24th Asahi Open Match Game 1
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Asahi"]
[White "Fujii Takeshi, Challenger"]
[Event "Asahi Open, Game 1"]
[Date "April 4th 2006"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00
3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:01:00
4.P4c-4d 00:02:00 00:03:00
5.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:03:00
6.R8b-4b 00:02:00 00:04:00
7.K5i-6h 00:05:00 00:04:00
8.P9c-9d 00:05:00 00:06:00
9.K6h-7h 00:07:00 00:06:00
10.S3a-3b 00:07:00 00:13:00
11.P5g-5f 00:11:00 00:13:00
12.S3b-4c 00:11:00 00:13:00
13.G4i-5h 00:14:00 00:13:00
14.S7a-7b 00:14:00 00:14:00
15.S4h-5g 00:18:00 00:14:00
16.P9d-9e 00:18:00 00:14:00
17.P2f-2e 00:19:00 00:14:00
18.B2b-3c 00:19:00 00:14:00
19.P3g-3f 00:21:00 00:14:00
20.K5a-6b 00:21:00 00:15:00
21.P3f-3e 00:22:00 00:15:00
This is an important theoretical position. The Fujii system is an important
strategy to discourage the static rook side from playing the anaguma. It requires
the early push of the edge pawn to 9e and a delay of putting the king into the
mino castle. However, this has the danger of an early attack by the static rook
side while the king is still on 6b. The general opinion among professionals
seems to be that 21.P3e is a strong counter against the Fujii system. If it
can be shown that black has the better chances if this attack is played, the
Fujii system will have a serious flaw and might disappear from tournament play.
Still, natural born ranging rook players like Fujii and Suzuki Daisuke don't
fear the 21.P3e attack. They feel that the black attack is too weak to be
decisive. This game seems to show they are right.
22.R4b-3b 00:22:00 00:21:00
23.P4g-4f 00:26:00 00:21:00
24.P3dx3e 00:26:00 00:23:00
25.P4f-4e 00:26:00 00:23:00
26.G4a-5b 00:26:00 00:24:00
27.P4ex4d 00:27:00 00:24:00
28.S4c-3d 00:27:00 00:24:00
29.R2h-4h 00:28:00 00:24:00
30.R3b-4b 00:28:00 00:24:00
31.S5g-4f 00:28:00 00:24:00
32.P*4g 00:28:00 00:31:00
33.G5hx4g 00:31:00 00:31:00
34.L1a-1b 00:31:00 00:32:00
35.S7i-6h 00:36:00 00:32:00
36.K6b-7a 00:36:00 00:33:00
37.R4h-2h 00:37:00 00:33:00
38.K7a-8b 00:37:00 00:43:00
39.G6i-7i 00:38:00 00:43:00
40.P5c-5d 00:38:00 01:05:00
41.P2e-2d 01:13:00 01:05:00
42.P2cx2d 01:13:00 01:07:00
43.N2i-3g 01:13:00 01:07:00
44.P2d-2e 01:13:00 01:41:00
45.N3gx2e 01:19:00 01:41:00
46.B3cx4d 01:19:00 01:42:00
47.B8hx4d 01:19:00 01:42:00
48.R4bx4d 01:19:00 01:42:00
49.N2e-3c+ 01:19:00 01:42:00
A very simple attack. So simple that Fujii didn't give it much consideration.
Habu thought that even though the attack is simple, it is hard for white to
defend. Fujii shows him how it is done...
50.N2ax3c 01:19:00 01:45:00
51.R2h-2b+ 01:19:00 01:45:00
52.R4d-4b 01:19:00 02:04:00
53.+R2bx3c 01:23:00 02:04:00
54.G5b-4c 01:23:00 02:04:00
Now the black attack comes to a grinding halt. Exchanging the rooks will only
favor white and 55.+R2d is answered by B*3c and 55.+R3a by B*2b.
55.+R3c-3a 01:54:00 02:04:00
Habu realizes he is in trouble and takes 31 minutes for this move.
56.B*2b 01:54:00 02:04:00
57.+R3ax2b! 01:54:00 02:04:00
An exclamation mark for imagination. Exchanging the rooks is bad for black,
so exchanging a rook for a bishop should be even worse is a natural way of
thinking. This fooled Fujii and all the followers in the press room. The white
advantage doesn't change, but this unexpected move is a small psychological
punch. In the press room, only the variation 57.+Rx4b Gx4b P5e was analyzed,
which leads to better play for white.
58.R4bx2b 01:54:00 02:04:00
59.P*4d 01:54:00 02:04:00
60.G4c-4b 01:54:00 02:05:00
61.B*1f! 01:54:00 02:05:00
The second part of the plan that Habu thought of when he played 55.+R3a.
62.S3d-2e? 01:54:00 02:13:00
62.P*2e of course fails to 63.N*2f, but 62.S2e is also a mistake. As Suzuki
Daisuke pointed out, the correct defense was 62.G3c. For example, 63.B*1a R2c
N4e Sx4e Sx4e P*2b P4c+ Gx4c P*2d Rx2d Bx4c+ R2i+ and even though white is
behind in material the attack with the two rooks is very strong and the bishop
on 1a is in a horrible spot. Habu thought that he would be in trouble after
62.G3c, but Fujii disagreed. He felt that he was better anyway, so that a
defense-only move like G3c was not necessary. If G3c was the only move, he
felt he should have played it after 59.P*4d instead of here. Still, Fujii
seems to have been shaken a little bit, as a number of questionable moves
turn a position that was about even into a winning position for Habu.
63.N*3d 01:55:00 02:13:00
64.S2ex1f 01:55:00 02:15:00
65.N3dx2b+ 01:55:00 02:15:00
66.S1f-2e 01:55:00 02:21:00
67.+N2bx1b 01:58:00 02:21:00
68.S2e-3f?! 01:58:00 02:34:00
Questionable move number one. 68.R*4i was better.
69.G4gx3f 02:02:00 02:34:00
70.P3ex3f 02:02:00 02:34:00
71.R*2a 02:02:00 02:34:00
72.P*4a 02:02:00 02:35:00
73.P4d-4c+ 02:04:00 02:35:00
74.G4bx4c 02:04:00 02:35:00
75.R2ax4a+ 02:04:00 02:35:00
76.G*5b 02:04:00 02:35:00
77.P*4d 02:05:00 02:35:00
78.G4c-4b 02:05:00 02:35:00
79.+R4a-3a 02:05:00 02:35:00
80.B*6d?! 02:05:00 02:35:00
Questionable move number two. 80.N*6d was better.
81.B*3e 02:06:00 02:35:00
82.N*2c 02:06:00 02:42:00
83.B3ex1c+ 02:10:00 02:42:00
84.R*4i?! 02:10:00 02:42:00
Questionable move number three. 84.P*4g was better.
85.P*3d 02:15:00 02:42:00
86.P*4g 02:15:00 02:42:00
87.L*6f 02:24:00 02:42:00
88.B6d-5c 02:24:00 02:43:00
89.P3d-3c+ 02:24:00 02:43:00
90.P4g-4h+ 02:24:00 02:43:00
91.+P3cx4b 02:25:00 02:43:00
92.+P4h-5h 02:25:00 02:45:00
93.P4d-4c+? 02:35:00 02:45:00
An uncharacteristic endgame mistake by Habu. There was a relatively simple
win here with 93.+Rx3f. For example 94.P*3e +R3g +Px6h Gx6h Gx4b G*3i R5i+
S*4h and the rook dies. It seems that Habu still thought it was not easy to
win this game and he decided to rush his attack a little.
94.G5bx4c 02:35:00 02:45:00
95.L6fx6c+ 02:35:00 02:45:00
96.B5cx4b 02:35:00 02:49:00
97.+R3a-4a 02:38:00 02:49:00
98.B4b-3c? 02:38:00 02:50:00
The decisive mistake. Fujii could have made it difficult again if he had
played 98.+Px6h 99.Gx6h 100.B3c here instead. For example 101.P5e Gx4b +Lx7b
Gx7b +R6a G7a +R5a L*6a and "whichever way you look at it, very difficult" (Habu).
99.S4f-5e! 02:43:00 02:50:00
The point. The path of the bishop is blocked and at the same time the promoted
bishop on 1c now defends the silver on 6h. The black attack is now one move quicker.
100.P5dx5e 02:43:00 02:56:00
101.P*3d 02:47:00 02:56:00
102.B3c-4d 02:47:00 02:57:00
103.+L6cx7b 02:47:00 02:57:00
104.G6ax7b 02:47:00 02:57:00
105.S*6a 02:47:00 02:57:00
106.S*7a 02:47:00 02:58:00
107.+R4ax4c 02:49:00 02:58:00
108.L*8d 02:49:00 02:59:00
109.S*5c 02:51:00 02:59:00
110.B4dx5c 02:51:00 02:59:00
111.+R4cx5c 02:51:00 02:59:00
112.P*6b 02:51:00 02:59:00
113.+R5cx2c 02:55:00 02:59:00
114.S*5g 02:55:00 02:59:00
115.S6hx5g 02:58:00 02:59:00
116.R4ix7i+ 02:58:00 02:59:00
117.K7hx7i 02:58:00 02:59:00
118.L8dx8g+ 02:58:00 02:59:00
The black king can't be defended, but Habu knows that there is a long but
straightforward mate here.
119.S6ax7b+ 02:58:00 02:59:00
120.S7ax7b 02:58:00 02:59:00
121.S*7a 02:58:00 02:59:00
122.K8bx7a 02:58:00 02:59:00
123.N*6c 02:58:00 02:59:00
124.S7bx6c 02:58:00 02:59:00
125.G*6a 02:58:00 02:59:00
126.K7ax6a 02:58:00 02:59:00
127.+R2c-2a 02:58:00 02:59:00
128.N*5a 02:58:00 02:59:00
129.+R2ax5a 02:58:00 02:59:00
130.K6ax5a 02:58:00 02:59:00
131.+B1c-2d 02:58:00 02:59:00
132.K5a-6a 02:58:00 02:59:00
133.R*5a 02:58:00 02:59:00
134.K6a-7b 02:58:00 02:59:00
135.N*8d 02:58:00 02:59:00
Resigns 02:58:00 02:59:00
Mate after 136.Px8d B*6a K8b G*8c K7a G*8b or 136.K8b B*7a etc. A painful loss
for Fujii, who had plenty of chances to win this first game with the white
pieces. Habu seems to be vulnerable these days, losing a number of important
games. Fujii could have planted some more doubts by winning this opening game.