40th Oi Match Game 3
Black: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger
White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oi
40th Oi-sen, Game 3, August 5th and 6th 1999
1.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0
2.P3c-3d 0/0 2/2
3.P2g-2f 3/3 0/2
4.P8c-8d 0/3 3/5
5.P2f-2e 4/7 0/5
6.P8d-8e 0/7 4/9
7.G6i-7h 1/8 0/9
8.G4a-3b 0/8 3/12
9.P2e-2d 4/12 0/12
10.P2cx2d 0/12 1/13
11.R2hx2d 0/12 0/13
12.P8e-8f 0/12 6/19
13.P8gx8f 0/12 0/19
14.R8bx8f 0/12 0/19
15.R2dx3d 6/18 0/19
16.N2a-3c 0/18 3/22
For the third time this match the Yokofudori is played, but this time Habu
selects the N3c variation instead of the B3c variation like in the previous
two games.
17.K5i-5h 27/45 0/22
18.K5a-6b!? 0/45 12/34
It is unclear if Habu was aiming for the following complications. This looks
like a dangerous move, but maybe he had studied it all at home.
19.P*8g! 44/89 0/34
Brave decision. It is almost impossible that Tanigawa has seen through all
of the violent variations that can follow. Rather than backing off with
19.R3f, which would lead to a positional game, Tanigawa wants to see if
Habu is bluffing.
20.R8fx7f 0/89 89/123
No choice but to go ahead. The move R8e comes to mind, considering the
popularity of this move in the B3c variation, but in this case white
has little chance of getting compensation for the lost pawn.
21.R3d-8d 74/163 0/123
22.P*8b 0/163 16/139
23.P*2c 56/219 0/139
Only 23 moves played and the board is on fire. Whoever wins, this was already
expected to be a short game. "This looks like Russian roulette" (Fukuzaki,
8-dan).
24.G3bx2c 0/219 60/199
25.P*2d 12/231 0/199
26.N3c-4e 0/231 6/205
27.G7h-7g 2/233 0/205
28.B2bx7g+ 0/233 28/233
29.B8hx7g 6/239 0/233
30.G2c-2b? 0/239 53/286
This is not a position to waste time. Habu should have ignored the attack on
the gold and play 30.Rx7g+ Nx7g B*7e B*6f Bx8d Bx8d R*8i B*8h G*7f and white
seems to have good chances.
31.R8d-8e! 67/306 0/286
The problem. If white now plays 32.R2f then after 33.Rx4e Rx2i+ Rx4c+ black
has the advantage, since he has taken a knight that took two moves to be
developed, while white just took a sleeping knight on 2i.
32.G*7e 0/306 88/374
The only move. Habu will not have been happy during the 88 minutes he spent
on this.
33.R8e-8d? 1/307 0/374
Played after only one minute, but the wrong move. Correct was 33.R9e and after
34.P7d like in the game, black has the strong 35.R9f, aiming at exchanging
the rooks which is much better for black. It seems like Tanigawa completely
overlooked this possibility.
34.P7c-7d! 0/307 1/375
Now the black rook is completely out of play.
35.B*3d 25/332 0/375
36.R7f-2f 0/332 26/401
37.B3dx4e 5/337 0/401
38.R2fx2i+ 0/337 0/401
39.P2d-2c+ 0/337 0/401
40.G2bx2c 0/337 0/401
41.B7gx1a+ 35/372 0/401
42.G2c-2b 0/372 0/401
Here it seemed Tanigawa was quite happy with his position. He has won a
bishop and a lance for a gold and that convinced him that his position was
better. However, the position is actually very difficult for black. His
promoted bishop in 1a is very difficult to activate and he has no pawns
in hand. Furthermore, N*7b is a serious threat that is not easy to deal
with.
43.N*5e? 22/394 0/401
The wrong order of moves. After 43.L*7h N*7b N*5e the position is still
very complex. For example G5b Lx7e Nx8d Lx7d P*7c Nx6c+ Gx6c G*6a and the
position is unclear. It seemed that in the post-mortem analysis the players
concluded that sennichite was a likely outcome.
44.N*5a 0/394 19/420
45.L*7h 31/425 0/420
46.+R2i-2e! 0/425 17/437
Great defence. If 47.P4f G6e P5f P5d Bx5d Gx5e Px5e +Rx5e and white wins the
bishop.
47.B4e-5f? 16/441 0/437
Tries to force the position, but at the cost of too much material. Black
should have played 47.Nx6c+ Nx6c B3f +R6e P*2c to free the bishop. Then
white still has some mountains to climb...
48.+R2ex5e 0/441 3/440
49.B5f-2c+ 12/453 0/440
50.+R5e-2e! 0/453 10/450
Ignores the material. Keeping the horse in its little prison on 1a is more
important.
51.+B2c-4a 0/453 0/450
52.S3a-3b 0/453 4/454
53.+B4a-4b 5/458 0/454
54.G2b-2a 0/458 0/454
55.+B1a-8h 2/460 0/454
56.G6a-5b 0/460 0/454
57.+B4bx5b 4/464 0/454
58.K6bx5b 0/464 0/454
59.G*7b 0/464 0/454
If black would have had a pawn, things would have been very close after
P*7b. Now that black has to use a full gold for the same attack, he has
no chance to win.
60.B*9e 0/464 5/459
61.G7bx7a 5/469 0/459
62.B9ex8d 0/469 0/459
63.L7hx7e 2/471 0/459
64.B8dx7e 0/471 1/460
65.G7a-7b 1/472 0/460
66.L*4d 0/472 1/461
Resigns 0/472 0/461
Time: 07:52:00 07:41:00
Tanigawa resigns in a position that has no hope. He has no chance of any
attack, while white's pieces will soon be marching in. With three straight
losses this match is now virtually over, since no player has ever gotten
back from 3-0 down. It is strange that Tanigawa, who was in great form
just before the start of the match, is suddenly losing badly. He now
has to aim to win one or two games to get his confidence back.