38th Kio Match Game 4

[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Goda Masataka, Kio"]
[Event "38th Kio-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "March 24th 2013"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P8c-8d     00:00:00  00:00:00
3.P2g-2f     00:03:00  00:00:00
4.P8d-8e     00:03:00  00:00:00
5.B8h-7g     00:03:00  00:00:00
6.P3c-3d     00:03:00  00:00:00
7.S7i-8h     00:03:00  00:00:00
8.G4a-3b     00:03:00  00:00:00
9.G6i-7h     00:03:00  00:00:00
10.B2bx7g+   00:03:00  00:00:00
11.S8hx7g    00:03:00  00:00:00
12.S3a-4b    00:03:00  00:00:00
13.S3i-3h    00:03:00  00:00:00
14.S7a-7b    00:03:00  00:00:00
15.P9g-9f    00:03:00  00:00:00
16.P9c-9d    00:03:00  00:00:00
17.P4g-4f    00:03:00  00:00:00
18.P6c-6d    00:03:00  00:00:00
19.S3h-4g    00:03:00  00:00:00
20.S7b-6c    00:03:00  00:00:00
21.K5i-6h    00:04:00  00:00:00
22.P1c-1d    00:04:00  00:00:00
23.P1g-1f    00:04:00  00:00:00
24.K5a-4a    00:04:00  00:00:00
25.S4g-5f    00:05:00  00:00:00
26.G6a-5b    00:05:00  00:00:00
27.K6h-7i    00:06:00  00:00:00
28.K4a-3a    00:06:00  00:00:00
29.G4i-5h    00:06:00  00:00:00
30.S6c-5d    00:06:00  00:00:00
31.P3g-3f    00:06:00  00:00:00
32.P4c-4d    00:06:00  00:00:00
33.N2i-3g    00:06:00  00:00:00
34.P7c-7d    00:06:00  00:00:00
35.P6g-6f    00:08:00  00:00:00
36.S4b-3c    00:08:00  00:00:00
37.R2h-4h    00:10:00  00:00:00
38.G5b-4b    00:10:00  00:00:00
39.K7i-8h    00:10:00  00:00:00
40.K3a-2b    00:10:00  00:00:00
41.L1i-1h    00:11:00  00:00:00

After an Aigakari, Yokofudori and Yagura, we now have a Kakugawari opening. 
However, instead of playing the classic attack with P3e, Watanabe has 
decided to play the waiting move 41.L1h.

42.G4b-4c    00:11:00  00:03:00
43.P2f-2e    00:12:00  00:03:00

Another waiting move.

44.L9a-9b    00:12:00  00:05:00

Goda replies with a waiting move of his own. Suddenly we have moved from 
a position that has been played thousands of times before to a position 
that has been played only once before.

45.P4f-4e    01:06:00  00:05:00

After 54 minutes, Watanabe decides to start the attack.

46.P4dx4e    01:06:00  00:06:00
47.S5fx4e    01:06:00  00:06:00
48.S5dx4e    01:06:00  00:08:00
49.N3gx4e    01:06:00  00:08:00
50.S3c-4d    01:06:00  00:08:00
51.N4ex5c+   01:06:00  00:08:00

Diagram 1

This way of playing is known, but no professional has even played it 
because it so clearly seems an overplay and too simple an attack to work. 
However, no one has ever exactly shown how white should defend against it. 
Watanabe has decided to put Goda to the test here. Can white find the right 
way to show that the black attack is bound to fail?

52.G4cx5c    01:06:00  02:32:00

It took a long time for Goda to decide with which piece he should take 
the knight. Two hours and 24 minutes to be exact. Considering that the 
time limit per player in the Kio match is 4 hours, this is a huge time 
investment. After the game, Goda admitted that he still didn't feel 
comfortable with 52.Gx5c, but that he thought that 52.Sx5c was bad because 
of 53.P*4d G4c-4b S*4c N*3a Sx3b+ Kx3b B*7a R8c G*8b and black can pick 
up both the lance and the gold. Furthermore, because white has used the 
knight on 3a, the strong counter attack N*8f is no longer possible.

53.B*7a      01:09:00  02:32:00
54.P*4g      01:09:00  02:40:00
55.R4hx4g    01:11:00  02:40:00
56.R8b-7b    01:11:00  02:40:00
57.B7ax5c+   02:03:00  02:40:00
58.S4dx5c    02:03:00  02:40:00
59.P2e-2d    02:03:00  02:40:00

Watanabe thought he had a slight advantage here, but it is not easy to 
push the attack through.

60.S*4d      02:03:00  03:10:00
61.G*6c      02:33:00  03:10:00
62.B*6i      02:33:00  03:33:00
63.G6cx7b    02:37:00  03:33:00
64.B6ix5h+   02:37:00  03:33:00
65.P2dx2c+   02:38:00  03:33:00
66.G3bx2c    02:38:00  03:33:00
67.R4g-2g    02:39:00  03:33:00

Diagram 2

68.P*2d?     02:39:00  03:33:00

An interesting oversight by both players. If white plays 68.+Bx3f immediately 
then 69.P*2d +Bx2g Px2c+ Kx2c leads to a position that is similar to the 
game. Both players thought that the position was exactly the same, but 
when we look at it carefully, white has an extra pawn in hand, which is 
a huge difference.

69.P*2e      02:40:00  03:33:00
70.+B5hx3f   02:40:00  03:38:00
71.P2ex2d    02:45:00  03:38:00
72.+B3fx2g   02:45:00  03:38:00
73.P2dx2c+   02:45:00  03:38:00
74.K2bx2c    02:45:00  03:38:00
75.R*2e      02:45:00  03:38:00
76.P*2d      02:45:00  03:38:00
77.R2ex2g    02:45:00  03:38:00
78.R*4h      02:45:00  03:40:00

Kato (9-dan) gave 78.R*3h is an alternative that may have been better. No 
variations were given, but he thought that because this defends against 
N*3f, Watanabe would have found it much harder to attack.

79.B*4a      03:13:00  03:40:00
80.N*3b      03:13:00  03:42:00
81.S*4c      03:30:00  03:42:00
82.G*3a      03:30:00  03:43:00
83.S4cx3b=   03:30:00  03:43:00
84.G3ax3b    03:30:00  03:43:00
85.G*4c      03:30:00  03:43:00
86.S*3a      03:30:00  03:43:00
87.N*3f      03:31:00  03:43:00

Diagram 3

88.R4hx7h+?  03:31:00  03:51:00

Goda thinks his position is bad and he tries too hard to get back into 
the game. If he would just have played 88.S3e then 89.P*2e Rx4c+ Px2d K1c 
(or K2b) and even though black is attacking, Watanabe was not happy with 
his position here. If Goda would have gotten the extra pawn earlier, this 
would have been even better for him.

89.K8hx7h    03:34:00  03:51:00
90.B*4e      03:34:00  03:51:00
91.P5g-5f    03:34:00  03:51:00
92.B4ex3f    03:34:00  03:51:00
93.R2g-2h    03:40:00  03:51:00
94.G*3c      03:40:00  03:51:00
95.P*2e      03:44:00  03:51:00
96.B3fx2e    03:44:00  03:53:00
97.P*2b      03:46:00  03:53:00
98.K2cx2b    03:46:00  03:53:00
99.G4cx3b    03:46:00  03:53:00
100.S3ax3b   03:46:00  03:53:00
101.B4a-6c+  03:46:00  03:53:00
102.B2e-4g+  03:46:00  03:55:00
103.P*4e     03:46:00  03:55:00
104.+B4gx5f  03:46:00  03:55:00
105.K7h-8h   03:46:00  03:55:00
106.+B5fx4e  03:46:00  03:57:00
107.+B6cx4e  03:46:00  03:57:00
108.S4dx4e   03:46:00  03:57:00
109.P*2c     03:47:00  03:57:00
110.G3cx2c   03:47:00  03:57:00
111.R*5a     03:48:00  03:57:00
112.S5c-4b   03:48:00  03:57:00
113.R5ax8a+  03:48:00  03:57:00
114.B*5e     03:48:00  03:57:00
115.R2h-4h   03:50:00  03:57:00
116.P*4g     03:50:00  03:57:00
117.R4h-5h   03:50:00  03:57:00
118.P*5g     03:50:00  03:57:00
119.R5hx5g   03:51:00  03:57:00
120.P*5f     03:51:00  03:57:00
121.R5gx4g   03:51:00  03:57:00
122.P*4f     03:51:00  03:57:00
123.R4g-3g   03:51:00  03:57:00
124.N*3e     03:51:00  03:57:00
125.G*5b     03:51:00  03:57:00
126.S4b-4c   03:51:00  03:57:00
127.B*3a     03:52:00  03:57:00
128.K2b-1b   03:52:00  03:57:00
129.P1f-1e   03:52:00  03:57:00
130.P4f-4g+  03:52:00  03:57:00
131.R3g-1g   03:52:00  03:57:00
132.G*2f!    03:52:00  03:57:00

Diagram 4

Watanabe was taken by surprise here. He thought white had to play B2h+ here, 
which is helping the black attack because the bishop no longer defends 2b. 
After this, Watanabe had calculated that his attack would be one move quicker.

133.+R8ax8e? 03:52:00  03:57:00

Surprise invites the mistake. Correct would have been 133.G4b and the black 
attack is still strong enough.

134.P6d-6e?  03:52:00  03:58:00

Goda misses his chance. If he had pulled back the bishop with 134.B2b then 
after 135.Bx2b+ Gx2b the threatening bishop on 3a is gone, and white has 
some room to build an attack of his own.

135.+R8ex6e  03:53:00  03:58:00
136.S4e-5d   03:53:00  03:58:00
137.+R6ex5e  03:55:00  03:58:00
138.S5dx5e   03:55:00  03:58:00
139.G5b-4b   03:55:00  03:58:00
140.S5e-4d   03:55:00  03:58:00
141.P1ex1d   03:56:00  03:58:00
142.G2fx1g   03:56:00  03:59:00
143.L1hx1g   03:56:00  03:59:00
144.R*1h     03:56:00  03:59:00
145.P*5h     03:56:00  03:59:00
146.R1hx1g+  03:56:00  03:59:00
147.B*6e     03:56:00  03:59:00

Diagram 5

This is a strong position for the bishop and Watanabe felt confident again 
that he would win the game.

148.R*3c     03:56:00  03:59:00

A last stand by Goda but it is in vain.

149.P*2e     03:57:00  03:59:00
150.+P4g-5g  03:57:00  03:59:00
151.P2ex2d   03:58:00  03:59:00
152.+P5g-6g  03:58:00  03:59:00
153.P2dx2c+  03:58:00  03:59:00
154.R3cx2c   03:58:00  03:59:00
155.N*2d     03:58:00  03:59:00
156.R2cx2d   03:58:00  03:59:00
157.G*1c     03:58:00  03:59:00
Resigns      03:58:00  03:59:00

Final Diagram

Goda has played on a little longer than necessary, perhaps to mentally prepare 
himself for losing his Kio title. Now the mate is so simple after 158.Nx1c 
Bx1c+ K2a G*3a that he has no other option but to resign. After the Osho 
title, Watanabe also takes the Kio title and is now the 8th person in shogi 
history to hold three major titles at the same time. Moriuchi still holds 
the Meijin title, but all other titles are now divided between Watanabe and Habu.