17th Ryu-O Match Game 4
[Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Ryu-O"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[Event "17th Ryu-O sen, Game 4"]
[Date "November 24th and 25th 2004"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00
3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:01:00
4.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00
5.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:02:00
6.P8d-8e 00:00:00 00:02:00
7.G6i-7h 00:00:00 00:02:00
8.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:02:00
9.P2e-2d 00:00:00 00:02:00
10.P2cx2d 00:00:00 00:02:00
11.R2hx2d 00:00:00 00:02:00
12.P8e-8f 00:00:00 00:02:00
13.P8gx8f 00:00:00 00:02:00
14.R8bx8f 00:00:00 00:02:00
15.R2dx3d 00:02:00 00:02:00
16.B2b-3c 00:02:00 00:02:00
17.R3d-3f 00:02:00 00:02:00
18.S3a-2b 00:02:00 00:02:00
19.P*8g 00:02:00 00:02:00
20.R8f-8e 00:02:00 00:03:00
21.R3f-2f 00:02:00 00:03:00
22.K5a-4a 00:02:00 00:04:00
23.K5i-5h 00:26:00 00:04:00
24.S7a-6b 00:26:00 00:06:00
25.G4i-3h 00:27:00 00:06:00
26.G6a-5a 00:27:00 00:10:00
27.S3i-4h 00:27:00 00:10:00
28.P7c-7d 00:27:00 00:12:00
29.P3g-3f 00:27:00 00:12:00
30.P*2e 00:27:00 00:40:00
31.R2f-2h 00:30:00 00:40:00
32.P*8f 00:30:00 00:40:00
33.P8gx8f 00:40:00 00:40:00
34.R8ex8f 00:40:00 00:40:00
35.P4g-4f 00:41:00 00:40:00
36.R8fx7f 00:41:00 00:42:00
37.B8hx3c+ 00:48:00 00:42:00
38.N2ax3c 00:48:00 00:42:00
39.S4h-4g 00:57:00 00:42:00
40.P2e-2f 00:57:00 00:47:00
41.P*8h 01:43:00 00:47:00
42.R7f-7e 01:43:00 00:49:00
43.R2hx2f 01:46:00 00:49:00
44.B*4d 01:46:00 01:04:00
45.P3f-3e 02:14:00 01:04:00
46.B4dx8h+ 02:14:00 01:17:00
47.P*7f 02:14:00 01:17:00
48.R7ex7f 02:14:00 01:17:00
49.P*7g 02:14:00 01:17:00
50.+B8hx7h 02:14:00 01:17:00
51.S7ix7h 02:14:00 01:17:00
52.R7f-8f 02:14:00 01:17:00
53.P*8g 02:16:00 01:17:00
54.R8f-8e 02:16:00 01:19:00
55.S4g-3f 02:54:00 01:19:00
56.P*8h 02:54:00 01:27:00
57.P3e-3d 03:04:00 01:27:00
58.P*2c 03:04:00 01:39:00
59.N2i-3g 03:33:00 01:39:00
60.P8hx8i+ 03:33:00 01:52:00
61.S7hx8i 03:38:00 01:52:00
62.R8ex8g+ 03:38:00 01:55:00
63.R2f-2i 03:40:00 01:55:00
64.P*8h 03:40:00 02:23:00
This game shows once again how far opening theory has advanced in
modern professional shogi. This position has been played before not
once, but two times. In the 4th game of the 72nd Kisei match between
Goda and Habu, Habu played 64.N*5d, but despite winning this game, Habu
was not convinced that this was a good move. Then, in the 4th game of
the Oza match, Moriuchi played this same position against Habu with
white and played 64.N*2f. Habu won that game as well, but in the
post-mortem analysis the move 64.P*8h was discovered and considered
good for white after 65.B*9h +R8e S7h N*8f. This variation was given
both in Shukan Shogi and Shogi Sekai and Watanabe said after the
game: "I played P*8h because I trusted this analysis". In the press
room, Moriuchi's preparation in answer to P*8h was eagerly awaited.
65.B*9h 04:59:00 02:23:00
The sealed move and a sigh of relief from the press room. Because of the
exceptionally high pace of this game, there were fears that it would end
on the first day. There was even talk about having the sealed move earlier
than planned, at 4 o'clock instead of at 6. When asked about the high pace
of the game on the first day, the players just said that the opponent was
playing so fast, so they found it hard to slow down. An interesting
phenomenon known to many players of all levels.
66.+R8g-8e 04:59:00 02:49:00
67.P3dx3c+?! 05:08:00 02:49:00
If this was it, Moriuchi made a mistake in his preparation somewhere.
As Fujii pointed out, black can always take this knight, so there is
no need to take it now. The only reason to take it now is that black
has read the game to the end, but the next moves show that this is not
the case. It seems likely that Moriuchi lost a psychological battle here.
By not changing the moves, he bluffed that he had something, counting on
the extra pressure on Watanabe to win this game and not running into some
prepared variation by Moriuchi. When Watanabe called his bluff, Moriuchi
had to admit that he had nothing and instead of further embarrassing
himself by losing in exactly the same fashion as pointed out in Shukan
Shogi and Shogi Sekai, he decided to go for a desperate attack. Because
it is an illogical move, 67.Px3c+ took Watanabe by complete surprise, but
there is no real problem.
68.S2bx3c 05:08:00 03:06:00
69.N3g-4e 05:09:00 03:06:00
70.P*3g! 05:09:00 04:30:00
In the post-mortem analysis, Moriuchi said that things were going according
to plan until this move, which he had overlooked.
71.G3h-3i? 06:17:00 04:30:00
71.Gx3g fails to Px8i+ Nx3c+ Gx3c P*3d +R8h N*6h N*5e and white wins because
this is a mating threat: Px3c+ N*6f K4i (Px6f +Rx6h etc.) G*4h Kx4h +Rx6h K3i
N*4g Sx4g Nx4g= Gx4g S*3h. The importance of 70.P*3g is clear from this
variation. Without it, N*5e is not a mating threat. Despite this, 71.G3i
is also bad for black. 71.G4h was the only move to stay in the game. Watanabe
admitted that he was not sure how to continue after this move. He would take
the time to find something and if there was no good attack, he would just play
G3b and see what Moriuchi would come up with. The pawn on 3g is a thorn in
black's side.
72.P8hx8i+ 06:17:00 04:59:00
73.N4ex3c+ 06:19:00 04:59:00
74.G3bx3c 06:19:00 04:59:00
75.P*3d 07:01:00 04:59:00
76.+R8e-8h 07:01:00 05:06:00
77.N*6h 07:22:00 05:06:00
78.N*6f! 07:22:00 06:11:00
The shortest way to victory. 78.Px6f fails to 79.N*5e which threatens mate
after +Rx6h. Black therefore has to defend by dropping a piece after 79.N*5e
and then white can just play G3b and black has no pieces to set up a strong
attack.
79.K5h-4g 07:26:00 06:11:00
80.G3c-3b 07:26:00 06:11:00
81.P6gx6f 07:36:00 06:11:00
82.+R8hx9h 07:36:00 06:12:00
83.L9ix9h 07:45:00 06:12:00
84.B*6i 07:45:00 06:12:00
85.N*5h 07:55:00 06:12:00
86.N*5e 07:55:00 06:13:00
87.K4g-4h 07:55:00 06:13:00
88.G*3h 07:55:00 06:17:00
89.G3ix3h 07:55:00 06:17:00
90.P3gx3h+ 07:55:00 06:17:00
91.K4hx3h 07:55:00 06:17:00
92.B6ix5h+ 07:55:00 06:17:00
93.S*2a 07:55:00 06:17:00
94.S*4g 07:55:00 06:18:00
95.K3h-2h 07:55:00 06:18:00
96.P*3a 07:55:00 06:22:00
Resigns 07:58:00 06:22:00
Black has no mate after 97.Sx3b+ Px3b R*2a K5b, while white has a mate with
an extra silver after S*3g. Black has no attack without giving white the pieces
he needs, so Moriuchi resigned here. A fine win by Watanabe who showed nerves of
steel or the brashness of youth in this game by following a known variation. He
is rewarded with a 2-2 tie in the match and the black pieces in the next game.