17th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament Game 3
Black: Maruyama, 8-dan
White: Moriuchi, 8-dan
17th Zen Nihon Pro Tournament, Game 3, April 29th 1999
1.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0
2.P8c-8d 0/0 0/0
3.P2g-2f 0/0 0/0
4.P8d-8e 0/0 0/0
5.B8h-7g 0/0 0/0
6.P3c-3d 0/0 0/0
7.S7i-8h 0/0 0/0
8.B2bx7g+ 0/0 0/0
9.S8hx7g 0/0 0/0
10.S3a-2b 0/0 0/0
11.S3i-3h 1/1 0/0
12.S2b-3c 0/1 1/1
13.G6i-7h 1/2 0/1
14.S7a-7b 0/2 0/1
15.P9g-9f 1/3 0/1
16.P9c-9d 0/3 1/2
17.P3g-3f 0/3 0/2
18.G4a-3b 0/3 5/7
19.P4g-4f 0/3 0/7
20.S7b-8c 0/3 3/10
21.S3h-4g 0/3 0/10
22.S8c-8d 0/3 0/10
23.G4i-5h 0/3 0/10
24.K5a-4b 0/3 0/10
25.P6g-6f 0/3 0/10
26.G6a-5b 0/3 0/10
27.K5i-6h 1/4 0/10
28.K4b-3a 0/4 5/15
29.N2i-3g 15/19 0/15
30.P4c-4d 0/19 10/25
31.P2f-2e 5/24 0/25
32.G5b-4c?! 0/24 41/66
Moriuchi's choice of opening is very suspect. The combination of the
aggressive Bogin and the quiet finishing of the Yagura castle has a
bad reputation among professionals. "I have never seen a reasonable win
by white" (Aono, 8-dan), "I will never ever play this" (Sensaki, 7-dan).
It remains unclear why Moriuchi picked this opening. In this game it
also leads to a quick disaster.
33.R2h-2i 2/26 0/66
34.P7c-7d 0/26 15/81
35.P4f-4e 16/42 0/81
36.P7d-7e? 0/42 1/82
A change of plan, but not good. Moriuchi should have been patient and play
36.Px4e. Then after 37.Nx4e S4d P2d Px2d Rx2d P*2c R2i P7e P*4f S5e white
threatens P*4d to win the knight. It still seems that black has the better
chances, but that would at least have made a fight of it. It is very likely
that Moriuchi tries to force something by the aggressive 36.P7e, but it
explodes in his face.
37.P4ex4d 15/57 0/82
38.S3cx4d 0/57 0/82
39.P2e-2d 0/57 0/82
40.P2cx2d 0/57 0/82
41.S4g-5f 0/57 0/82
42.P7ex7f? 0/57 36/118
Also bad. This gives black the extra pawn he needs to blow up white's position.
42.P6d was the only move to stay in the game.
43.S7gx7f 0/57 0/118
44.S8d-7c 0/57 0/118
45.P*2c! 34/91 0/118
In the press room the expected variation was 45.P*4e S3c B*4f or B*6a, but
Maruyama picks a more aggressive attack. This is indeed much better. The
black knight comes into play, while the white silver on 7c remains in a
pitiful spot.
46.G3bx2c 0/91 5/123
47.P*2e 0/91 0/123
48.P2dx2e 0/91 5/128
49.N3gx2e 0/91 0/128
50.B*3h 0/91 13/141
A desperate attempt. 50.P*2d P*4e S3c Nx3c+ is too good for black.
51.R2i-2f 31/122 0/141
52.B3h-4i+ 0/122 3/144
53.P*4e 10/132 0/144
54.S4d-3c 0/132 0/144
55.N2ex3c+ 0/132 0/144
56.G4cx3c 0/132 2/146
57.B*7a 16/148 0/146
58.R8b-5b 0/148 1/147
59.R2f-2i! 1/149 0/147
This ends all hopes for Moriuchi. 59.S*4c looks very good, but after 59.Gx4c
Rx2c+ G3c +R2i S*3h white can still fight.
60.N*3g 0/149 13/160
It is painful to have to drop the knight here, but there is nothing else.
After 60.+B3h black plays the same variation as in the game and then white
can not even make a position in which it appears he might have had some
chances to attack.
61.R2ix2c+ 2/151 0/160
62.G3cx2c 0/151 3/163
63.S*4c 0/151 0/163
64.R*2h 0/151 3/166
65.S5f-6g 16/167 0/166
66.R5b-9b 0/167 0/166
67.B7ax5c+ 0/167 0/166
68.K3a-2b 0/167 0/166
69.G*8c 1/168 0/166
70.G2c-3c 0/168 3/169
71.G8cx9b 0/168 0/169
72.L9ax9b 0/168 0/169
73.P3f-3e 1/169 0/169
74.S7c-6d 0/169 8/177
75.P3ex3d! 1/170 0/177
A picture perfect ending to a great game by Maruyama. This bishop sacrifice
has been calculated till the end.
76.S6dx5c 0/170 0/177
77.P3dx3c+ 0/170 0/177
78.N2ax3c 0/170 0/177
79.G*3b 1/171 0/177
80.K2b-1b 0/171 0/177
81.P*2d 0/171 0/177
82.R2hx2d+ 0/171 0/177
83.S4c-3d+ 0/171 0/177
Resigns 0/171 1/178
Time: 02:51:00 02:58:00
With a nice silver sacrifice Maruyama ends the game and the match. 84.+R2i
P*2d P*2b +S2c Px2c R*2b is mate, so Moriuchi resigned.
With this win, Maruyama took the Zen Nihon Pro title to get his first
professional tournament victory in a tournament where all professionals
participate (he won the Shinjin-O title before). His play in this match
was outstanding and he seems to have taken his shogi to a new level.
Moriuchi looked helpless in this match, even though good results in the
Kisei and the Ryu-O indicate that he is actually in good form. Maruyama's
appearance in one of the seven big title matches seems to be very near now.
Will 1999 become his year?