24th Ryu-O Match Game 5

[Black "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"]
[White "Maruyama Tadahisa, Challenger"]
[Event "24th Ryu-O sen, Game 5"]
[Date "December 1st and 2nd 2011"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:00:00
3.P2g-2f     00:01:00  00:00:00
4.B2bx8h+    00:01:00  00:00:00
5.S7ix8h     00:01:00  00:00:00
6.S3a-2b     00:01:00  00:00:00

Another Kakugawari opening. Maruyama is a specialist in the Kakugawari, but Watanabe
 doesn't mind to play it against the best: "The Kakugawari with tempo loss leads 
to unknown positions so each player is on his own and the Kakugawari with white 
is easy to prepare".

7.S3i-3h     00:05:00  00:00:00
8.S7a-7b     00:05:00  00:01:00
9.P3g-3f     00:07:00  00:01:00
10.P6c-6d    00:07:00  00:01:00
11.P2f-2e    00:07:00  00:01:00
12.S2b-3c    00:07:00  00:01:00
13.S3h-3g    00:07:00  00:01:00
14.P4c-4d    00:07:00  00:01:00
15.K5i-6h    00:09:00  00:01:00
16.S7b-6c    00:09:00  00:01:00
17.K6h-7h    00:10:00  00:01:00
18.S6c-5d    00:10:00  00:02:00
19.S8h-7g    00:11:00  00:02:00
20.G6a-5b    00:11:00  00:08:00
21.P5g-5f    00:13:00  00:08:00
22.G4a-3b    00:13:00  00:13:00
23.S3g-4f    00:13:00  00:13:00
24.K5a-4b    00:13:00  00:13:00
25.P3f-3e    00:15:00  00:13:00
26.S5d-4c    00:15:00  00:14:00
27.P3ex3d    00:15:00  00:14:00
28.S4cx3d    00:15:00  00:15:00
29.P*3f      00:15:00  00:15:00
30.P7c-7d    00:15:00  00:16:00
31.G6i-6h    00:17:00  00:16:00
32.P8c-8d    00:17:00  00:33:00
33.S4f-3e    00:24:00  00:33:00

Diagram 1

This position is very similar to the one that appeared in the third game, but there 
is a major difference. In the third game, Maruyama's knight was on 7c and the rook 
pawn still on 8c. This is a more attack-oriented position, because the knight can 
easily move into an attacking formation on 6e or 8e. However, if white is forced on 
the defense, the head of the knight is an important weakness. Maruyama won the third 
game with the attack minded formation, but after the opening the white position was 
considered worse, so he changes to a more defensive position in this game.

34.S3d-4c    00:24:00  00:33:00
35.N2i-3g    00:58:00  00:33:00
36.K4b-3a    00:58:00  01:44:00
37.P1g-1f    01:40:00  01:44:00
38.P8d-8e    01:40:00  02:09:00
39.P2e-2d    01:42:00  02:09:00
40.P2cx2d    01:42:00  02:10:00
41.S3ex2d    01:42:00  02:10:00
42.S3cx2d    01:42:00  02:11:00
43.R2hx2d    01:42:00  02:11:00
44.P*2c      01:42:00  02:15:00
45.R2d-2h    01:44:00  02:15:00
46.P8e-8f    01:44:00  03:03:00
47.S7gx8f    02:18:00  03:03:00
48.S*6e      02:18:00  03:06:00
49.B*4f      02:34:00  03:06:00

Diagram 2

50.B*7c      02:34:00  03:59:00

A surprise to the press room, but it seems like Maruyama had little choice. After 
50.N7c Bx6d G6c B4f the white position is unstable. Also, 50.Sx7f P*7g S6e Bx6d
B*7c Bx7c+ Nx7c S*6d and white has no good moves to defend. 

51.S8f-7g    02:56:00  03:59:00
52.P4d-4e    02:56:00  04:09:00
53.B4f-5e!   03:23:00  04:09:00

The sealed move and a major surprise because black is going to lose this bishop 
and it is unclear if he can get enough compensation. This is easier to play when 
you are 3-1 ahead in a match, but Watanabe's courage and confidence is remarkable, 
as it was impossible to calculate that his attack would be powerful enough to 
compensate for the bishop.

54.P*3c      03:23:00  04:12:00
55.P*2d      03:23:00  04:12:00
56.P2cx2d    03:23:00  04:13:00
57.R2hx2d    03:23:00  04:13:00
58.P5c-5d    03:23:00  04:22:00

Diagram 3

59.P*2c!     03:24:00  04:22:00

This is the vital move that keeps the black attack going. After 59.P*2b P*2c Px2a+ 
Kx2a black has nothing. Watanabe had seen this when he sealed 53.B5e, but he 
underestimated Maruyama's defensive skills.

60.P5dx5e    03:24:00  05:43:00
61.S*2b      03:24:00  05:43:00
62.K3a-4a    03:24:00  05:44:00
63.S2bx1a=   03:26:00  05:44:00
64.P7d-7e    03:26:00  05:59:00
65.P2c-2b+   03:31:00  05:59:00
66.P7ex7f    03:31:00  05:59:00
67.S7g-8f    03:35:00  05:59:00
68.P*2c!     03:35:00  06:17:00

Diagram 4

A very good defensive move that keeps the game very close. In the press room, some 
followers wondered if this game might end before noon on the second day (which would 
have been unprecedented) because the black attack looked so strong, but after 
68.P*2c nobody was sure anymore. Watanabe also admitted that he was surprised by 
how close the game had gotten.

69.+P2bx2c   03:39:00  06:17:00
70.G3b-4b    03:39:00  06:20:00
71.+P2c-1b   03:46:00  06:20:00

An alternative seems 71.+Px1c, but the post-mortem analysis showed that 72.P*2c 
Rx2c+ S3b +R1b Nx1c is also unclear.

72.G5b-5a!   03:46:00  06:39:00

This move is just as important to Maruyama's defense as 68.P*2c. The white king 
finds a rather safe haven in the middle of the board. The question is: will Watanabe 
be in time before he gets overrun by the counter attack?

73.R2dx2a+   04:21:00  06:39:00
74.K4a-5b    04:21:00  06:39:00
75.G4i-5h    04:21:00  06:39:00
76.P5ex5f    04:21:00  07:00:00
77.L*5e      04:42:00  07:00:00
78.S4c-5d    04:42:00  07:00:00
79.L5ex5d    04:46:00  07:00:00
80.S6ex5d    04:46:00  07:00:00
81.P*5c      04:46:00  07:00:00
82.K5b-4c    04:46:00  07:10:00
83.+R2a-2d   04:51:00  07:10:00
84.B*5e      04:51:00  07:46:00
85.N*6f      04:52:00  07:46:00
86.G4bx5c    04:52:00  07:46:00
87.S1a-2b=   04:54:00  07:46:00
88.L*5g      04:54:00  07:47:00
89.P*7d      05:06:00  07:47:00
90.B7c-8d    05:06:00  07:49:00

Diagram 5

91.S2bx3c+?! 05:08:00  07:49:00

Very positive play as is his style, but Watanabe should probably have been a little 
more patient here and play 91.G4h instead.

92.B5ex3c    05:08:00  07:49:00
93.S*3d      05:08:00  07:49:00
94.K4c-5b    05:08:00  07:49:00
95.+R2dx3c   05:10:00  07:49:00
96.L5gx5h+   05:10:00  07:50:00
97.G6hx5h    05:10:00  07:50:00
98.S*4b      05:10:00  07:55:00

At this point, Watanabe had a huge advantage in time. He still had 2 hours and 50
minutes left, while Maruyama was down to his last five minutes. This is important, 
because Watanabe realizes that the situation is more complicated than he thought 
and uses a lot of time for his next moves to try and find a win.

99.+R3c-2b   05:49:00  07:55:00

Played after 39 minutes.

100.P*8e     05:49:00  07:55:00
101.B*7a     06:17:00  07:55:00

Played after 28 minutes.

102.R8b-8c?  06:17:00  07:56:00

Watanabe was worried about 102.Px8f, which is better than 102.R8c. For example, 
103.Bx8b+ Px8g+ Kx8g P*8f Kx8f and the black king is also exposed. Not only Watanabe, 
but also the press room had analyzed this position extensively, but nobody could 
reach a conclusion. However, in general more variations led to a win for black, so 
Watanabe decided that this was his best option, especially considering that Maruyama 
was running out of time. It all pays off, because there is a nice way to win for 
black after 102.R8c.

103.L*4d!    06:42:00  07:56:00

Diagram 6

Not so easy, but this is a mating threat. For example, 104.Px8f Lx4b+ Gx4b +Rx4b 
Kx4b Nx5d Gx5d S*4c Rx4c Sx4c+ Kx4c S*4d Gx4d R*6c K3b +P2b and the passive tokin 
on 1b helps to mate the white king. Because of this mating threat, Watanabe was 
convinced that he had a won position here. Watanabe took 25 minutes for this move, 
but by taking a long time for three moves in a row he finally found a way to win 
so not only his attacking skills, but also his time management is shining in
 this game.

104.G5cx4d   06:42:00  07:59:00
105.B7ax4d+  06:42:00  07:59:00

Now there are no more worries that the white king escapes up the board.

106.G*5c     06:42:00  07:59:00
107.N6fx5d   06:57:00  07:59:00
108.G5cx4d   06:57:00  07:59:00
109.N5dx4b+  06:57:00  07:59:00
110.G5ax4b   06:57:00  07:59:00
111.S*7b     06:58:00  07:59:00
112.P8ex8f   06:58:00  07:59:00
113.S*6a     06:58:00  07:59:00
114.K5b-5c   06:58:00  07:59:00
115.+R2bx4b  06:58:00  07:59:00
116.K5c-5d   06:58:00  07:59:00

No choice. After 116.Kx4b G*5b K3b G*2b the tokin on 1b against plays a vital 
role in mating the white king.

117.S3dx4e   06:59:00  07:59:00
Resigns      06:59:00  07:59:00

Final Diagram

Simple mate after 118.Gx4e +Rx4e and also 118.K6e Sx5f Kx5f P*5g Bx5g+ Gx5g Kx5g 
B*6f K5h G*4h leads to mate. Maruyama resigned here which ends his bid for the 
Ryu-O title. To be honest, this was a very one-sided match. Even the game Maruyama 
won could easily have been won by Watanabe as well. Watanabe wins his eight consecutive 
Ryu-O title and the way he did it makes you wonder who is going to take it away from 
him. He seems to be getting stronger every year, widening the gap between him and 
his rivals.