23rd Ryu-O Match Game 2

[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"]
[Event "23rd Ryu-O sen, Game 2"]
[Date "October 26th and 27th 2010"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P8c-8d     00:00:00  00:00:00
3.S7i-6h     00:02:00  00:00:00
4.P3c-3d     00:02:00  00:01:00
5.P6g-6f     00:03:00  00:01:00
6.S7a-6b     00:03:00  00:01:00
7.P5g-5f     00:05:00  00:01:00
8.P5c-5d     00:05:00  00:03:00
9.S3i-4h     00:07:00  00:03:00
10.S3a-4b    00:07:00  00:05:00
11.G4i-5h    00:10:00  00:05:00
12.G4a-3b    00:10:00  00:06:00
13.G6i-7h    00:15:00  00:06:00
14.K5a-4a    00:15:00  00:07:00
15.K5i-6i    00:18:00  00:07:00
16.G6a-5b    00:18:00  00:09:00
17.S6h-7g    00:21:00  00:09:00
18.S4b-3c    00:21:00  00:11:00
19.B8h-7i    00:23:00  00:11:00
20.B2b-3a    00:23:00  00:12:00
21.P3g-3f    00:30:00  00:12:00
22.P4c-4d    00:30:00  00:13:00
23.G5h-6g    00:37:00  00:13:00
24.P7c-7d    00:37:00  00:14:00
25.S4h-3g    00:39:00  00:14:00
26.B3a-6d    00:39:00  00:19:00
27.B7i-6h    00:46:00  00:19:00
28.G5b-4c    00:46:00  00:23:00
29.K6i-7i    00:49:00  00:23:00
30.K4a-3a    00:49:00  00:25:00
31.K7i-8h    00:50:00  00:25:00
32.K3a-2b    00:50:00  00:27:00
33.S3g-4f    00:55:00  00:27:00
34.S6b-5c    00:55:00  00:30:00
35.N2i-3g    00:57:00  00:30:00
36.B6d-7c    00:57:00  00:31:00
37.P1g-1f    00:59:00  00:31:00
38.P1c-1d    00:59:00  00:32:00
39.P2g-2f    01:01:00  00:32:00
40.P9c-9d    01:01:00  00:33:00
41.R2h-3h    01:04:00  00:33:00
42.S3c-2d    01:04:00  00:37:00
43.L1i-1h    01:06:00  00:37:00
44.P9d-9e    01:06:00  00:39:00
45.P6f-6e    01:09:00  00:39:00
46.P8d-8e    01:09:00  00:44:00
47.N3g-2e    01:13:00  00:44:00
48.S5c-4b    01:13:00  00:46:00
49.P3f-3e    02:15:00  00:46:00
50.S2dx3e    02:15:00  00:53:00
51.S4fx3e    02:17:00  00:53:00
52.P3dx3e    02:17:00  00:53:00
53.P1f-1e    02:20:00  00:53:00
54.S*3g      02:20:00  01:03:00
55.R3h-3i    02:40:00  01:03:00
56.P1dx1e    02:40:00  01:04:00
57.P6e-6d    02:42:00  01:04:00
58.B7cx6d    02:42:00  01:18:00
59.L1hx1e!?  02:47:00  01:18:00

Diagram 1

This game has started in the way most Yagura openings are being played these days. 
Both players are therefore very familiar with this type of position. For more than 
50 moves this game followed a game Watanabe played a week earlier and won with the 
white pieces, so slowly the tension was building. Would Watanabe wait for the improvement 
Habu had found for black, or would he deviate play earlier. In the end, Watanabe decides 
to wait and Habu gets to play the new move 59.Lx1e. In an earlier game, 59.S*6e was 
played, but after S4h+ Rx3e P*3d, black has nothing else but to pull back the rook, 
which is good for white. The idea behind 59.Lx1e is that after the forced 60.Lx1e, black 
can play 61.S*6e with much greater force, because now 62.S4h+ Rx3e P*3d black can play 
N1c+! Nx1c (Kx1c Rx1e is a double check) Rx1e and the double threat of Bx1c+ and Sx6d 
is devastating.

60.L1ax1e    02:47:00  02:45:00

Forced, but Watanabe still spent 87 minutes on this move. Time that was spent well, 
because he found a counter plan.

61.S*6e      02:50:00  02:45:00
62.S3gx2f+!  02:50:00  03:14:00

This move probably refutes 59.Lx1e. The white king suddenly threatens to escape up 
the board and it is very hard to find a good attack for black.

63.N2e-1c+?  04:10:00  03:14:00

The sealed move and Habu spent 1 hour and 20 minutes on it. Still, he couldn't find 
anything better than what he played and which probably is good for white. The obvious 
move is of course 63.Sx6d which would probably have been better. After Px6d Rx3e S*2d 
Watanabe felt that the white position was well defended fter S*2d, B*1a K3a Rx3b+ Kx3b 
P*2b +Sx2e P2a+ S4b-3c P*2f (+Sx2f Bx2d Px2d N*3e) it seems black has good chances.

64.N2ax1c    04:10:00  03:16:00
65.P*1d      04:10:00  03:16:00
66.L*3d!     04:10:00  03:41:00

Keeps out black's major pieces. Watanabe keeps the option open to escape up the board, 
while trying to weather the storm with the king on 2b.

67.S6ex6d    04:21:00  03:41:00
68.P6cx6d    04:21:00  03:41:00
69.B*4a      04:34:00  03:41:00

Or 69.Px1c+ Kx1c B*4a, but then S5c Bx7d+ L1h+ and it seems that the white king can 
march freely to the other side of the board. Another options seems 69.Px1c+ Kx1c Bx3e 
because Lx3e Rx3e forks gold and lance, but after K1d the white king again escapes up 
the board.

70.P*1b      04:34:00  04:23:00
71.P1dx1c+   04:37:00  04:23:00
72.P1bx1c    04:37:00  04:23:00
73.B4ax7d+   04:45:00  04:23:00

Diagram 2

74.P9e-9f!   04:45:00  05:38:00

A surprise, because white doesn't seem to have a good edge attack here with the 
promoted bishop on 7d, but it turns out to be very effective. Watanabe sacrifices 
five pawns in a row to shake up the black defense.

75.P9gx9f    04:48:00  05:38:00
76.P*9h      04:48:00  05:39:00
77.L9ix9h    05:12:00  05:39:00
78.P*9g      05:12:00  05:40:00
79.L9hx9g    05:12:00  05:40:00
80.P*9e      05:12:00  05:41:00
81.P9fx9e    05:12:00  05:41:00
82.P*9f      05:12:00  05:41:00
83.L9gx9f    05:13:00  05:41:00
84.N*8d      05:13:00  05:41:00

Diagram 3

This looks very threatening, and Habu was not happy here. However, Watanabe didn't 
think the white attack would be strong enough. The position was clearly too complex 
for either player to judge it with any confidence.

85.+B7dx8d?  05:16:00  05:41:00

After the game, Habu said that he regretted sacrificing the promoted bishop here. 
Better was 85.+Bx8e N7c +B7d Nx9f +Bx9f S*8e +B9g Lx9e +Bx6d P*9g Nx9g and the 
position is unclear.

86.R8bx8d    05:16:00  05:41:00
87.N*4f      05:16:00  05:41:00
88.S4b-3c    05:16:00  05:56:00
89.N4fx3d    05:47:00  05:56:00
90.S3cx3d    05:47:00  05:56:00
91.N*4f      05:50:00  05:56:00
92.+S2f-2e   05:50:00  06:40:00
93.N4fx3d    06:37:00  06:40:00
94.G4cx3d    06:37:00  06:40:00
95.L*2i      06:37:00  06:40:00
96.+S2e-3f   06:37:00  06:47:00
97.P*1d      06:55:00  06:47:00
98.P1cx1d    06:55:00  06:48:00
99.S*1c      06:55:00  06:48:00
100.K2bx1c   06:55:00  06:57:00
101.R3ix3f   06:55:00  06:57:00
102.K1c-2b   06:55:00  07:00:00

Here 102.N*4c to keep out the bishop also looks good, but Watanabe didn't like R3i 
after that.

103.B6hx3e   06:56:00  07:00:00
104.S*4e     06:56:00  07:00:00

Diagram 4

105.B3e-5g   07:00:00  07:00:00

In the press room 105.S*2e was analyzed. Neither player seemed to have given it 
much thought, but when they were told that the move was suggested by the computer, 
they both started to analyze it deeply (to prove the machine wrong?). The variation 
they came up with was 106.Gx3e (not 106.Gx2e B1c+ Kx1c Rx3b+ which would be alright 
if white had one pawn because of the defense P*3a +Rx3a S*2b) Rx3e B*1g R3g B*5i 
Rx1g N*8f which seems to be good for white.

106.R8d-8b   07:00:00  07:00:00
107.P*3e     07:03:00  07:00:00
108.S4ex3f   07:03:00  07:10:00
109.P3ex3d   07:03:00  07:10:00
110.R*5i     07:03:00  07:10:00
111.G*1c     07:08:00  07:10:00
112.K2b-3a   07:08:00  07:11:00
113.B5g-7e!  07:09:00  07:11:00

Diagram 5

Switching this bishop to the other side of the board is a little piece of Habu 
magic that Watanabe had overlooked. This bishop not only threatens a fork on rook 
and king with Bx6d, but also defends the important squares 8f and 9g. For a moment 
Watanabe thought that he had blew it, but again he finds the correct counter.

114.N*8d!    07:09:00  07:24:00

Allowing the fork is scary, but Watanabe has judged correctly that his attack is 
faster.

115.B7ex6d   07:20:00  07:24:00

Here Watanabe was worried about 115.Lx2c+, but the post-mortem analysis showed 
that after 116.Nx9f K9h P*9g Kx9g S*7c P3c+ Gx3c Lx3c+ Lx9e the endgame seems 
very close, but it looks like white is one move faster.

116.B*4b     07:20:00  07:24:00
117.S*5c     07:20:00  07:24:00
118.N8dx9f   07:20:00  07:28:00
119.K8h-9h   07:20:00  07:28:00
120.S*7c     07:20:00  07:42:00
121.S5cx4b+  07:27:00  07:42:00
122.G3bx4b   07:27:00  07:42:00
123.G1c-2b   07:28:00  07:42:00
124.K3a-4a   07:28:00  07:42:00
125.B*6c     07:28:00  07:42:00
126.K4a-5a   07:28:00  07:42:00
127.B6cx8a+  07:28:00  07:42:00
128.R8bx8a   07:28:00  07:42:00
129.B6dx7c+  07:28:00  07:42:00
130.S*6b     07:28:00  07:42:00
131.+B7c-7b  07:33:00  07:42:00
132.P*9g     07:33:00  07:42:00
133.K9hx9g   07:33:00  07:42:00
134.R5ix8i+  07:33:00  07:42:00
135.P*6c     07:48:00  07:42:00
136.B*5c     07:48:00  07:42:00
137.N*7e     07:48:00  07:42:00
138.+R8i-9i  07:48:00  07:42:00
139.S*9h     07:48:00  07:42:00
140.L9ax9e   07:48:00  07:42:00
141.P6cx6b+  07:49:00  07:42:00
142.B5cx6b   07:49:00  07:42:00
Resigns      07:52:00  07:42:00

Final Diagram

There is no mate against the white king and there is a mating threat against the 
black king with Nx8h+ P*9f +Rx9h. Habu took three minutes to make sure there was 
no defensive against this threat and then resigned. A great start for Watanabe in 
this Ryu-O match. In this game, it seemed that luck was a little bit on his side, 
being able to recover from two moves by Habu he had overlooked (59.Lx1e and 113.B7e). 
However, Watanabe has now won 10 consecutive Ryu-O title match games in a row against 
the likes of Habu and Moriuchi, so he seems to have something extra when October 
comes around. Can Habu strike back in game three, or will his attempt to become 
Lifetime Seven Crown be aborted early?