22nd Ryu-O Match Game 4
[Black "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"]
[White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"]
[Event "22nd Ryu-O sen, Game 4"]
[Date "November 25th and 26th 2009"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
This game was played in Gifu Prefecture and at the venue there was a picture of
the Ryu-O match that Watanabe and Moriuchi played five years ago at the same location.
Watanabe is the one with the happy memories, because he won that game with white. It
is not difficult to guess that Watanabe played a R8e Yokofudori then, because in those
days he hardly played anything else with the white pieces. This has definitely changed
and because Moriuchi also has moved a little away from his original opening theory
based style, it is much more difficult to predict how a game between these two players
will develop. This also means that it is more difficult for the players to prepare for
the game, but in this case we get to see a battle of the study room instead of the
playing room.
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:00:00
4.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:02:00
5.G6i-7h 00:04:00 00:02:00
6.B2bx8h+ 00:04:00 00:05:00
7.S7ix8h 00:04:00 00:05:00
8.S3a-4b 00:04:00 00:05:00
9.S3i-3h 00:11:00 00:05:00
10.S7a-6b 00:11:00 00:05:00
11.P4g-4f 00:17:00 00:05:00
12.P6c-6d 00:17:00 00:06:00
13.S3h-4g 00:17:00 00:06:00
14.S6b-6c 00:17:00 00:06:00
15.K5i-6h 00:22:00 00:06:00
16.K5a-4a 00:22:00 00:23:00
17.P1g-1f 00:24:00 00:23:00
18.P1c-1d 00:24:00 00:23:00
19.S8h-7g 00:24:00 00:23:00
20.G6a-5b 00:24:00 00:37:00
21.G4i-5h 00:39:00 00:37:00
22.P9c-9d 00:39:00 00:40:00
23.P9g-9f 00:39:00 00:40:00
24.P7c-7d 00:39:00 00:45:00
25.P3g-3f 00:47:00 00:45:00
26.S6c-5d 00:47:00 00:56:00
27.S4g-5f 00:49:00 00:56:00
28.K4a-3a 00:49:00 01:00:00
29.K6h-7i 00:53:00 01:00:00
30.P8c-8d 00:53:00 01:08:00
31.N2i-3g 01:13:00 01:08:00
32.N8a-7c 01:13:00 01:42:00
33.G5h-4g 01:46:00 01:42:00
Even though we are still in known theory, this is only the second time that this
position has been played in an official game. The first time was quite famous,
because it was the first game of the Oi title match game between Habu and Fukaura
in 2008. Both players of course knew this, so this now becomes a question of whose
opening preparation has been best.
34.P4c-4d 01:46:00 02:37:00
The same move that Fukuara played, but Moriuchi took 55 minutes to get to the
same conclusion. This shows that he maybe wasn't so confident in his preparation
anyway. P4d is not an easy move to play, because it invites the black attack on the
4th file, but it is not so easy to find a different plan for white. One idea is to
play 34.P6e followed by B*6d, but this blocks the path of the white silver to 6e
and also gives black the opportunity to prepare an edge attack with L1g followed
by R1h.
35.P2f-2e 02:11:00 02:37:00
Still following the Habu-Fukaura game, but Watanabe played this move with a lot
of confidence.
36.S4b-3c 02:11:00 02:39:00
37.P4f-4e 02:12:00 02:39:00
38.P4dx4e 02:12:00 02:45:00
39.N3gx4e 02:13:00 02:45:00
40.S3c-4d 02:13:00 03:27:00
The alternative 40.P*4f Nx3c+ Nx3c G4h N*4d P2d Px2d Rx2d P*2c R2g is good for
black.
41.P*4f 02:15:00 03:27:00
42.P9d-9e 02:15:00 03:27:00
43.P9fx9e 02:29:00 03:27:00
44.P7d-7e 02:29:00 03:28:00
45.P7fx7e! 02:59:00 03:28:00
This is a new move. Although it doesn't look like much, it needs a lot of precise
calculation to play. Habu clearly didn't like it and played 45.B*6f here (and won
after S4c Bx7e), a move that was widely criticized at the time without anyone coming
up with an alternative. Watanabe clearly thinks that 45.Px7e is an more than a good
alternative. Taking the pawn on 7e invites the attack on the 7th file, so looks very
risky. Watanabe has not only judged correctly that he can stop the white attack, but
also that he can use the pawn on 7e to make a tokin. This is not something that you
can see behind the board, so it was clear that he had studied this position at home.
After the game Watanabe admitted that this was the case, but that he hadn't specifically
prepared it for this game, and that he was very fortunate that the game ended up in
a position where he had something prepared.
46.N7c-8e 02:59:00 04:33:00
Moriuchi probably had prepared something after Habu's 45.B*6f, but he is beaten to
the punch by Watanabe. He took 65 minutes to seal this move.
47.S7g-8f 03:11:00 04:33:00
48.B*2b 03:11:00 04:48:00
This bishop is obviously in a bad spot, but Moriuchi has put all his eggs in one
basket here. If he can make this bishop work on the long diagonal, the white attack
will be very strong.
49.L9i-9f! 03:44:00 04:48:00
Taking the lance out of the line of fire is good judgment again by Watanabe.
50.S4d-5e 03:44:00 05:16:00
51.P7e-7d 04:14:00 05:16:00
There comes the pawn. If black can make a promoted pawn on 7c, the white rook will
no longer be an attacking threat, but instead is very likely to become a target
itself. Also, if the pawn on the 7th file turns into a tokin, black suddenly has
a lot of more defensive options on the 7th file.
52.P*7g 04:14:00 06:19:00
53.N8ix7g 04:22:00 06:19:00
54.S5ex5f 04:22:00 06:42:00
55.G4gx5f 04:25:00 06:42:00
56.N8ex7g+ 04:25:00 06:46:00
57.S8fx7g 04:25:00 06:46:00
58.N*8e 04:25:00 06:46:00
59.P7d-7c+ 04:39:00 06:46:00
There it is. Watanabe has succeeded in carrying out the plan he had when taking
the pawn on 7e.
60.R8b-8a 04:39:00 06:49:00
No choice. White can try a desperate attack, but because after +Px8b black will
always have a rook drop on 7a, both checking the white king and defending the
7th file, the white attack can never work.
61.P6g-6f 05:05:00 06:49:00
The final blow to the white attack and the reason why black played Gx5f. The
bishop on 2b is now dead an buried. Not only that, it blocks the escape route
for the white king. Black now has a huge advantage.
62.S*3g? 05:05:00 07:15:00
This ends the game quickly. Actually, white had the chance to play a similar
variation to the one in the game with this silver still in hand: 62.Sx4e Px4e
Nx7g+ Gx7g N*8e G6g S*4g. Black still has the overwhelming position, but with
the extra silver in hand, white has more fighting chances. Without it, the
white attack is too weak to worry black.
63.R2h-1h 05:15:00 07:15:00
64.S5dx4e 05:15:00 07:19:00
65.P4fx4e 05:17:00 07:19:00
66.N8ex7g+ 05:17:00 07:19:00
67.G7hx7g 05:17:00 07:19:00
68.N*8e 05:17:00 07:19:00
69.G7g-6g 05:27:00 07:19:00
70.S*4g 05:27:00 07:19:00
71.B*7d! 05:34:00 07:19:00
With impeccable timing Watanabe goes for the king. The game is now over very
quickly.
72.G5b-4b 05:34:00 07:23:00
73.+P7c-7b 05:42:00 07:23:00
74.S4gx5f= 05:42:00 07:24:00
75.G6gx5f 05:42:00 07:24:00
76.R8a-4a 05:42:00 07:26:00
77.S*5b 05:44:00 07:26:00
78.G4bx5b 05:44:00 07:33:00
79.B7dx5b+ 05:44:00 07:33:00
80.G*4b 05:44:00 07:33:00
81.+B5bx4a 05:50:00 07:33:00
82.G4bx4a 05:50:00 07:33:00
83.R*7a 05:50:00 07:33:00
84.N8e-7g+ 05:50:00 07:55:00
85.G*5b 05:53:00 07:55:00
86.B2b-3c 05:53:00 07:57:00
87.R7ax4a+ 05:56:00 07:57:00
88.K3a-2b 05:56:00 07:57:00
89.+R4ax3b 06:03:00 07:57:00
90.K2bx3b 06:03:00 07:57:00
91.N*2d 06:03:00 07:57:00
92.P2cx2d 06:03:00 07:57:00
93.S*4a 06:03:00 07:57:00
Resigns 06:03:00 07:57:00
Mate after 94.K2b G*2c Kx2c S*3b K1c G*2c or 94.K4c G*4b K5d (Bx4b G*4d) S*4c etc.
A complete blow-out to end a match that surprisingly also turned into a rout.
Watanabe was in trouble in the first game, but after that he seemed to have
completely figured out his opponent and the 4-0 score line cannot even be called
excessive. They say it is easier to recover from a total defeat than from a close
one, but Moriuchi will be disappointed that he wasn't able to put up any kind of
fight in this match. In contrast, Watanabe will be very pleased with the easy defense
of his title. Because he famously ended last year's match with 4 wins, he has now
won 8 straight games in the Ryu-O title match, just like Tanigawa did more than 10
years ago. Also, his 6th Ryu-O title is tied with Habu's record. Next year he will
have a chance at breaking both of these records as well.