34th Kio Match Game 4
[Black "Kubo Toshiaki, Challenger"]
[White "Sato Yasumitsu, Kio"]
[Event "34th Kio-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "March 18th 2009"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
Quite a lot of professional players were watching this game this time, because
it was played in the Kansai Shogi Renmei building in Osaka. Title matches are
regularly played in the Renmei headquarters in Tokyo, but playing in Osaka is
quite rare. The last time a title match game was played there was in 1993, when
Habu and Tanigawa played a game from the 18th Kio title match there. Interestingly,
this game was played in the same room where Sato and Kubo played their 8th round
game of the A class Junisen last February. That was also a must-win game for
Sato, because losing it would have meant relegation to the B1 class. Sato won
that game and saved his spot in the top class, while Kubo was later relegated
to B1. Although Kubo is from the Kansai area and would have a lot of support
for this game, Sato will have been happy to play where he had good memories
while his opponent had some bad ones.
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P6g-6f 00:01:00 00:00:00
4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:00:00
5.R2h-6h 00:01:00 00:00:00
6.S7a-6b 00:01:00 00:00:00
7.P1g-1f 00:01:00 00:00:00
8.K5a-4b 00:01:00 00:01:00
9.S7i-7h 00:02:00 00:01:00
10.K4b-3b 00:02:00 00:01:00
11.S7h-6g 00:02:00 00:01:00
12.P1c-1d 00:02:00 00:03:00
13.S3i-3h 00:05:00 00:03:00
14.G6a-5b 00:05:00 00:03:00
15.P4g-4f 00:06:00 00:03:00
16.P5c-5d 00:06:00 00:08:00
17.G6i-5h 00:09:00 00:08:00
18.P8d-8e 00:09:00 00:20:00
19.B8h-7g 00:09:00 00:20:00
20.P7c-7d 00:09:00 00:20:00
21.K5i-4h 00:14:00 00:20:00
22.S3a-4b 00:14:00 00:22:00
23.K4h-3i 00:19:00 00:22:00
24.S6b-7c 00:19:00 00:33:00
In this do-or-die game, Sato plays the quick attacking variation of the
climbing silver. Kubo is meeting this head-on, but...
25.K3i-2h 00:31:00 00:33:00
26.S7c-8d 00:31:00 00:33:00
27.P9g-9f 00:41:00 00:33:00
28.P7d-7e 00:41:00 00:52:00
29.R6h-7h 00:41:00 00:52:00
30.R8b-7b 00:41:00 00:54:00
31.P7fx7e 00:53:00 00:54:00
32.S8dx7e 00:53:00 00:54:00
33.B7g-9e 00:56:00 00:54:00
34.R7b-7d 00:56:00 01:04:00
35.P*7f 01:00:00 01:04:00
36.S7ex6f 01:00:00 01:06:00
37.S6gx6f 01:09:00 01:06:00
38.B2bx6f 01:09:00 01:06:00
39.S*7e 01:09:00 01:06:00
40.P9c-9d 01:09:00 01:15:00
41.B9e-7g? 02:02:00 01:15:00
This was considered a mistake by the professionals following this game, maybe
even the losing move. Kubo seems to have been overdoing it already, but here
the only way to try and stay in the game was 41.B5i. Then 42.Rx7e Px7e Bx9i+
is forced. After this, black should not play B7g, because +Bx8i Bx1a+ S*2b is
good for white, but after simply P7d +Bx8i R7e N*6f B*7g is a good counter.
Still, the static rook side seems to have the advantage, but this is much
less clear than in the game.
42.B6fx7g+ 02:02:00 01:15:00
43.N8ix7g 02:02:00 01:15:00
44.R7d-7b 02:02:00 01:19:00
45.R7h-6h 02:04:00 01:19:00
46.B*3c 02:04:00 01:29:00
47.G5h-6g 02:04:00 01:29:00
48.R7b-8b 02:04:00 01:33:00
49.B*7a 02:04:00 01:33:00
50.R8b-7b 02:04:00 01:36:00
51.B7a-2f+ 02:04:00 01:36:00
52.P*7d 02:04:00 01:36:00
53.S7e-6f 02:04:00 01:36:00
54.R7b-8b 02:04:00 01:36:00
55.R6h-8h 02:10:00 01:36:00
56.P8e-8f 02:10:00 01:36:00
57.P8gx8f 02:10:00 01:36:00
58.P*8g 02:10:00 01:36:00
59.R8h-5h 02:22:00 01:36:00
60.R8bx8f 02:22:00 01:37:00
61.P*8i 02:25:00 01:37:00
62.P8g-8h+ 02:25:00 01:39:00
63.P8ix8h 02:27:00 01:39:00
64.P*8g 02:27:00 01:39:00
65.P5g-5f 02:33:00 01:39:00
66.P8gx8h+ 02:33:00 01:39:00
67.P5f-5e 02:33:00 01:39:00
68.+P8h-7h 02:33:00 02:04:00
69.R5hx7h 02:40:00 02:04:00
70.R8f-8i+ 02:40:00 02:04:00
It has taken white a while, but black couldn't really avoid this breakthrough.
Now the white advantage is clear, but black has a promoted bishop that works
well in defense. Kubo is not prepared to throw the towel yet and is digging
in, hoping for a chance to turn the tables.
71.R7h-5h 02:40:00 02:04:00
72.+R8ix9i 02:40:00 02:04:00
73.+B2f-3f 02:48:00 02:04:00
74.P5dx5e! 02:48:00 02:08:00
Well judged. This looks dangerous, because it seems that black can play a
dangling pawn with P*5d followed by the knight jump to 6e. However, Sato
has seen that 75.P*5d can be answered strongly with 76.L*5f and the white
attack is stronger. By playing 74.Px5e, Sato gets an important extra pawn
in hand which gives him the strong attacking option of P*8f followed by an
attack on the head of the knight with P7e.
75.+B3f-4g 02:59:00 02:08:00
The only thing that Kubo can do is strengthen his defense and hope for the
best.
76.P*8f 02:59:00 02:13:00
77.P*8h 03:00:00 02:13:00
78.P7d-7e 03:00:00 02:19:00
79.P*5c 03:11:00 02:19:00
80.G5b-5a 03:11:00 02:42:00
81.P7fx7e 03:12:00 02:42:00
82.P*7f 03:12:00 02:59:00
83.N7g-8e 03:18:00 02:59:00
84.+R9ix9f! 03:18:00 03:04:00
Difficult move to play, because this rook seems to be moving away from the
action. However, getting a knight in hand will make the white attack
unstoppable as we will see. The only way black can save this knight is
by playing 85.+B7d but this puts the defending bishop out of play, so
black can attack strongly with 86.+R9g.
85.P*9b 03:23:00 03:04:00
86.P8f-8g+ 03:23:00 03:05:00
87.P8hx8g 03:23:00 03:05:00
88.+R9fx8e 03:23:00 03:05:00
89.P9bx9a+ 03:24:00 03:05:00
90.+R8ex8g 03:24:00 03:05:00
91.P*6h 03:24:00 03:05:00
92.S*5f! 03:24:00 03:16:00
This decides the game, even though there are still many moves played. White
exchanges the promoted rook for the defending bishop and with that the white
attack becomes unstoppable. From now on, Sato gives a clinic in how to play
threat after threat, forcing black into desperate but hopeless defensive
moves.
93.G6gx5f 03:28:00 03:16:00
94.+R8gx4g 03:28:00 03:16:00
95.S3hx4g 03:28:00 03:16:00
96.P5ex5f 03:28:00 03:16:00
97.L*5e 03:32:00 03:16:00
98.L*2d 03:32:00 03:16:00
99.S4g-3h 03:33:00 03:16:00
100.P5f-5g+ 03:33:00 03:24:00
101.R5hx5g 03:34:00 03:24:00
102.P*5d 03:34:00 03:24:00
103.+P9ax8a 03:44:00 03:24:00
104.P5dx5e 03:44:00 03:24:00
105.N*4e 03:44:00 03:24:00
106.P5e-5f 03:44:00 03:26:00
107.N4ex3c+ 03:46:00 03:26:00
108.N2ax3c 03:46:00 03:26:00
109.R5gx5f 03:46:00 03:26:00
110.L*2e 03:46:00 03:28:00
111.S*3f 03:50:00 03:28:00
112.N*4d 03:50:00 03:29:00
113.R5f-5g 03:50:00 03:29:00
114.P*5f 03:50:00 03:30:00
115.R5g-6g 03:51:00 03:30:00
116.P7f-7g+ 03:51:00 03:35:00
117.R6gx7g 03:51:00 03:35:00
118.N4dx3f 03:51:00 03:36:00
119.P3gx3f 03:51:00 03:36:00
120.B*9i 03:51:00 03:36:00
121.R7g-7f 03:53:00 03:36:00
122.S*4g 03:53:00 03:40:00
123.N*3i 03:53:00 03:40:00
124.B9ix6f+ 03:53:00 03:43:00
125.R7fx6f 03:53:00 03:43:00
126.P5f-5g+ 03:53:00 03:43:00
This is the first move since 94.+Rx4g that is not forcing the black reply.
127.B*9b 03:53:00 03:43:00
128.S*4h 03:53:00 03:45:00
129.G4ix4h 03:53:00 03:45:00
130.S4gx4h= 03:53:00 03:46:00
131.S*1h 03:54:00 03:46:00
132.N*4g 03:54:00 03:48:00
133.N3ix4g 03:55:00 03:48:00
134.S4h-3i= 03:55:00 03:48:00
135.K2h-1g 03:55:00 03:48:00
136.L2ex2g+ 03:55:00 03:49:00
137.S3hx2g 03:55:00 03:49:00
138.L2dx2g+ 03:55:00 03:49:00
139.K1gx2g 03:55:00 03:49:00
140.S*2f 03:55:00 03:49:00
141.K2gx2f 03:55:00 03:49:00
142.G*2e 03:55:00 03:49:00
Resigns 03:55:00 03:49:00
The mate is very simple after 143.K3g (or K2g) G*2f K3h +P4h. For the second
time in a row, Sato plays an almost perfect game with his back against the
wall. Maybe it is just that the resolution to play positively that gave him
a 2-0 lead now backfires on Kubo, but the pressure is now on him. Kubo is a
very gifted player, but there have been a number of occasions where the pressure
has been getting to him on the biggest stage. We only need to go back to the
fifth game of last year's Osho match against Habu where he lost a game he was
winning by playing the king to the wrong square. He has been saying in
interviews that he has grown mentally lately and in the final game of this
Kio match we will see whether or not he was just saying that to convince himself.