26th Kio Match Game 2
Black: Habu Yoshiharu, Kio
White: Kubo Toshiaki, Challenger
26th Kio-sen, Game 2, February 24th 2001
1.P7g-7f 1/1 0/0
2.P3c-3d 0/1 0/0
3.P2g-2f 1/2 0/0
4.P4c-4d 0/2 0/0
5.S3i-4h 0/2 0/0
6.S3a-3b 0/2 0/0
7.K5i-6h 1/3 0/0
8.R8b-4b 0/3 0/0
9.K6h-7h 0/3 0/0
10.K5a-6b 0/3 0/0
11.P5g-5f 3/6 0/0
12.K6b-7b 0/6 0/0
13.S4h-5g 4/10 0/0
14.K7b-8b 0/10 0/0
15.B8h-7g 0/10 0/0
16.S3b-4c 0/10 0/0
17.K7h-8h 0/10 0/0
18.L9a-9b 0/10 1/1
In this game Kubo plays the right side anaguma. This is not often seen
in title matches, but there is nothing wrong with this strategy. Kubo said
he had a lot of experience with this opening in training games and that
he wanted to give it a try.
19.P2f-2e 22/32 0/1
20.B2b-3c 0/32 3/4
21.L9i-9h 0/32 0/4
22.S4c-5d 0/32 0/4
23.P6g-6f 0/32 0/4
24.K8b-9a 0/32 4/8
25.K8h-9i 0/32 0/8
26.S7a-8b 0/32 2/10
27.S7i-8h 0/32 0/10
28.G6a-7a 0/32 4/14
29.G6i-7i 2/34 0/14
30.G4a-5b 0/34 3/17
31.G4i-5i 2/36 0/17
32.G5b-6b 0/36 0/17
33.G5i-6h 4/40 0/17
34.P7c-7d 0/40 0/17
35.G6h-7h 13/53 0/17
36.P4d-4e 0/53 5/22
37.B7g-8f 2/55 0/22
38.P1c-1d 0/55 3/25
39.P1g-1f 7/62 0/25
40.R4b-4a 0/62 9/34
41.P3g-3f 3/65 0/34
42.R4a-3a 0/65 5/39
43.P9g-9f 13/78 0/39
44.P9c-9d 0/78 3/42
45.B8f-5i 3/81 0/42
46.P6c-6d 0/81 3/45
47.B5i-3g 0/81 0/45
48.S5d-6c 0/81 0/45
49.G7h-6h 4/85 0/45
So far this game has been played at a very high pace. In part this is
because the Kio title match has only 4 hours per side per player, but
it also seems clear that both players felt at home in this opening.
49.G6h-7h seems like a loss of a move, but is vital. Black wants to
attack by exchanging the bishops with P2d Px2d B5e followed by a
breakthrough on the second file. However, with the silver on 5g
undefended, black would be hit by the counter punch B*3i.
50.P5c-5d 0/85 8/53
51.B3g-2f 2/87 0/53
52.P5d-5e 0/87 0/53
53.G6h-6g 9/96 0/53
54.R3a-5a 0/96 31/84
55.N2i-3g 4/100 0/84
56.B3c-2b 0/100 2/86
57.P5fx5e 5/105 0/86
58.P3d-3e 0/105 2/88
59.B2fx3e 5/110 0/88
60.B2bx5e 0/110 0/88
61.B3e-2f 1/111 0/88
62.P6d-6e 0/111 13/101
63.P6fx6e 6/117 0/101
64.B5e-7c 0/117 2/103
White has won the opening battle. This bishop ties up three of black's
pieces (B2f, N3g and R2h).
65.P*5e!? 32/149 0/103
Good fighting move. The normal way to play this position would be 65.R2i,
but Habu doesn't like to be forced into a passive role. Defending against
major pieces by getting them closer is a standard tesuji, but in this case
careful calculation is needed to make sure that this is not just the loss
of a pawn.
66.G6b-7b? 0/149 2/105
It is hard to see that this is a mistake. Still, Kubo should have taken
a little more time here than two minutes. The strength of Habu's next
move was hard to judge, but in any case Kubo should have looked at
66.Bx5e a little longer. After 67.S6f B7c P*5e P6d R5h P6e Sx6e Rx5e
G5f R5a P*6d Sx6d Sx7d P*6f white's bishop looks in danger, but white
has more than enough compensation with the stronger anaguma and the
huge pawn on 6f.
67.G6g-6f! 9/158 0/105
Fukaura commented the game for the spectators and said here: "This looks
like a bad move... But then again, Habu played it...". Only the strongest
players can play an unnatural move and get away with it. Normal would
have been 67.S6f, but after 68.P6d Px6d Sx6d P*6e Sx5e black is in
trouble. After 67.G6f, black can answer 68.P6d with S5f Px6e Sx6e and
all is well for black. The real power of this move is that white suddenly
has no good way to continue anymore.
68.P*5d 0/158 25/130
69.N3gx4e 1/159 0/130
70.P5dx5e 0/159 0/130
71.S5g-4f 0/159 0/130
72.P5e-5f 0/159 1/131
73.P*5e 1/160 0/131
74.B7c-6b 0/160 0/131
75.B2fx6b+ 2/162 0/131
76.G7bx6b 0/162 0/131
77.P6e-6d 7/169 0/131
78.S6c-7b 0/169 5/136
79.G6fx5f 0/169 0/136
80.P*4d 0/169 3/139
81.B*4b 7/176 0/139
82.R5a-5b 0/176 3/142
83.N4e-3c+ 0/176 0/142
84.B*4i? 0/176 5/147
The decisive mistake. With only a single bishop there is no attack,
especially having no pawns in this position is very painful. Kubo's
best fighting chance was 84.P7e Px7e B*3i R3h Bx7e+ P6c+ Rx4b +Px7b
G6bx7b +Nx4b +Bx4b and even though this position is still better for
black, white still has hope.
85.G5f-6f 5/181 0/147
86.P7d-7e 0/181 8/155
87.P7fx7e 8/189 0/155
88.P1d-1e 0/189 1/156
89.P1fx1e 4/193 0/156
90.P4d-4e 0/193 12/168
91.S4fx4e 0/193 0/168
92.R5bx4b 0/193 9/177
93.+N3cx4b 0/193 0/177
94.B*3i 0/193 0/177
95.R2h-6h 0/193 0/177
96.B3i-5g+ 0/193 1/178
97.S4e-5f 5/198 0/178
98.+B5gx6h 0/198 1/179
99.G7ix6h 1/199 0/179
100.R*3h 0/199 0/179
101.B*4f! 1/200 0/179
Attack and defence. Habu wins.
102.R3hx3f+ 0/200 7/186
103.R*4a 4/204 0/186
104.+R3fx4f 0/204 17/203
105.P4gx4f 0/204 0/203
106.B*4h 0/204 0/203
107.G6f-6g 4/208 0/203
108.L1ax1e 0/208 5/208
109.R*3a 3/211 0/208
110.P*5a 0/211 2/210
111.+N4bx5a 4/215 0/210
112.L1ex1i+ 0/215 7/217
113.+N5a-5b 1/216 0/217
114.P*6a 0/216 0/217
115.+N5bx6b 0/216 0/217
116.G7ax6b 0/216 0/217
117.G*6c 1/217 0/217
118.N*7f 0/217 0/217
119.G6gx7f 1/218 0/217
120.B4ix7f+ 0/218 0/217
121.G6cx6b 0/218 0/217
122.P6ax6b 0/218 0/217
123.G*7a 0/218 0/217
Resigns 0/218 0/217
Time: 03:38:00 03:37:00
There is nothing left to play for. After 124.Sx7a Rx7a+ G*8b N*7d S7c
Nx8b+ Sx8b +Rx8a white is mated. Another good effort by Kubo, who just
needs a little more experience in using his time for vital moves. It
is a pity that the young father could not get a win on the third
birthday of his daughter. Kubo is now 2-0 down with three games to play
and needs something special to dig himself out of this hole.