27th Kio Match Game 1
Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger
White: Habu Yoshiharu, Kio
27th Kio-sen, Game 1, February 3rd 2002
1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:02:00
3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:02:00
4.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:03:00
5.G6i-7h 00:03:00 00:03:00
6.P8d-8e 00:03:00 00:04:00
7.B8h-7g 00:03:00 00:04:00
8.P3c-3d 00:03:00 00:05:00
9.S7i-8h 00:03:00 00:05:00
10.S3a-4b 00:03:00 00:06:00
11.B7gx2b+ 00:07:00 00:06:00
12.G3bx2b 00:07:00 00:06:00
Sato is considered the leading expert in the Yagura, but that doesn't
mean he only plays this opening with black. Recently, he has been using
the Kakugawari (Bishop Exchange) quite a lot in important games. In
the Junisen A class game against Habu and in the first game of the
Kio challenger final against Goda he played this opening as well.
So, Habu will not have been surprised.
13.S3i-3h 00:07:00 00:06:00
14.S7a-6b 00:07:00 00:06:00
15.P4g-4f 00:08:00 00:06:00
16.P6c-6d 00:08:00 00:07:00
17.S3h-4g 00:08:00 00:07:00
18.S6b-6c 00:08:00 00:08:00
19.K5i-6h 00:10:00 00:08:00
20.G6a-5b 00:10:00 00:16:00
21.P9g-9f 00:14:00 00:16:00
22.P9c-9d 00:14:00 00:17:00
23.P1g-1f 00:14:00 00:17:00
24.P1c-1d 00:14:00 00:18:00
25.S8h-7g 00:17:00 00:18:00
26.P7c-7d 00:17:00 00:20:00
27.P3g-3f 00:20:00 00:20:00
28.G2b-3b 00:20:00 00:24:00
29.G4i-5h 00:22:00 00:24:00
30.N8a-7c 00:22:00 00:30:00
31.N2i-3g 00:24:00 00:30:00
32.S4b-3c 00:24:00 00:32:00
33.S4g-5f 00:27:00 00:32:00
34.R8b-8a 00:27:00 00:33:00
35.P6g-6f 00:29:00 00:33:00
36.K5a-6b 00:29:00 00:34:00
A major surprise. Until now, Habu has only played the right side
king against a black climbing silver attack. Playing it in a normal
Kakugawari position is a first.
37.K6h-7i 00:32:00 00:34:00
38.P5c-5d 00:32:00 00:38:00
39.K7i-8h 00:33:00 00:38:00
40.K6b-7b 00:33:00 00:39:00
41.P2f-2e 00:43:00 00:39:00
42.G5b-6b 00:43:00 00:40:00
43.S5f-6g 01:20:00 00:40:00
44.G6b-5b 01:20:00 00:45:00
45.P5g-5f 01:23:00 00:45:00
46.G5b-6b 01:23:00 00:54:00
47.G5h-4h 01:46:00 00:54:00
48.G6b-5b 01:46:00 00:58:00
49.R2h-2g 01:46:00 00:58:00
50.G5b-6b 01:46:00 01:10:00
51.R2g-2i 01:46:00 01:10:00
52.G6b-5b 01:46:00 01:11:00
Habu is playing a psychological game here. He is playing with the white
pieces and he is well ahead in time so he doesn't mind a sennichite.
This puts a little pressure on Sato to open the game, but white's
position is not easy to attack.
53.P5f-5e?! 01:51:00 01:11:00
The timing of the attack is good, as white's position with the gold
on 5b is weaker than the position with the gold on 6b. After the game,
Sato said that he felt quite confident when playing P5e, but that
this confidence gradually faded later on. It probably would have
been better to play 53.P1e first. The difference will become clear soon.
54.P5dx5e 01:51:00 01:12:00
55.P3f-3e 01:52:00 01:12:00
56.P3dx3e 01:52:00 01:34:00
57.N3g-4e 01:52:00 01:34:00
58.S3c-3d 01:52:00 01:36:00
59.P2e-2d 02:06:00 01:36:00
60.P4c-4d 02:06:00 01:58:00
61.P2dx2c+ 02:36:00 01:58:00
62.S3dx2c 02:36:00 02:00:00
63.P*3c 02:49:00 02:00:00
64.N2ax3c? 02:49:00 02:15:00
An important mistake. Habu should have stuck with his plan to kill
the knight on 4e. Now this knight gets exchanged and black's attack
succeeds. 64.G2b was the right move. Habu feared 65.B*3d after that,
but 66.P*2d Bx5b+ Sx5b G*5c Px4e Gx5b K6c ends the black attack and
white has the advantage. It is possible to play 65.P7e Px7e and then
B*3d, but as long as black has no pawns, this attack is not very
strong. This lack of pawns is the reason why Sato should have
opened his attack with the sacrifice on the edge (53.P1e). In that
case, black can take a pawn any time with Lx1e. The attack P7e Px7e
B*3d is then good for black.
65.N4ex3c+ 02:49:00 02:15:00
66.G3bx3c 02:49:00 02:15:00
67.P1f-1e 02:49:00 02:15:00
68.P1dx1e 02:49:00 02:16:00
69.N*4g 02:49:00 02:16:00
70.N*4c 02:49:00 02:38:00
71.B*2b 03:00:00 02:38:00
Strong attack. White is in trouble.
72.S2c-3b? 03:00:00 02:40:00
This worsens white's position. 72.S2d was the only way to keep the
game close. Then after 73.Lx1e Lx1e P4e B*1h Rx2d Gx2d B4d+ R*2h G5h
black seems to be winning by one move. Black has a great promoted
bishop on the vital square 4d and threatens an unstoppable attack
with P*5d next. Also, his king is still defended by four generals.
73.P4f-4e 03:04:00 02:40:00
74.P4dx4e 03:04:00 02:41:00
75.L1ix1e 03:05:00 02:41:00
76.P4e-4f 03:05:00 03:01:00
No choice. 76.Lx1e P*4d is too severe.
77.P*3d 03:06:00 03:01:00
78.G3cx3d 03:06:00 03:03:00
79.N4gx5e 03:06:00 03:03:00
80.B*1h 03:06:00 03:03:00
81.N5ex6c+ 03:09:00 03:03:00
82.G5bx6c 03:09:00 03:03:00
83.R2i-5i 03:11:00 03:03:00
84.P*5d 03:11:00 03:10:00
85.B2bx1a+ 03:14:00 03:10:00
Black is now a full silver up and seems to be cruising to victory.
Indeed, the position is a win for black, but it is a tribute to
Habu's exceptional fighting spirit that he manages to keep making
things difficult for Sato.
86.N4c-5e 03:14:00 03:12:00
87.S6g-5f 03:14:00 03:12:00
88.P4f-4g+ 03:14:00 03:17:00
89.S5fx4g 03:16:00 03:17:00
90.N5ex4g+ 03:16:00 03:20:00
91.G4hx4g 03:16:00 03:20:00
92.P8e-8f 03:16:00 03:26:00
93.P8gx8f 03:19:00 03:26:00
94.N*5e 03:19:00 03:29:00
95.G4g-5g 03:20:00 03:29:00
96.P*4f? 03:20:00 03:30:00
This ends all hope. 96.B4e+ was the only move. Then after 97.P*5f
S*4h R5h Sx5g+ Rx5g +B4f is good for white. Better is 99.L*4i
(after S*4h) but things are not so easy for black after 100.P*4g
Lx4h Px4h+ R2i L*2c.
97.P*4h 03:23:00 03:30:00
98.B1h-4e+ 03:23:00 03:30:00
99.P*5f 03:36:00 03:30:00
100.P4f-4g+ 03:36:00 03:31:00
101.P4hx4g 03:36:00 03:31:00
102.S*4h 03:36:00 03:31:00
103.R5i-5h 03:36:00 03:31:00
104.S4hx5g+ 03:36:00 03:31:00
105.R5hx5g 03:36:00 03:31:00
The difference with the variation given after white's 96th move is
that white can't play +B4f here. Moreover, black now also has the
threat of L*4f which forces white to act quickly.
106.P*8g 03:36:00 03:31:00
107.K8hx8g 03:37:00 03:31:00
108.G*6g 03:37:00 03:31:00
109.R5gx6g! 03:38:00 03:31:00
The decisive move. 109.Gx6g would be a big mistake after 110.Nx6g+
Rx6g +Bx5f.
110.N5ex6g+ 03:38:00 03:31:00
111.G7hx6g 03:38:00 03:31:00
112.R*1i 03:38:00 03:31:00
113.S*7h 03:38:00 03:31:00
Now black is completely safe.
114.R1ix1e+ 03:38:00 03:33:00
115.+B1a-2b 03:38:00 03:33:00
116.G3d-3c 03:38:00 03:35:00
117.N*8e 03:41:00 03:35:00
118.P*8d 03:41:00 03:38:00
119.N8ex7c+ 03:50:00 03:38:00
120.G6cx7c 03:50:00 03:38:00
121.N*5g 03:53:00 03:38:00
122.+B4e-4d 03:53:00 03:39:00
123.P*3d 03:53:00 03:39:00
124.P*2a 03:53:00 03:39:00
125.+B2bx3c 03:53:00 03:39:00
126.S3bx3c 03:53:00 03:39:00
127.P3dx3c+ 03:53:00 03:39:00
128.L*8c 03:53:00 03:40:00
129.N*6e 03:53:00 03:40:00
130.P8d-8e 03:53:00 03:41:00
131.N6ex7c+ 03:58:00 03:41:00
Sato chooses the shortest route to victory. There is no need to mate
here, but with 7 minutes left on the clock he takes 5 minutes to
calculate all variations of a difficult tsume.
132.K7bx7c 03:58:00 03:41:00
133.N5g-6e 03:58:00 03:41:00
134.P6dx6e 03:58:00 03:41:00
135.G*6d 03:58:00 03:41:00
136.K7cx6d 03:58:00 03:44:00
137.P6fx6e 03:58:00 03:44:00
138.K6d-7c 03:58:00 03:45:00
139.G*6c 03:58:00 03:45:00
Resigns 03:58:00 03:45:00
Mate after 139.Kx6c S*6d K7b S*7c K6a L*6c P*6b Lx6b+ +Bx6b Sx6b+
Kx6b B*7c etc. or 139.K8b S*7c K9b L*9c Kx9c S*8b Rx8b Sx8b= Kx8b
G*7c K9c Gx8c Kx8c R*7c etc. Another great victory for Sato after
winning the first two games of the Osho match as well. He is making
the great Habu look rather helpless in these games. Habu needs to
regroup fast or he will suddenly find himself with three crowns
instead of five...