38th Oi Match Game 3
Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger
White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oi
38th Oi-sen, Game 3, August 5th and 6th 1997
1.P2g-2f 4/4 0/0
Sato's loss in the first game was not caused by his choice of opening, so
playing the Aigakari again was not a surprise. However, this time it goes
a little different.
2.P8c-8d 0/4 3/3
3.P2f-2e 0/4 0/3
4.P8d-8e 0/4 0/3
5.G6i-7h 0/4 0/3
6.G4a-3b 0/4 1/4
7.P2e-2d 0/4 0/4
8.P2cx2d 0/4 0/4
9.R2hx2d 0/4 0/4
10.P*2c 0/4 0/4
11.R2d-2f 0/4 0/4
12.S7a-7b 0/4 6/10
13.K5i-5h 7/11 0/10
14.K5a-4b 0/11 18/28
15.P1g-1f 26/37 0/28
16.P9c-9d 0/37 6/34
17.P1f-1e 36/73 0/34
18.P9d-9e 0/73 12/46
19.G4i-3h 3/76 0/46
20.P3c-3d 0/76 8/54
21.S3i-4h 4/80 0/54
22.P6c-6d 0/80 77/131
23.P7g-7f 17/97 0/131
24.P8e-8f 0/97 2/133
25.P8gx8f 0/97 0/133
26.R8bx8f 0/97 0/133
27.P*8g 1/98 0/133
28.R8f-8d 0/98 1/134
29.P3g-3f?! 101/199 0/134
Played after long thought, but probably not good. After 29.P3f Habu gets the
upper hand. Better is probably 29.P*2d Px2d Rx2d P*6e (to defend the pawn on
3d) R2e R6d Bx2b+ Sx2b B*5e P*2d Rx2d P*2c Rx2c+ Sx2c Bx6d. A little strange
variation, but Sato agreed that in the actual game he had problems finding
good moves ("sakusenmake").
30.P6d-6e 0/199 142/276
31.N2i-3g 24/223 0/276
32.S7b-6c 0/223 2/278
33.P4g-4f 8/231 0/278
This move is unusual in this type of position and an indication that
Sato has no good continuation.
34.G6a-5b 0/231 29/307
35.S4h-4g 1/232 0/307
36.P6e-6f! 0/232 20/327
Habu takes the initiative with this perfectly timed pawn sacrifice.
37.B8hx6f 38/270 0/327
38.B2bx6f 0/270 1/328
39.P6gx6f 0/270 0/328
40.P*6e 0/270 2/330
41.S7i-8h 5/275 0/330
Black can not take the pawn: 41.Px6e B*4d R2i Bx9i+ S8h +Bx8i! (not +B9h
because of B*6f and black has a strong counterattack) Rx8i N*6f and white has
a big advantage.
42.P6ex6f 0/275 0/330
43.P*6h 0/275 0/330
This move is defense only and therefore very painful. Still, even though white
is a little better, the position is still very difficult.
44.R8d-8b 0/275 30/360
45.S8h-7g 3/278 0/360
46.R8b-6b?! 0/278 0/360
Shukan Shogi passes over this move without comment, but in Igo-Shogi weekly
Yashiki suggested 46.S5d as better. Black can not take the pawn on 6f because
of B*4d, and if black plays the same attack as in the game, the silver on 5d
is much better than on 6c. If black waits, white plays R6b and has a great
position to attack from.
47.P3f-3e!? 45/323 0/360
Black has to attack now, good or not. If he waits until after S5d he will have
no chance to win.
48.P3dx3e 0/323 2/362
49.P1e-1d 1/324 0/362
50.P1cx1d 0/324 0/362
51.P*2d 0/324 0/362
52.S3a-2b 0/324 16/378
53.P2dx2c+ 2/326 0/378
54.G3bx2c 0/326 0/378
55.P*2d 1/327 0/378
56.G2c-3d 0/327 2/380
57.B*5f 12/339 0/380
58.P*2e 0/339 2/382
59.N3gx2e 7/346 0/382
60.G3dx2d 0/346 0/382
61.P*1b 0/346 0/382
62.N2a-3c 0/346 1/383
63.N2ex3c+ 12/358 0/383
64.S2bx3c 0/358 0/383
65.P1bx1a+ 0/358 0/383
66.P*2e 0/358 0/383
67.R2f-2h 9/367 0/383
68.N*5e 0/367 12/395
69.B5f-1b+ 17/384 0/395
70.N5ex4g+ 0/384 10/405
71.G3hx4g 0/384 0/405
72.K4b-5a 0/384 1/406
73.S7gx6f 6/390 0/406
74.P3e-3f?! 0/390 17/423
The wrong way around. If white plays 74.P*8h first, black cannot ignore this
move and has to play Gx8h. Then 76.P3f is the right continuation. Sato planned
to play 77.P*3h P2f R2i and wait for better times.
75.L*5f 19/409 0/423
76.P*8h 0/409 4/427
77.N*4e! 9/418 0/427
Now black can ignore the pawn attack and go for the white king. It seems that
black is getting the better game now.
78.S3c-4b 0/418 1/428
79.N*3d 6/424 0/428
80.G2dx3d 0/424 16/444
81.+B1bx3d 0/424 0/444
82.N*7d 0/424 0/444
83.P6h-6g 6/430 0/444
84.P8hx8i+ 0/430 5/449
85.R2hx2e 3/433 0/449
86.S*3h 0/433 2/451
87.R2e-2a+ 1/434 0/451
Everybody expected Sato to win from here. However, Habu still has his endgame
magic...
88.N*3a 0/434 3/454
89.G4g-4h 7/441 0/454
90.N7dx6f 0/441 1/455
91.P6gx6f 0/441 0/455
92.S*4g 0/441 0/455
93.K5h-6g 12/453 0/455
94.S4gx4h=! 0/453 3/458
Non promoting is vital. This silver has to threaten to take the pawn on 5g with
check.
95.N4ex5c=? 8/461 0/458
Here Sato misses his best chance to win. After the tame looking 95.+B2d, white
has no good defense. For example 96.K6a +Bx4b Gx4b +Rx3a K7b (G*4a Nx5c= K7a
Nx4a+ also wins) S*7a B*4i K7g and white has no mate.
96.G5bx5c 0/461 5/463
97.L5fx5c+ 1/462 0/463
98.S4bx5c 0/462 4/467
99.+R2ax3a 11/473 0/467
100.G*4a 0/473 0/467
101.+R3a-2a 0/473 0/467
102.N*5e 0/473 2/469
103.K6g-7g 0/473 0/469
104.S4hx5g=! 0/473 5/474
Another non promotion of the silver, this time to take an interposing piece on
6h with check after B*5i.
105.+B3d-3c 6/479 0/474
106.S5c-4b 0/479 1/475
107.+B3cx5e 0/479 0/475
108.G4a-3a! 0/479 0/475
It is hard to play a tough endgame like this in byoyomi, especially when your
opponent plays moves like this.
109.+R2a-2d? 0/479 0/475
Looks natural, but is not good. Best chance would have been 109.+Rx3a Sx3a
G*5c B*5i K6g and the outcome of the game is still anybody's guess.
110.P*5d 0/479 2/477
111.N*7e 0/479 0/477
112.B*5i 0/479 0/477
113.N*6h 0/479 0/477
114.S5gx6h= 0/479 1/478
Finally the work of this unpromoted silver is done. Sx4h=, Sx5g=, Sx6h= is the
manoeuvre that gives Habu the game.
115.G7hx6h 0/479 0/478
116.N*8e 0/479 0/478
117.K7g-6g 0/479 0/478
118.P5dx5e 0/479 0/478
119.N7ex6c= 0/479 0/478
120.R6bx6c 0/479 0/478
121.S*5b? 0/479 0/478
The final mistake. 121.P*5b is the last fighting chance. Of course Habu would
not miss 122.K6a G*5a K6b G*6a and black wins, but after 122.K6b black still
has some chances to win.
122.K5ax5b 0/479 0/478
123.+R2d-5d 0/479 0/478
124.B*5c! 0/479 0/478
Only the bishop as will become clear in the final position.
125.+R5dx6c 0/479 0/478
126.K5bx6c 0/479 0/478
127.R*6a 0/479 0/478
128.P*6b 0/479 0/478
Because of the bishop on 5c, N*7e does not lead to mate and black has no
defense.
Resigns 0/479 0/478
Time: 07:59:00 07:58:00
A difficult game where Habu's perfect endgame technique gave him the victory.
