16th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament Game 3
Black: Moriuchi, 8-dan
White: Habu, 4-K
16th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament, Game 3, May 1st 1998
1.P2g-2f 0/0 0/0
2.P8c-8d 0/0 1/1
3.P7g-7f 0/0 0/1
4.G4a-3b 0/0 0/1
5.G6i-7h 0/0 0/1
6.P8d-8e 0/0 0/1
7.B8h-7g 0/0 0/1
8.P3c-3d 0/0 2/3
9.S7i-8h 0/0 0/3
10.B2bx7g+ 0/0 1/4
11.S8hx7g 0/0 0/4
The opening is a little surprise. Moriuchi is not known to be an expert in
the Bishop Exchange.
12.S3a-4b 0/0 0/4
13.S3i-3h 0/0 0/4
14.S7a-7b 0/0 0/4
15.P9g-9f 0/0 0/4
16.S4b-3c 0/0 2/6
17.P4g-4f 0/0 0/6
18.P6c-6d 0/0 1/7
19.S3h-4g 0/0 0/7
20.S7b-6c 0/0 0/7
21.K5i-6h 0/0 0/7
22.K5a-4b 0/0 1/8
23.G4i-5h 2/2 0/8
24.S6c-5d 0/2 3/11
25.P1g-1f 0/2 0/11
26.P1c-1d 0/2 13/24
27.P3g-3f 0/2 0/24
28.G6a-5b 0/2 3/27
29.K6h-7i 1/3 0/27
30.K4b-3a 0/3 9/36
31.P9f-9e 18/21 0/36
The first discussion point of the game. The general opinion was that Moriuchi
had prepared this. It is unclear whether this pawn push is strong or just
a waste of time. In this game it works well for black.
32.P7c-7d 0/21 2/38
33.S4g-5f 3/24 0/38
34.N8a-7c 0/24 4/42
35.N2i-3g 16/40 0/42
36.S3c-4d 0/40 23/65
37.P2f-2e 13/53 0/65
38.S4d-5e?! 0/53 15/80
Habu judges that a waiting game is not good for him and starts an aggresive
attack with the defending silver. In general this is asking for trouble and
this game is no different.
39.P2e-2d 38/91 0/80
40.P2cx2d 0/91 0/80
41.S5fx5e 0/91 0/80
42.S5dx5e 0/91 0/80
43.R2hx2d 0/91 0/80
44.P*2c 0/91 3/83
45.R2d-2e 0/91 0/83
46.S5ex4f 0/91 1/84
47.N3g-4e 0/91 0/84
48.P8e-8f 0/91 3/87
49.P8gx8f 4/95 0/87
50.P*8g 0/95 38/125
51.G7hx8g 13/108 0/125
52.N7c-6e 0/108 0/125
53.S7g-6f 11/119 0/125
54.B*4i 0/119 2/127
55.G5h-6h 15/134 0/127
56.S*5i 0/134 1/128
57.B*7c! 1/135 0/128
Strong move by Moriuchi. The normal 57.G7h gives white to many chances to
attack. It seems that the black king is now stripped from his defense, but
Moriuchi has judged correctly that the freedom of the undefended king makes
it hard to attack in this position.
58.S5ix6h= 0/135 20/148
59.K7ix6h 0/135 0/148
60.R8b-8c 0/135 1/149
61.B7cx6d+ 7/142 0/149
62.N6ex5g+ 0/142 7/156
63.S6fx5g 0/142 0/156
64.S4fx5g+ 0/142 0/156
65.K6hx5g 0/142 0/156
66.P*6f 0/142 0/156
67.S*5f 15/157 0/156
68.S*7h 0/157 5/161
69.+B6dx7d? 14/171 0/161
Hard to see, but Moriuchi misses his chance to win here. After 69.K4h!
70.G*3h K4g or 70.G*5h K3g, the king has forced a bad drop of white's final
piece in hand, which also blocks the white rook. This is one of the rare
positions where the strength of the king as an attacking piece becomes clear.
70.P6fx6g+ 0/171 3/164
71.K5g-4f 0/171 0/164
72.R8c-8b 0/171 0/164
73.S*7c 0/171 0/164
74.G*8c! 0/171 4/168
Habu seizes the opportunity to get back in the game. After 74.R9b N*8d black
wins easily.
75.S7cx8b= 4/175 0/168
76.G8cx7d 0/175 0/168
77.R*7a?! 2/177 0/168
Following the wrong plan. Black will never take the gold on 7d and the rook
will be in a bad spot on 7a. Better is 77.R*6a for reasons that will become
clear soon.
78.K3a-2b 0/177 0/168
79.S*4a 0/177 0/168
After 79.Rx7d+ +P6f white wins.
80.G5b-4b 0/177 1/169
81.N4ex5c+? 1/178 0/169
The losing move. Black had to play 81.Sx3b+ Gx3b N*3c. Then it is unclear
who will win the close endgame.
82.B*6d 0/178 3/172
Painful. Black loses the knight on 5c.
83.N*5e 1/179 0/172
84.B6dx5c 0/179 2/174
And even worse, the rook on 7a is now attacked. That is why 77.R*6a would
have been better. Of course, Habu does not make a mistake in the endgame.
85.S4ax3b+ 0/179 0/174
86.G4bx3b 0/179 0/174
87.N5ex4c+ 0/179 0/174
88.N*5d 0/179 3/177
89.K4f-4e 0/179 0/177
90.B5cx7a 0/179 0/177
91.+N4cx3b 0/179 0/177
92.K2bx3b 0/179 0/177
93.S8bx7a= 0/179 0/177
94.S*4c 0/179 1/178
95.R2ex2c+ 0/179 0/178
96.K3bx2c 0/179 0/178
97.B*4a 0/179 0/178
98.N*3b 0/179 0/178
99.P*2d 0/179 0/178
100.K2cx2d 0/179 0/178
101.P*2e 0/179 0/178
102.K2dx2e 0/179 0/178
103.B4ax7d+ 0/179 0/178
104.B4i-2g+ 0/179 0/178
105.K4e-5e 0/179 0/178
106.R*6f 0/179 0/178
107.G*4e 0/179 0/178
108.+B2g-3g 0/179 0/178
109.P*4f 0/179 0/178
110.+B3gx4f 0/179 0/178
111.G4ex4f 0/179 0/178
112.S4c-4d 0/179 0/178
Resigns 0/179 0/178
Time: 02:59:00 02:58:00
A very painful match for Moriuchi. He had chances to win in every game, but
in the end it was a comfortable 3-0 victory for Habu. Twenty years of rivalry
(both players are not even 30!) has not given Moriuchi the answer to Habu's
shogi.