rx5c+! Gx5c N*4e B*5g K3h Bx7i+ Nx5c+ +Bx6i +Bx4c. If the black edge
pawn would be on 1g, then white would have mate after +Bx4g K2h G*3h. Since
black has an extra escape on 1g, it is black who wins in this variation
instead of white. This is the reason why Fujii's 10.P8f is suspect.

27.R5d-5f?         6/258        0/325

Suzuki finally has the edge after the opening, but he almost immediately
throws away his advantage. 27.R5i was the right move. White then has to
play the same variation as in the game with 28.B*6f K3h L*7g, but there
is a big difference between having a bishop and having a horse on 6f.

28.B*8h            0/258        22/347
29.R5f-5i          39/297       0/347
30.B8h-6f+         0/297        37/384
31.K4h-3h          0/297        0/384
32.L*7g            0/297        0/384

33.S*8h            70/367       0/384

In his calculations, Suzuki had counted on the power of 33.P*5d. Here he
saw that white can ignore this and play 34.Lx7i+ Px5c+ +R9h P*6h +Lx6i
and black loses the semeai. After 33.S*8h white has the advantage; he is
the only one to attack.

34.+R9i-9h         0/367        4/388
35.P*6h            0/367        0/388
36.L7gx7i+         0/367        15/403
37.S8hx7i          0/367        0/403
38.P*8g            0/367        5/408

39.P*8i?           14/381       0/408

Another mistake. 39.L*5e was the right move. If then 40.S6b or 40.S*6d then
+Bx1a brings the black horse back into play. (Black does not have to fear
P8h+ Px6g +Px7i R5h!).

40.S*3b            0/381        4/412

Wins the horse.

41.+B2ax3b         11/392       0/412
42.G4ax3b          0/392        0/412

43.S*4h?           0/392        0/412

The losing move. 43.L*8f was the last chance to make a fight of it. Then
44.P8h+ Px8h P*8b Px6g is still difficult for white.

44.+N6g-7g         0/392        0/412

Suzuki thought that having forced this promoted knight away from the king
was a big plus. A serious error of judgement.

45.N*4e            2/394        0/412
46.S7a-6b          0/394        11/423
47.L*5e            0/394        0/423
48.G3b-4b          0/394        13/436

49.L5ex5c+?        4/398        0/436

This wild sacrifice just quickens the end. 49.S*3a is the last chance to give
white some problems.

50.S6bx5c          0/398        2/438
51.N4ex5c+         1/399        0/438
52.G5bx5c          0/399        0/438
53.S4h-5g          0/399        0/438
54.+B6f-8d         0/399        6/444
55.S5g-4h          11/410       0/444
56.L*2d            0/410        6/450
57.P3g-3f          5/415        0/450
58.P*5d            0/415        5/455
59.N2i-3g          1/416        0/455
60.P4c-4d          0/416        2/457
61.P2g-2f          0/416        0/457
62.L2dx2f          0/416        1/458
63.P*2g            3/419        0/458
64.P3d-3e          0/419        0/458
65.S*2e            5/424        0/458
66.P3ex3f          0/424        3/461
67.S2ex3f          0/424        0/461
68.N*2d            0/424        0/461
69.R5i-5f          1/425        0/461
70.P8g-8h+         0/425        0/461
71.P8ix8h          2/427        0/461
72.+N7gx8h         0/427        0/461
Resigns            17/444       0/461
Time:              07:24:00     07:41:00

A little early to resign, but black's position is hopeless. White threatens
to win the silver on 3f with +Nx7i Gx7i S*5e. Defending against this with
73.S2e fails to P*3f while 73.S*2e ends all black hopes of an attack.

His first title match appearance has becoming a painful experience for
Suzuki. He was outplayed in the opening in all games except game 5. In
that game he got exactly the position he wanted, but consecutive errors
in a type of position that was supposed to be his speciality lead to a
quick disaster. Fujii must be very happy with his dominance in this match.
He is the Ryu-O titleholder for at least another year.