15th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament Game 4

Black: Tanigawa Koji, Ryu-O
White: Morishita Taku, 8-dan
15th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament, Game 4, May 13th 1997
1.P7g-7f       0/0      0/0
2.P8c-8d       0/0      0/0
3.G6i-7h       0/0      0/0
4.G4a-3b       0/0      0/0
5.S7i-6h       0/0      0/0
6.P3c-3d       0/0      0/0
7.B8h-7g       0/0      0/0
8.P4c-4d       0/0      5/5

Morishita is one of the best defenders in Shogi and chooses a defensive
strategy. Not very wise, since Tanigawa is probably the best attacker in
Shogi. Also, in the games Morishita won he played much more positively.
Shogi tends to award the positive players...

9.S3i-4h       0/0      0/5
10.S3a-4b       0/0      0/5
11.P4g-4f       1/1      0/5
12.S7a-6b       0/1      3/8
13.S4h-4g       0/1      0/8
14.P5c-5d       0/1      0/8
15.S4g-5f       2/3      0/8
16.S6b-5c       0/3      0/8
17.R2h-4h       2/5      0/8
18.N2a-3c       0/5      5/13
19.K5i-6i       5/10      0/13
20.G6a-5b       0/10      1/14
21.P3g-3f       1/11      0/14
22.K5a-4a       0/11      1/15
23.K6i-7i       1/12      0/15
24.G5b-4c       0/12      2/17
25.N2i-3g       46/58      0/17
26.K4a-3a       0/58      4/21

Four generals, bishop and knight to defend the white king. Is it enough to
defend against black's ideal attack of rook, bishop, silver and knight?

27.P4f-4e       4/62      0/21
28.P4dx4e?!       0/62      24/45
Diagram 1 

Morishita was sorry to have played this move. Better is probably 28.Nx4e Nx4e
Px4e Bx2b+ Kx2b P3e and now white has the counter B*3g Sx4e Bx4h+ Gx4h R*3i
K8h Rx3e+ and black is in trouble.

29.P3f-3e       0/62      0/45
30.P3dx3e       0/62      0/45
31.N3gx4e       0/62      0/45
32.N3cx4e       0/62      0/45
33.B7gx2b+      2/64      0/45
34.G3bx2b       0/64      0/45
35.P*4d         16/80      0/45
36.S5cx4d       0/80      56/101

After 36.N3g+ Px4c+ +Nx4h +Px5c black is clearly better.

37.S5fx4e       0/80      0/101
38.S4dx4e       0/80      0/101
39.R4hx4e       0/80      0/101
40.P*4d         0/80      0/101
41.R4ex3e       0/80      0/101
42.P*3d         0/80      0/101
43.R3e-6e       0/80      0/101

Morishita did not see this move long enough in advance.

44.N*6d         0/80      0/101

Can't be helped, but white would have liked to use this piece somewhere else.
Also, the gold on 2b is painful.

45.P*4e         11/91      0/101
46.P4dx4e       0/91      4/105
47.B*7a         1/92      0/105
48.R8b-7b       0/92      0/105
49.B7a-2f+      0/92      0/105
50.S*3e         0/92      1/106
51.+B2f-3g       3/95      0/106
52.P4e-4f       0/95      5/111
53.N*7e!         6/101      0/111
Diagram 2 

Great attacking move. Defense is difficult...

54.R7b-6b       0/101      25/136

If 54.G5c then N8c+ R5b R7e and black wins.

55.N7ex6c+      2/103      0/136
56.R6bx6c       0/103      0/136
57.S*5b         0/103      0/136
58.P*6b         0/103      0/136
59.S5bx6c=      11/114      0/136
60.P6bx6c       0/114      0/136
61.P*3f         0/114      0/136
62.S3e-4d       0/114      11/147
63.R*7a         1/115      0/147
64.K3a-3b       0/115      0/147
65.+B3gx4f       1/116      0/147
66.P*4e         0/116      0/147
67.+B4f-3g       11/127      0/147
68.G2b-2a       0/127      0/147

Tries to reposition the bad gold, but there is no time.

69.R7ax8a+      3/130      0/147
70.B*9b         0/130      0/147

This attack on dragon and rook looks painful for black, but Tanigawa has
calculated it all in advance.

71.R6ex6d!       1/131      0/147
72.B9bx8a       0/131      3/150

After 72.Px6d +Rx9a white's position is even worse.

73.R6dx8d       0/131      0/150
74.B8a-9b       0/131      0/150
75.R8d-8b+      1/132      0/150
76.R*2i         0/132      8/158
77.N*3i         3/135      0/158
78.P5d-5e       0/135      1/159
79.+R8bx9a       2/137      0/159
80.B9b-6e       0/137      0/159
81.L*2f?!         0/137      0/159
Diagram 3 

It is hard to play a perfect Shogi game. If black would have played 81.N*4g
he would have won more quickly. For example 82.S*4f +B3h Rx1i+ N3e! and the
double threat of Nx2c+~+Rx2a and +Bx6e is decisive.

82.G2a-3a       0/137      5/164
83.S6h-7g       11/148      0/164
84.P1c-1d       0/148      1/165
85.K7i-8h       0/148      0/165
86.N*4f         0/148      8/173
87.S7g-6f       4/152      0/173
88.B6ex7f       0/152      0/173
89.P*7g         0/152      0/173
90.B7f-5d       0/152      3/176
91.+B3g-4g       4/156      0/176
92.R2i-2h+      0/156      0/176
93.S6f-6e       0/156      0/176
94.S*6i         0/156      0/176
95.P*4h         0/156      0/176
96.N4f-5h+      0/156      0/176
97.S6ex5d       2/158      0/176
98.G4cx5d       0/158      0/176
99.B*7f         1/159      0/176
100.S*4c         0/159      0/176
101.+B4gx5h       4/163      0/176
102.S6ix5h=      0/163      0/176
103.G4ix5h       0/163      0/176
104.+R2hx3i       0/163      0/176
105.N*6f!         2/165      0/176
Diagram 4 

It kind of looked like Morishita was getting back into it, but this decides the
game in Tanigawa's favour.

106.G5d-5c       0/165      0/176
107.N*5d         0/165      0/176
108.S4d-3c       0/165      0/176
109.N5dx4b+      0/165      0/176
110.S3cx4b       0/165      0/176
111.S*5d         0/165      0/176
112.N*8f         0/165      2/178
113.P8gx8f       0/165      0/178
114.P*8g         0/165      0/178
115.B7fx8g       0/165      0/178
116.N*7e         0/165      0/178
117.S5dx4c+      2/167      0/178
118.G5cx4c       0/167      0/178
119.B8gx4c+      0/167      0/178
120.K3bx4c       0/167      0/178
121.S*5d         0/167      0/178

Mate next after 122.K3c G*4c K2b +Rx3a Sx3a G*3c etc.

Resigns      0/167      0/178
Time:       02:47:00      02:58:00
Final Diagram