36th Kio Match Game 4
[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Kubo Toshiaki, Kio"]
[Event "36th Kio-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "March 18th 2011"]
1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
4.P5c-5d 00:00:00 00:01:00
5.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:01:00
6.R8b-5b 00:00:00 00:01:00
7.S3i-4h 00:00:00 00:01:00
8.P5d-5e 00:00:00 00:01:00
9.K5i-6h 00:00:00 00:01:00
10.B2b-3c 00:00:00 00:01:00
11.P3g-3f 00:00:00 00:01:00
12.K5a-6b 00:00:00 00:14:00
13.S4h-3g 00:00:00 00:14:00
14.K6b-7b 00:00:00 00:14:00
15.S3g-4f 00:00:00 00:14:00
In reply to Kubo's Gokigen Nakabisha, Watanabe plays the ultra quick right silver
attack. Nowadays the most popular way of play for black in this opening.
16.K7b-8b 00:00:00 00:14:00
17.K6h-7h 00:00:00 00:14:00
18.S7a-7b 00:00:00 00:14:00
19.S7i-6h 00:00:00 00:14:00
20.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:14:00
21.S6h-7g 00:00:00 00:14:00
22.P5e-5f 00:00:00 00:14:00
23.P5gx5f 00:00:00 00:14:00
24.R5bx5f 00:00:00 00:14:00
25.S7g-6f 00:00:00 00:14:00
26.R5f-5a 00:00:00 00:14:00
27.S4f-5e 00:00:00 00:14:00
28.P*5d 00:00:00 00:18:00
29.S5e-4f 00:00:00 00:18:00
30.P6c-6d 00:00:00 00:24:00
31.B8h-7g 00:01:00 00:24:00
This is Watanabe's new idea. The bishop is vulnerable at the head and there is
always the risk of attack through a knight on 6e or 8e. Watanabe has judged that
it is more important that he can take with the knight in case of a bishop exchange
on 7g, which leaves the king much better protected.
32.P7c-7d 00:01:00 00:39:00
33.S4f-4e 00:05:00 00:39:00
34.N8a-7c 00:05:00 00:56:00
35.S4ex3d 00:05:00 00:56:00
36.B3c-4b 00:05:00 00:56:00
37.G6i-6h 00:25:00 00:56:00
38.S3a-2b 00:25:00 01:01:00
39.G4i-5h 00:28:00 01:01:00
40.S7b-6c 00:28:00 01:02:00
Black has won a pawn, but the balance between the two silvers is bad and it seems
hard to improve their position. Watanabe finds a way...
41.S6f-5g! 00:51:00 01:02:00
Not an easy move to find, as the knight fork N6e seems to prevent this. However,
after 42.N6e Bx2b+! Gx2b Sx4c+ black gets an overwhelming position despite being
down in material. The bad position of the bishop on 4b and the gold on 2b more
than makes up for the bishop sacrifice.
42.N2a-3c 00:51:00 01:12:00
43.S5g-4f 00:55:00 01:12:00
Now the two silvers work together well and black has also managed to open the bishop
diagonal. Black has a clear advantage here, but Kubo is famous for his resilience in
worse positions.
44.G6a-7b 00:55:00 01:12:00
45.P2e-2d 00:58:00 01:12:00
46.P2cx2d 00:58:00 01:12:00
47.P*2c 00:58:00 01:12:00
48.S2b-3a 00:58:00 01:12:00
49.R2hx2d 00:58:00 01:12:00
50.P*2a 00:58:00 01:15:00
51.P2c-2b+ 01:18:00 01:15:00
52.P2ax2b 01:18:00 01:34:00
53.P*2c 01:18:00 01:34:00
54.R5a-5c! 01:18:00 01:42:00
As is his style, Kubo does whatever it takes to fight back. This defends against Px2b+
Sx2b Sx4c+, but on 5c the rook seems to be in a very awkward spot. The glaring threat
is a later Sx3c+ followed by N4e, but if black tries to put this in the position
immediately with 55.N3g, then 56.P5e! is a very good counter. For example, 57.Px2b+
Sx2b Sx3c= can be answered with Bx3c because the bishop diagonal is now closed.
Also, 57.Bx5e Rx5e Sx5e N4e or 57.Sx5e N6e B6f P*5f is not bad for black.
55.P2cx2b+ 01:37:00 01:42:00
56.S3ax2b 01:37:00 01:44:00
57.S3dx3c= 01:37:00 01:44:00
58.S2bx3c 01:37:00 01:46:00
59.R2d-2a+ 01:37:00 01:46:00
60.G3b-2b 01:37:00 01:48:00
61.+R2ax1a 01:42:00 01:48:00
62.R5c-5a! 01:42:00 01:48:00
The second point of 54.R5c. Now white can force the exchange of rooks which swings
the balance in white's favor.
63.+R1ax5a 01:55:00 01:48:00
64.B4bx5a 01:55:00 01:48:00
65.N*4e 02:00:00 01:48:00
66.N7c-6e 02:00:00 02:16:00
67.N4e-5c+ 02:05:00 02:16:00
68.N6ex7g+ 02:05:00 02:30:00
69.N8ix7g 02:05:00 02:30:00
70.B5a-9e 02:05:00 02:38:00
71.N*8f 02:37:00 02:38:00
72.B*4d 02:37:00 02:57:00
73.+N5cx6c 02:45:00 02:57:00
74.G7bx6c 02:45:00 02:57:00
75.S*5b 02:46:00 02:57:00
76.G6c-5c? 02:46:00 03:17:00
A mistake. Correct would have been 76.G6b. This looks bad because of the fork 77.Nx7d,
but after 78.K7c Nx6b+ B4dx7g+ Gx7g Bx7g+ Kx7g N*6e the black king is mated (K6h N*5f
or K6f N*7d K5f S*4e Kx4e S4d etc.).
77.S5b-6a+! 03:03:00 03:17:00
Here Kubo had counted on 77.S6a= after which he thought he could stop the attack with
78.K7a. However, 77.S6a+ is much stronger because of the devastating bishop drop on 7a
if white gives up a bishop. But then again, without giving up a bishop there is no way
to attack the black king.
78.S*7b 03:03:00 03:37:00
79.N8fx7d 03:11:00 03:37:00
80.K8b-7c 03:11:00 03:37:00
81.+S6a-6b 03:11:00 03:37:00
The net around the white king is closing. Black wins and we are going to see a fifth
and decisive game. At least, that is what everyone thought, including both players.
82.G5c-6c 03:11:00 03:50:00
83.+S6bx7b 03:25:00 03:50:00
84.K7cx7b 03:25:00 03:50:00
85.R*8b 03:28:00 03:50:00
86.K7b-7c 03:28:00 03:50:00
87.L*8f 03:28:00 03:50:00
88.B9ex8f 03:28:00 03:58:00
89.P8gx8f 03:29:00 03:58:00
90.G6cx7d 03:29:00 03:58:00
91.R8b-5b+ 03:29:00 03:58:00
92.N*9e 03:29:00 03:58:00
93.P7f-7e 03:50:00 03:58:00
94.S*8g 03:50:00 03:58:00
95.K7h-6i 03:50:00 03:58:00
96.R*8i 03:50:00 03:58:00
97.S*7i 03:50:00 03:58:00
98.G7dx7e 03:50:00 03:58:00
99.B*8b? 03:51:00 03:58:00
A first mistake based on a huge oversight by Watanabe. Easy would have been 99.B*5a
N*6b P*5c and the decisive +Rx6b next cannot be defended.
100.K7c-8d 03:51:00 03:58:00
101.+R5b-7b? 03:52:00 03:58:00
This is the final mistake. If Watanabe would have seen his error here, he could still
have recovered by playing 101.+R6c here. Then 102.N*8a (or G7d Bx6d+ and wins) Bx6d+
L*6b is not good enough because of +Bx7e Kx7e G*8e and mate.
102.G7e-7d 03:52:00 03:58:00
103.P*7e 03:52:00 03:58:00
104.K8dx7e 03:52:00 03:58:00
105.B8b-7c+ 03:52:00 03:58:00
106.K7e-7f! 03:52:00 03:58:00
For some reason, Watanabe thought that white had to play 106.Kx8f here, after which
107.+Bx9e Kx9e +Rx7d is winning for black. However, after 106.K7f there is no mate
against the white king, which now helps in attack, creating the mating threat Rx7i+
Kx7i S*7h Gx7h Sx7h+ Kx7h Bx7g+ etc. Kubo was a relieved man here, admitting that
he felt he was losing until he found 106.K7f.
107.G5h-5i 03:59:00 03:58:00
108.N*5f 03:59:00 03:58:00
109.P*7h 03:59:00 03:58:00
110.N5fx6h+ 03:59:00 03:58:00
111.G5ix6h 03:59:00 03:58:00
112.S8g-8h= 03:59:00 03:58:00
113.+B7cx7d 03:59:00 03:58:00
114.R8ix7i+ 03:59:00 03:58:00
115.K6i-5h 03:59:00 03:58:00
116.S*4i 03:59:00 03:58:00
117.K5h-5g 03:59:00 03:58:00
118.+R7ix6h 03:59:00 03:58:00
Resigns 03:59:00 03:58:00
Simple mate after 118.K5f (Kx6h G*5h) +Rx6g K4e G*3d Kx5d G*5c, so Watanabe resigns
here. Not a perfect game, but a very interesting game where the knights played a
very important role. Watanabe will have been disappointed that he left something
on the table in this title match. On the other hand, Kubo will have been delighted
with defending both of his crowns in the same week.