36th Kio Match Game 2

[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Kubo Toshiaki, Kio"]
[Event "36th Kio-sen, Game 2"]
[Date "February 26th 2011"]
1.P2g-2f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:00:00
3.P7g-7f     00:01:00  00:00:00
4.P5c-5d     00:01:00  00:01:00
5.P2f-2e     00:05:00  00:01:00
6.R8b-5b     00:05:00  00:03:00
7.G4i-5h     00:09:00  00:03:00

Diagram 1

With this move, Watanabe invites Kubo to an all-out slugfest. Kubo can decline the 
invitation by playing the quiet 8.K6b here, but then black can exchange the pawns on 
the second file for free and there are very few professionals who like to make that 
concession.

8.P5d-5e     00:09:00  00:20:00

Kubo accepts the invitation, albeit reluctantly because he spent 17 minutes on this 
move. According to Yamasaki (7-dan), taking his time here was psychologically not a 
very smart thing to do, because it gave the impression that Kubo didn't really want 
to play this opening variation.

9.P2e-2d     00:11:00  00:20:00
10.P2cx2d    00:11:00  00:24:00
11.R2hx2d    00:11:00  00:24:00
12.P5e-5f    00:11:00  00:24:00
13.P5gx5f    00:11:00  00:24:00
14.B2bx8h+   00:11:00  00:34:00
15.S7ix8h    00:11:00  00:34:00
16.B*3c      00:11:00  00:37:00
17.R2dx2a+   00:16:00  00:37:00
18.B3cx8h+   00:16:00  00:38:00

Only 18 moves played and the board is on fire. Of course, this is all still opening 
theory.

19.N*5e      00:16:00  00:38:00
20.K5a-6b    00:16:00  00:38:00
21.+R2ax1a   00:16:00  00:38:00
22.+B8hx9i   00:16:00  00:42:00
23.B*3c      00:18:00  00:42:00
24.S*4d      00:18:00  01:00:00
25.B3cx4d+   00:18:00  01:00:00
26.P4cx4d    00:18:00  01:00:00
27.L*6f      00:18:00  01:00:00
28.S7a-7b    00:18:00  01:00:00
29.S*8b      00:19:00  01:00:00
30.B*2g      00:19:00  01:11:00
31.S8bx9a+   00:21:00  01:11:00
32.L*5c      00:21:00  01:11:00
33.+S9ax8a   00:22:00  01:11:00
34.L5cx5e    00:22:00  01:11:00
35.P5fx5e    00:22:00  01:11:00
36.S7bx8a    00:22:00  01:11:00
37.+R1ax1c!? 00:23:00  01:11:00

Diagram 2

This is the move that Watanabe prepared. Previous games with this position continued
 mostly with 37.L*6e after white has the choice between defending with 38.N*5a or 
starting a counter attack with 38.+Bx6f Px6f L*5f. Watanabe said in the post-mortem 
analysis that he had studied 37.+Rx1c, but that he couldn't see through all the 
complications and therefore wanted to try it in an official game. The move 37.+Rx1c 
is a lighter attack than L*6e and it also keeps the lance in hand. On the other hand, 
because the black threat is not so strong than it would be after 37.L*6e, white has a 
number of possible moves here.

38.+B9ix6f?! 00:23:00  01:44:00

Hard to judge if this move is a mistake or not. There are a number of alternatives 
like 38.S2b, 38.+Bx8i and 38.Rx5e and they all lead to very difficult positions. Kubo 
said after the game that he would have liked to think about three days about his move 
here. In any case, after 38.+Bx6f it seems that black gets the upper hand which is almost 
certainly decisive in a sharp endgame position like this. An interesting observation by 
Yamasaki was that Watanabe probably also played 37.Rx1c+ to confuse Kubo with the number 
of possible replies, which is a little out of character for Watanabe, who is known 
for his strong attacking play.

39.P6gx6f    00:23:00  01:44:00
40.L*5f      00:23:00  01:44:00
41.L*5g      00:25:00  01:44:00
42.L5fx5g+   00:25:00  01:53:00
43.G5hx5g    00:25:00  01:53:00
44.P*5f      00:25:00  02:13:00
45.G5gx5f    00:27:00  02:13:00

Diagram 3

46.S*6g      00:27:00  02:23:00

A change of plan. Kubo had initially planned 46.N*6d, but here he saw that 47.G6e 
Nx7f B*6g! is good for black. The bishop drop is not an easy move to play, giving 
up an important piece in hand for what looks like a defense-only move. However, 
if black can remove the knight from 7f, the black king will be completely safe. 
Also, white has removed the 7th file pawn from the board, so black now has the 
strong option of P*7d at any time.

47.P*2h      00:37:00  02:23:00
48.S6gx5f=?  00:37:00  02:53:00

After this, the game ends quickly. The idea was to defend against L*6e, but with 
the silver on 5f, the move Rx5e, which is what white is hoping for, is not effective 
because black can strongly answer this with B*4f. Kubo's best fighting chance was 
48.S2b to chase the promoted rook away. For example, 49.+R2d Sx5f+ Px2g L*6g G5h 
G*5g was a variation that was played in the post-mortem analysis. White threatens 
Sx4g+ next, after which the black king cannot be defended. If black defends with 
L*4h then Gx5h Kx5h N*5g and Watanabe said he thought that black could survive 
the white attack, but that it was a lot more dangerous than he originally thought.

49.P2hx2g    00:37:00  02:53:00
50.L*6g      00:37:00  03:16:00
51.G6i-5h    00:56:00  03:16:00
52.N*3e      00:56:00  03:20:00
53.B*3f      01:10:00  03:20:00
54.K6b-7a    01:10:00  03:20:00
55.N*7e      01:24:00  03:20:00
56.S5f-4e    01:24:00  03:41:00
57.B3f-1d    01:49:00  03:41:00
58.R5bx5e    01:49:00  03:43:00
59.P*5g      01:49:00  03:43:00
60.P*5f      01:49:00  03:51:00

Diagram 4

61.N7ex8c=!  02:03:00  03:51:00

The time difference in this game is huge. Kubo has only 9 minutes left, while Watanabe 
has almost two hours. Watanabe took 14 minutes to make sure that the endgame is winning.

62.K7a-8b    02:03:00  03:51:00
63.B*9a      02:05:00  03:51:00
64.K8bx8c    02:05:00  03:51:00
65.L*8f      02:05:00  03:51:00
66.N*8e      02:05:00  03:54:00
67.B1dx4a+   02:19:00  03:54:00

This threatens mate after Bx7c+ next, and white has no good defense.

68.G6a-7b    02:19:00  03:55:00
69.L8fx8e    02:19:00  03:55:00
70.R5ex8e    02:19:00  03:55:00
71.L*8f      02:19:00  03:55:00

Wins the rook and the game.

72.R8ex8f    02:19:00  03:56:00
73.P8gx8f    02:19:00  03:56:00
74.P5fx5g+   02:19:00  03:56:00
75.G5hx5g    02:20:00  03:56:00
76.L*5d      02:20:00  03:57:00
77.+B4ax6c   02:24:00  03:57:00
78.L5dx5g=   02:24:00  03:57:00
79.K5i-4i    02:24:00  03:57:00
Resigns      02:24:00  03:59:00

Final Diagram

If white takes the bishop with 80.Gx6c, he is threatening mate with G*5h, but then 
81.R*8b Sx8b N*7e K7d +Rx6c followed by G*8e is mate and after two minutes of thought, 
Kubo resigned. Watanabe was surprised how well his new move had worked and he won this
 game with hardly breaking a sweat. Kubo was unhappy that he was unable to put up a 
fight, but it is unlikely that he will be trapped like this again. We are all square 
at 1-1 and Kubo has the black pieces in the third game.