17th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament Game 2
Black: Moriuchi, 8-dan
White: Maruyama, 8-dan
17th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament, Game 2, April 17th 1999
1.P2g-2f 0/0 0/0
2.P3c-3d 0/0 0/0
3.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0
4.P8c-8d 0/0 0/0
5.P2f-2e 0/0 0/0
6.P8d-8e 0/0 0/0
7.G6i-7h 0/0 0/0
8.G4a-3b 0/0 0/0
9.P2e-2d 0/0 0/0
10.P2cx2d 0/0 0/0
11.R2hx2d 0/0 0/0
12.P8e-8f 0/0 0/0
13.P8gx8f 0/0 0/0
14.R8bx8f 0/0 0/0
15.R2dx3d 0/0 0/0
16.B2b-3c 0/0 0/0
17.R3d-3f 0/0 0/0
18.S3a-2b 0/0 0/0
19.G4i-3h 0/0 0/0
20.K5a-4a 0/0 1/1
21.K5i-5h 0/0 0/1
22.S7a-6b 0/0 1/2
23.P1g-1f 1/1 0/2
24.P1c-1d 0/1 2/4
25.P*2c?! 7/8 0/4
In a game with short time limits (for the Zen Nihon Pro Tournament 3 hours
per player) it is important to have good opening preparation. Maruyama was
clearly aiming for the R8e variation, which is so popular these days. However,
before we get into this variation, Moriuchi has a surprise. 25.P*2c has been
played only once before in a game between Aono and Nakagawa (September 1998).
In that game the edge pawn was still on 1c. Moriuchi had studied this variation
and thought it was worth a try.
26.G3bx2c 0/8 25/29
27.R3fx3c+ 2/10 0/29
28.S2bx3c 0/10 11/40
29.P*2d 1/11 0/40
30.G2c-2b 0/11 6/46
31.B*2c 0/11 0/46
32.G2b-3b! 0/11 14/60
This is much better than 32.K5b, which was played by Nakagawa. After 33.B5f+
R2e Aono won the game. With the pawn on 1d, Moriuchi thought this variation
was even better for black, because of the possibilities of an edge attack.
"My first impression was that G3b Bx3b+ was dangerous, so I did not think
about it much" (Moriuchi).
33.B2c-5f+ 34/45 0/60
Moriuchi takes 34 minutes to admit his opening failure. Indeed, after
33.Bx3b+ Kx3b G*2c K4b Gx3c Nx3c P2c+ P*3b black can not continue despite
having made a tokin near the white king. +Px3c Px3c is pointless and after
S*3d P4d P*2d K5b the white king escapes and white's material advantage is
decisive.
34.P*2b 0/45 1/61
This defends against P2c+ and closes the diagonal of the bishop on 8h. Black
has no more moves.
35.+B5f-6f 18/63 0/61
36.P7c-7d 0/63 8/69
37.S3i-2h 11/74 0/69
38.R8f-8e 0/74 31/100
39.+B6f-5f 10/84 0/100
40.S6b-7c 0/84 5/105
41.P*8g 1/85 0/105
42.P5c-5d 0/85 1/106
43.P3g-3f 2/87 0/106
44.G6a-5b 0/87 1/107
45.P9g-9f 4/91 0/107
46.P9c-9d 0/91 1/108
47.S7i-6h 8/99 0/108
48.S3cx2d 0/99 0/108
Painful. White just takes the time to take an extra pawn. Black has no way
to prevent this.
49.S6h-7g 7/106 0/108
50.S2d-3c 0/106 1/109
51.S7g-6f 13/119 0/109
52.S3c-4d 0/119 0/109
53.P4g-4f 4/123 0/109
54.R8e-8b 0/123 15/124
55.S6f-6e 8/131 0/124
56.P5d-5e 0/131 5/129
57.+B5f-6f 7/138 0/129
58.S7c-6d 0/138 7/136
59.S6ex6d 1/139 0/136
60.P6cx6d 0/139 0/136
61.P4f-4e 0/139 0/136
62.S4d-5c 0/139 0/136
63.+B6fx5e 0/139 0/136
64.N8a-7c 0/139 0/136
It looks like black has improved his position. The horse seems to be working
nicely on the centre square of the board and black finally managed to get a
pawn in hand. However, it is an illustration of Maruyama's strength that he
felt he was winning in this position.
65.+B5e-5f 6/145 0/136
66.S*6e 0/145 8/144
67.+B5f-4g 0/145 0/144
68.P*5f 0/145 0/144
69.P5gx5f 1/146 0/144
70.S6ex7f 0/146 0/144
71.B8h-6f 1/147 0/144
A desperate attempt to avoid the breakthrough. After 72.Sx8g+ black has the
pawn drops P*8c followed by P*8d.
72.P*8f! 0/147 1/145
The game winner. Black can now no longer avoid the breakthrough on the 8th
file. After that, his position collapses.
73.G7h-7i 4/151 0/145
74.N7c-6e 0/151 3/148
75.G7i-6h 17/168 0/148
76.P8fx8g+ 0/168 2/150
77.P*8c 7/175 0/150
78.R8bx8c 0/175 0/150
79.P*8d 0/175 0/150
80.R8c-7c 0/175 0/150
81.K5h-4h 0/175 0/150
82.R*7i 0/175 0/150
83.+B4g-4f 2/177 0/150
84.R7ix8i+ 0/177 2/152
85.P5f-5e 0/177 0/152
86.+P8g-7g 0/177 3/155
87.P5e-5d 0/177 0/155
88.+P7gx6h 0/177 0/155
89.K4h-3g 1/178 0/155
90.N*3d 0/178 10/165
Resigns 1/179 0/165
Time: 02:59:00 02:45:00
It took about five minutes before the people in the press room realised that
the game was over. There were no words exchanged between the players for a
long time. The disappointment of Moriuchi about the level of his play in this
game was clear. The post mortem analysis was also very short. Maruyama is now
only one win away from his first victory in a tournament where all
professionals participate. Can Moriuchi bounce back from two crushing defeats?