25th Asahi Open Match Game 1
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Asahi"]
[White "Akutsu Chikara, Challenger"]
[Event "25th Asahi Open, Game 1"]
[Date "April 5th 2007"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
Akutsu is one of the rising young stars in shogi, although in a recent
interview with Shogi Sekai he admitted that in his first years as a
professional he had not much sense of direction and won many games just
because of talent, not because he was working on his game. After that, he
has steadily risen up the ranks, getting wide acclaim as one of the young
professionals with the brightest future. Becoming challenger in what is
sometimes called the "eight major title" is his breakthrough. Few expected
he would be a match for Habu this early in his career, but it would be very
interesting how far he could stretch Habu in this match.
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.S7i-6h 00:01:00 00:00:00
4.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:00:00
5.S6h-7g 00:01:00 00:00:00
6.S7a-6b 00:01:00 00:01:00
7.P5g-5f 00:01:00 00:01:00
8.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:04:00
9.S3i-4h 00:01:00 00:04:00
10.K5a-4a 00:01:00 00:04:00
11.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:04:00
12.P5c-5d 00:01:00 00:06:00
13.K5i-6i 00:02:00 00:06:00
14.S3a-4b 00:02:00 00:06:00
15.G4i-5h 00:02:00 00:06:00
16.G6a-5b 00:02:00 00:08:00
17.P6g-6f 00:03:00 00:08:00
18.S4b-3c 00:03:00 00:08:00
19.B8h-7i 00:03:00 00:08:00
20.B2b-3a 00:03:00 00:08:00
21.P3g-3f 00:06:00 00:08:00
22.P4c-4d 00:06:00 00:08:00
23.G5h-6g 00:08:00 00:08:00
24.P7c-7d 00:08:00 00:08:00
25.S4h-3g 00:14:00 00:08:00
26.B3a-6d 00:14:00 00:08:00
27.B7i-6h 00:17:00 00:08:00
28.K4a-3a 00:17:00 00:08:00
29.K6i-7i 00:17:00 00:08:00
30.G5b-4c 00:17:00 00:08:00
31.K7i-8h 00:17:00 00:08:00
32.S6b-7c 00:17:00 00:14:00
33.S3g-4f 00:24:00 00:14:00
34.P7d-7e 00:24:00 00:25:00
35.P7fx7e 00:26:00 00:25:00
36.B6dx7e 00:26:00 00:25:00
Akutsu is well-known for playing a Yagura opening where he moves the right
silver up early with S6b-6c and then exchanges pawns in the center, taking
the pawn back with the bishop on 2b. In this game he tries something different.
This attack is of course well-known, but not in this position and was prepared
by Akutsu, who wanted to give it a try on the big stage. He doesn't want to wait
for Habu, but take the initiative himself. Unfortunately for him, a miscalculation
makes his plans fail and instead Habu is going to be the attacker.
37.P5f-5e 00:31:00 00:25:00
38.P5dx5e 00:31:00 00:34:00
39.R2h-5h 00:42:00 00:34:00
40.R8b-5b 00:42:00 00:38:00
41.R5hx5e 00:48:00 00:38:00
42.B7e-5c 00:48:00 00:38:00
43.P*5d! 00:49:00 00:38:00
Akutsu didn't think this move was possible, but here he realized that this
judgment was based on an oversight. The normal continuation is 43.N3g S6d R5i
P*5d S7f R7b P6e S7e P*7g and the position is unclear. The pawn on 5d looks like
easy prey for the white pieces, but white doesn't want to take the pawn with the
gold on 4c, because this weakens the castle too much. Still, Akutsu thought that
this pawn would just be a burden for black.
44.B5c-4b 00:49:00 00:50:00
45.R5e-5i 00:49:00 00:50:00
46.S7c-6d 00:49:00 01:14:00
47.N2i-3g 01:14:00 01:14:00
48.P9c-9d 01:14:00 01:30:00
49.P2g-2f! 01:19:00 01:30:00
Now Akutsu realized the problem. He had planned to use the knight in attack by
moving it to 9c and then to 8e, but after 50.N9c, Akutsu now saw that 51.N2e S2d
S5e Sx5e Rx5e Gx5d S*6a R5c (R5a P*5b) R7e and the rook promotes, which is bad
for white. Therefore, he changed his plans, but this only makes things worse.
As Habu pointed out, in the variation above he could have played S*6d instead
of Gx5d. If the rook moves away, white can follow with P*5e and the black attack
on the fifth file is stopped. Therefore, it seems like has no choice but to
answer S*6d with S*5c, but then Sx5c Px5c+ Bx5c P*5d B4b S*5c Gx5c Px5c+ Bx5c
is not so clear. If G*6b would work, it would be OK for black, but Bx9g+ loses
the rook on 5e, so this is impossible. Habu: "It looks like there may be something
in this position, but at the same time it also feels like an overplay".
Akutsu: "This was probably better than what I played in the game".
50.P*5g? 01:19:00 01:54:00
Akutsu sticks with his plan with a small but important modification: the sacrifice
of a pawn.
51.R5ix5g 01:21:00 01:54:00
52.G4cx5d 01:21:00 01:56:00
53.R5g-5i 01:30:00 01:56:00
54.N8a-9c 01:30:00 01:58:00
55.P3f-3e! 01:30:00 01:58:00
Very effective here now that the white gold has moved to 5d.
56.N9c-8e 01:30:00 02:01:00
57.S7g-8f 01:32:00 02:01:00
58.P*7g 01:32:00 02:22:00
59.N8ix7g 01:40:00 02:22:00
60.P*7f 01:40:00 02:25:00
61.N7gx8e 01:45:00 02:25:00
62.P8dx8e 01:45:00 02:25:00
63.S8fx8e 01:45:00 02:25:00
Now white is without pawns and in deep trouble.
64.N*5e 01:45:00 02:25:00
65.S8ex7f! 01:53:00 02:25:00
Allows the capture of the castle gold on 6g, but Habu has already seen that he
can use the knight for a very important part of his attack.
66.N5ex6g+ 01:53:00 02:26:00
67.S7fx6g 01:53:00 02:26:00
68.P3dx3e 01:53:00 02:26:00
69.S4fx3e! 01:56:00 02:26:00
A roar of surprise from the professionals in the press room, with the biggest
one from Kato Hifumi (9-dan). Kato has been playing the Yagura for more than
50 years and only considered 69.N2e, which is the most natural way of attacking
here. However, after some thought Kato changed his mind, admiring Habu's flexibility
in this position. 69.Sx3e is good because after 70.P*3d, black has 71.N*4f! which
crushes the Yagura castle immediately. This is why Habu wanted the knight in hand.
70.P*7f 01:56:00 02:29:00
71.N3g-2e 02:08:00 02:29:00
More natural is 71.P*3d, but after S2d Sx4d G*6i white suddenly gets some chances
for a counter attack.
72.S6d-5e 02:08:00 02:36:00
73.N*8i! 02:10:00 02:36:00
This cements the black position long enough to win in the attack.
74.B4b-7e 02:10:00 02:54:00
75.N2ex3c+ 02:16:00 02:54:00
76.N2ax3c 02:16:00 02:55:00
77.S3e-3d 02:27:00 02:55:00
78.S5ex6f 02:27:00 02:55:00
79.S*4c 02:29:00 02:55:00
Here Habu thought he was winning. The rook on 5h can take the gold on 5d at any
time to give the attack decisive strength.
80.S6fx6g= 02:29:00 02:59:00
81.G7hx6g 02:29:00 02:59:00
82.N*5e 02:29:00 02:59:00
83.G6gx7f! 02:42:00 02:59:00
Habu needed one more good move to seal the victory. This picks up the important
pawn on 7f, but needed some sharp calculation to make sure that the white attack
is not strong enough.
84.N5e-6g+ 02:42:00 02:59:00
This is definitely too late, but 84.S*6g Gx7e Sx6h+ Sx5b+ B*6f is answered by
B*7g and even G*7h K9h +Sx5i Bx6f is not good enough for white.
85.S4cx3b+ 02:43:00 02:59:00
86.R5bx3b 02:43:00 02:59:00
87.R5ix5d 02:44:00 02:59:00
88.+N6gx6h 02:44:00 02:59:00
89.R5d-5a+ 02:44:00 02:59:00
90.S*4a 02:44:00 02:59:00
91.N*4c 02:44:00 02:59:00
92.K3a-2b 02:44:00 02:59:00
93.G*2a 02:44:00 02:59:00
Resigns 02:44:00 02:59:00
Mate after 94.Kx2a +Rx4a P*3a Nx3a+ Bx3a +Rx3b Kx3b S*4c etc. or 94.K1b G*2b Rx2b
Gx2b Kx2b R*2a etc. Not the start that young Akutsu had wished for. Not only did
he lose, he also seemed to be out of his depth against Habu, who in all the crucial
positions seemed to see just a little more than his opponent. However, this is only
one game and Akutsu gets a chance with the black pieces next to make this match
interesting.