22nd Ryu-O Match Game 3
[Black "Moriuchi Toshyuki, Challenger"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"]
[Event "22nd Ryu-O sen, Game 3"]
[Date "November 10th and 11th 2009"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00
3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:02:00
4.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:03:00
5.G6i-7h 00:00:00 00:03:00
6.P8d-8e 00:00:00 00:04:00
7.B8h-7g 00:00:00 00:04:00
8.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:04:00
9.S7i-8h 00:01:00 00:04:00
10.B2bx7g+ 00:01:00 00:04:00
11.S8hx7g 00:01:00 00:04:00
12.S3a-4b 00:01:00 00:04:00
13.S3i-3h 00:01:00 00:04:00
14.S7a-7b 00:01:00 00:05:00
15.P4g-4f 00:01:00 00:05:00
16.P6c-6d 00:01:00 00:05:00
17.S3h-4g 00:03:00 00:05:00
18.S7b-6c 00:03:00 00:06:00
19.K5i-6h 00:03:00 00:06:00
20.K5a-4a 00:03:00 00:12:00
21.P9g-9f 00:07:00 00:12:00
22.P9c-9d 00:07:00 00:12:00
23.P1g-1f 00:07:00 00:12:00
24.P1c-1d 00:07:00 00:12:00
25.P3g-3f 00:07:00 00:12:00
26.G6a-5b 00:07:00 00:23:00
27.G4i-5h 00:10:00 00:23:00
28.S6c-5d 00:10:00 00:27:00
29.S4g-5f 00:11:00 00:27:00
The Reclining silver variation of the Kakugawari opening. This means that we are
in for a long theoretical opening fight. However, what happened in this game
surprised everyone.
30.P4c-4d 00:11:00 00:27:00
31.P6g-6f 00:12:00 00:27:00
32.P7c-7d 00:12:00 00:27:00
33.K6h-7i 00:15:00 00:27:00
34.K4a-3a 00:15:00 00:29:00
35.N2i-3g 00:15:00 00:29:00
36.N8a-7c 00:15:00 00:37:00
37.P2f-2e 00:16:00 00:37:00
38.S4b-3c 00:16:00 00:37:00
39.P4f-4e 00:20:00 00:37:00
40.P4dx4e 00:20:00 00:38:00
41.P3f-3e 00:20:00 00:38:00
42.S3c-4d 00:20:00 00:49:00
43.P1f-1e 00:38:00 00:49:00
44.P1dx1e 00:38:00 00:50:00
45.P2e-2d 00:38:00 00:50:00
46.P2cx2d 00:38:00 00:50:00
47.P7f-7e 00:38:00 00:50:00
48.P7dx7e 00:38:00 00:50:00
49.R2hx2d 00:39:00 00:50:00
50.P*2c 00:39:00 00:50:00
51.R2d-2i 00:42:00 00:50:00
52.G5b-6c 00:42:00 00:53:00
53.P*1b 00:45:00 00:53:00
54.L1ax1b 00:45:00 00:54:00
55.P3ex3d 00:46:00 00:54:00
56.B*3h 00:46:00 01:01:00
57.R2i-3i 00:46:00 01:01:00
58.B3h-2g+ 00:46:00 01:01:00
59.B*1a 00:47:00 01:01:00
60.+B2g-2h 00:47:00 01:07:00
61.R3i-4i 01:04:00 01:07:00
62.+B2h-3h 01:04:00 01:16:00
63.R4i-6i 01:11:00 01:16:00
64.G3b-4c 01:11:00 01:22:00
65.P*2b 01:24:00 01:22:00
66.G4cx3d 01:24:00 01:23:00
67.P2bx2a+ 01:31:00 01:23:00
68.K3ax2a 01:31:00 01:23:00
69.B1ax4d+ 01:32:00 01:23:00
70.G3dx4d 01:32:00 01:23:00
71.S5fx4e 01:35:00 01:23:00
72.S5dx4e 01:35:00 01:29:00
73.S*3c 01:36:00 01:29:00
74.+B3hx3g 01:36:00 01:34:00
75.S3cx4d= 01:42:00 01:34:00
76.P8e-8f 01:42:00 02:19:00
77.P8gx8f 01:51:00 02:19:00
78.B*2e 01:51:00 02:21:00
79.R6i-3i 02:46:00 02:21:00
80.P*3h 02:46:00 02:32:00
81.R3i-2i 03:18:00 02:32:00
82.N*2g 03:18:00 03:01:00
This was the position at the end of the first day. It is very rare that so many
moves are played on the first day of a two-day title match. It seems pretty likely
that Moriuchi was surprised too and maybe even a little shaken. Somehow, both players
thought that their side was better in this line and because there are quite a number
of forced moves, both players kept on playing moves without spending too much time.
There might also be a little bit of a generation gap here. Tanigawa, who is a specialist
in this opening had the opinion that you must be very well prepared with white if you
want to get into this variation. The black attack may be a little thin, but because the
white king is so exposed, the slightest mistake means the end of the game. Watanabe had
a different view: "The black attack is very thin, and I personally wouldn't like to play
this variation with black. It seems that white is a little bit thicker here."
83.G5h-6h?! 04:15:00 03:01:00
The sealed move, a new move and probably the losing one. This is a very courageous
move, because it willingly gives up the rook. The normal way of playing here is
83.P*2d and after Px2d P*4b, Watanabe said that he was thinking about either S*2b
or K2b.
84.P3h-3i+ 04:15:00 04:03:00
85.P*2d 04:31:00 04:03:00
A change of plan and that is usually not a good sign. Moriuchi had planned to play
85.P*4b, which is winning after 86.Rx4b S3c+. However, if white plays 86.K2b
instead, white can stop the black attack. It seems that then 87.N1g is good for
black after B4g+ Rx2g +B2g N*2e, but if white plays 88.K1c instead, 89.Nx2e K1d
and there is no way for black to continue his attack.
86.P2cx2d 04:31:00 04:11:00
87.S4d-3c= 04:33:00 04:11:00
88.+B3g-5e! 04:33:00 04:37:00
Very strong move, which is easy to overlook, because it releases the rook which
can now take the knight on 2g. Giving the rook a chance to escape after going
through all the trouble with N*2g and P3i+ looks bad, so playing a move like
88.+B5e requires Habu-like flexibility. However, Watanabe's judgment is spot
on. The silver on 3c can be taken, so black cannot immediately play Rx2g, but
the variation 89.G*2b Rx2b Sx2b+ Kx2b Rx2g looks good, but in that case white
has the strong P*8g after which Gx8g leaves the black king too exposed and not
taking the pawn on 8g keeps the king from escaping. Moriuchi after the game:
"+B5e was just too painful".
89.N*4d 04:47:00 04:37:00
A desperate try, but Watanabe is unphased.
90.+B5ex4d 04:47:00 04:39:00
This is very strong. At this point the professionals in the press room were
still unsure about the outcome of the game, but Watanabe had already found
something that nobody else had discovered, including Moriuchi.
91.S3cx4d+ 05:17:00 04:39:00
92.+P3ix2i 05:17:00 04:39:00
93.B*3c 05:22:00 04:39:00
94.R*3i 05:22:00 05:32:00
95.K7i-8h 05:23:00 05:32:00
96.S*7i! 05:23:00 05:38:00
A brilliant attacking move that decides the game almost immediately. The point
is that after 97.Gx7i P*8g K7h P*7f the black king is in a mating net. He cannot
take this pawn, because after Sx7f Rx7i+ Kx7i G*8h is mate. However, Px7g+ next
is also devastating.
97.K8h-9h 07:01:00 05:38:00
Moriuchi spent 98 painful minutes on this move. He will have seen everything
that comes next and knew that he was staring into a 0-3 abyss.
98.S7ix6h+ 07:01:00 05:40:00
99.S7gx6h 07:15:00 05:40:00
100.P*8h! 07:15:00 05:58:00
The final blow. This threatens mate after Rx8i+ K9g N*8e and 101.Kx8h is
answered by N*7f.
101.G7hx8h 07:15:00 05:58:00
102.P*8g 07:15:00 06:05:00
103.G8hx8g 07:16:00 06:05:00
104.B2e-6i+ 07:16:00 06:05:00
Resigns 07:21:00 06:05:00
This threatens mate after +Bx8g Kx8g Rx8i+ etc. There doesn't seem to be
any defense except for 105.G*8h, but without the gold in hand black has
nothing left to hope for and white easily wins after N*7f followed by Nx8h+.
Quite a bad loss for Moriuchi, who lost for the second time with the black
pieces. Furthermore, he was completely outplayed in this game. First, he
was outplayed in the opening which Watanabe seems to have judged better.
After that, he was completely wiped out in the endgame. Moriuchi is famous
for making things difficult for his opponents, even if his position is bad,
but in this game Watanabe drove right through him. He will need an even bigger
miracle than Watanabe last year to get back in the match. His first task will
be to win the next game with the white pieces, or the match is already over.