44th Oi Match Game 4
[Black "Tanigawa Koji, Oi"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[Event "44th Oi-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "August 26th and 27th 2003"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00
3.P2g-2f 00:03:00 00:02:00
4.P5c-5d 00:03:00 00:04:00
5.S3i-4h 00:24:00 00:04:00
6.P5d-5e 00:24:00 00:21:00
7.K5i-6h 00:28:00 00:21:00
8.R8b-5b 00:28:00 00:26:00
So far the game is the same as the third game (of course with black and
white reversed). In the previous game Tanigawa played 8.S6b and the game
became a double Ibisha game. Habu decides to play the Nakabisha instead.
This opening is so popular at the moment that it is hard to imagine that
this is the first time that Habu plays this against Tanigawa. On the other
hand, Tanigawa has played the Gokigen Nakabisha against Habu twice. In the
fourth game of the 63rd Kisei match the game went 1.P7f G3b P5f P3d P5e
S6b R5h and last year the first game of the Oi match started 1.P7f P3d
P2f P5d P2e R5b G4i-5h P5e P2d. Both games were won by Tanigawa.
9.K6h-7h 00:31:00 00:26:00
10.K5a-6b 00:31:00 00:30:00
11.G4i-5h 00:42:00 00:30:00
12.K6b-7b 00:42:00 00:35:00
13.P4g-4f 00:53:00 00:35:00
14.K7b-8b 00:53:00 01:19:00
15.S4h-4g 01:09:00 01:19:00
16.S7a-7b 01:09:00 01:25:00
17.S7i-6h 01:20:00 01:25:00
18.P6c-6d 01:20:00 02:03:00
19.P2f-2e 02:29:00 02:03:00
20.B2b-3c 02:29:00 02:03:00
21.S4g-3f 02:29:00 02:03:00
22.G4a-3b 02:29:00 03:19:00
23.S3f-4e 03:22:00 03:19:00
24.P3d-3e 03:22:00 03:20:00
25.S4e-3d 04:25:00 03:20:00
26.B3c-4d 04:25:00 03:43:00
27.P4f-4e 04:45:00 03:43:00
28.B4d-7a 04:45:00 03:58:00
29.P5g-5f 04:49:00 03:58:00
30.R5b-5d 04:49:00 04:03:00
31.P2e-2d 04:50:00 04:03:00
32.R5dx3d 04:50:00 04:03:00
33.P2dx2c+ 04:50:00 04:03:00
34.G3b-4b 04:50:00 04:03:00
35.+P2c-2d?! 05:56:00 04:03:00
Black has been playing very positively and managed to make a tokin in the
white camp albeit at the cost of a silver. Here Tanigawa could have
capitalized on his attack by playing 35.G4g immediately. This defends
against P3f and if white plays 36.G5c as in the game, black can get a
very good position after 37.Px5e P4d P*2b Px4e Px2a+ P*2g R4h (not Rx2g
because of S*3h) S4b +P2a-2b and now R4d is answered perfectly by G5f.
36.R3d-3b 05:56:00 04:09:00
37.G5h-4g 05:56:00 04:09:00
38.G4b-5c 05:56:00 04:16:00
39.P5fx5e 06:01:00 04:16:00
40.P4c-4d 06:01:00 04:19:00
41.+P2d-3d 06:16:00 04:19:00
42.R3bx3d 06:16:00 04:47:00
43.R2hx2a+ 06:16:00 04:47:00
44.S3a-3b 06:16:00 04:52:00
45.+R2ax1a 06:19:00 04:52:00
46.R3d-2d 06:19:00 05:19:00
Black has sacrificed his promoted pawn for a knight and a rook promotion,
but white can also activate his rook and the gold on 4g is hanging. Black
still seems to be ahead, but white has fighting chances.
47.P5e-5d 06:20:00 05:19:00
48.G5c-5b 06:20:00 05:45:00
49.L*5c 06:23:00 05:45:00
50.G5b-6b 06:23:00 05:45:00
51.L5c-5a+ 06:25:00 05:45:00
52.P*2a 06:25:00 05:45:00
53.+L5ax6a 06:25:00 05:45:00
54.G6bx6a 06:25:00 05:45:00
55.G*3i? 06:50:00 05:45:00
Unusual for Tanigawa to go for a defensive move if there is an attacking
alternative. Habu feared 55.N*6c. For example 56.Sx6c (B6b G*5c is bad
for white) 57.+Rx1c R2c +Rx2c Sx2c R*3c Sx5d Rx2c+ and black has an
overwhelming position. Tanigawa had also seen this variation, but
somehow he felt uncomfortable with the resulting position. However,
it seems white seems to have nothing better than a move like L*8d,
which gives black not much too worry about.
56.S*2b 06:50:00 06:19:00
Now the black rook is locked in and it takes valuable time to free it.
57.+R1a-1b 06:50:00 06:19:00
58.P4dx4e 06:50:00 06:19:00
59.P*4c 07:04:00 06:19:00
60.P4e-4f 07:04:00 06:20:00
61.G4gx4f 07:04:00 06:20:00
62.P*4a 07:04:00 06:20:00
63.P*2c 07:07:00 06:20:00
64.S2bx2c 07:07:00 06:21:00
65.+R1bx1c 07:07:00 06:21:00
66.R2d-2f 07:07:00 06:22:00
67.P*2d 07:08:00 06:22:00
68.R2fx4f 07:08:00 06:26:00
69.P2dx2c+ 07:08:00 06:26:00
70.S3bx4c 07:08:00 06:26:00
71.B8h-3c+ 07:12:00 06:26:00
72.S4cx5d 07:12:00 06:26:00
73.+R1c-1b 07:16:00 06:26:00
74.R4f-4g+ 07:16:00 06:37:00
75.P*5b 07:19:00 06:37:00
76.B7a-4d 07:19:00 06:55:00
77.+B3cx4d 07:25:00 06:55:00
78.+R4gx4d 07:25:00 06:55:00
79.P5b-5a+ 07:25:00 06:55:00
80.G6ax5a 07:25:00 06:55:00
81.B*3c 07:25:00 06:55:00
Looks good for black, but...
82.+R4dx3c 07:25:00 06:58:00
83.+P2cx3c 07:25:00 06:58:00
84.B*4e! 07:25:00 06:58:00
This is the move that Tanigawa overlooked. If the rook moves, black
has B*6f! which threatens mate by G*8h and attacks the gold on 3i.
85.R*3b 07:33:00 06:58:00
86.B4ex1b 07:33:00 07:04:00
87.R3bx1b+ 07:33:00 07:04:00
88.P*5b 07:33:00 07:04:00
89.B*4d 07:33:00 07:04:00
90.L*5c 07:33:00 07:06:00
91.+R1bx2a 07:35:00 07:06:00
92.B*4g 07:35:00 07:08:00
93.G6i-7i 07:36:00 07:08:00
94.B4g-6e+ 07:36:00 07:18:00
95.+P3c-3b 07:37:00 07:18:00
96.S5d-6c 07:37:00 07:19:00
97.P*5g 07:42:00 07:19:00
98.+B6ex7f 07:42:00 07:22:00
99.B4d-3c+ 07:43:00 07:22:00
100.G5a-6a 07:43:00 07:22:00
101.+R2a-2f 07:43:00 07:22:00
102.+B7f-7e 07:43:00 07:23:00
103.S*6f 07:43:00 07:23:00
104.+B7e-8d 07:43:00 07:23:00
105.G3i-4h 07:45:00 07:23:00
106.P7c-7d 07:45:00 07:27:00
107.+R2f-2a 07:48:00 07:27:00
108.P9c-9d? 07:48:00 07:42:00
White has been able to build a rock solid defense wall and Tanigawa was
seriously considering resigning if Habu would have played 108.G7a here.
That wins an extra move for the attack and that is decisive. 108.P9d
looks like a good move, giving the king the option of escape up the
board while creating a base for attack when the black king is eventually
smoked out of the castle. However, in the end this move is a vital
loss of tempo and Tanigawa can still hope.
109.+P3bx4a 07:48:00 07:42:00
110.P*4g 07:48:00 07:42:00
111.G4h-4i 07:48:00 07:42:00
112.G*4h 07:48:00 07:42:00
113.+P4a-5a 07:48:00 07:42:00
114.G6a-6b 07:48:00 07:42:00
115.P*4d 07:50:00 07:42:00
116.G4hx4i 07:50:00 07:43:00
117.P4d-4c+ 07:50:00 07:43:00
118.R*3h 07:50:00 07:47:00
119.+P4cx5c 07:51:00 07:47:00
120.P5bx5c 07:51:00 07:47:00
121.L*8f 07:51:00 07:47:00
122.+B8d-7c 07:51:00 07:47:00
123.+B3c-3d 07:51:00 07:47:00
124.G4i-5i 07:51:00 07:51:00
125.S6f-7g 07:51:00 07:51:00
126.R3h-4h+ 07:51:00 07:52:00
127.K7h-8h 07:51:00 07:52:00
128.P7d-7e 07:51:00 07:52:00
129.+P5a-6a 07:52:00 07:52:00
130.P7e-7f 07:52:00 07:52:00
131.S7gx7f 07:52:00 07:52:00
132.G*6i 07:52:00 07:52:00
133.+P6ax6b 07:52:00 07:52:00
134.G6ix6h 07:52:00 07:53:00
135.+P6bx7b 07:53:00 07:53:00
136.S6cx7b 07:53:00 07:53:00
137.S*7a 07:53:00 07:53:00
138.K8b-9b 07:53:00 07:53:00
139.K8h-7g 07:53:00 07:53:00
140.G6hx7i 07:53:00 07:53:00
141.G*8b 07:53:00 07:53:00
142.+B7cx8b 07:53:00 07:53:00
143.S7ax8b+ 07:53:00 07:53:00
144.K9bx8b 07:53:00 07:53:00
145.B*7a 07:55:00 07:53:00
146.K8b-9b 07:55:00 07:53:00
147.+B3d-5f 07:55:00 07:53:00
Tanigawa seems to have turned the tables. White was threating 148.S*6h
followed by 150.+Rx5g. 147.+B5f defends against this threat and also
threatens mate by N*8d next.
148.P*7d! 07:55:00 07:55:00
Great move. As a defense against the mating threat it is pretty obvious,
it is the follow-up that makes this a move for a career highlight book.
149.+B5fx7d 07:56:00 07:55:00
150.+R4h-7h 07:56:00 07:58:00
151.K7g-6f 07:56:00 07:58:00
152.S*6e 07:56:00 07:58:00
153.S7fx6e 07:56:00 07:58:00
154.P6dx6e 07:56:00 07:58:00
155.+B7dx6e 07:56:00 07:58:00
156.S*7d!! 07:56:00 07:58:00
It is almost impossible to believe that Habu has calculated this all
to the end when he was planning his attack.
157.L8fx8c+ 07:59:00 07:58:00
157.+Bx7d 158.+Rx7d?? is a simple mate after 159.S*9c, but 158.S*5e!
Kx5e G*5d K4f G*4e K4g +R5h is mate. Still, 157.Lx8c+ looks very
dangerous for white...
158.K9bx8c 07:59:00 07:58:00
159.N*7e 07:59:00 07:58:00
160.+R7hx7e 07:59:00 07:58:00
161.+B6ex7e 07:59:00 07:58:00
162.S7dx7e 07:59:00 07:58:00
163.K6f-5f 07:59:00 07:58:00
164.G*5d 07:59:00 07:59:00
Many in the press room wondered if there is no mate here for black.
165.R*8b 07:59:00 07:59:00
166.K8c-7c 07:59:00 07:59:00
167.R8bx7b+ 07:59:00 07:59:00
168.K7cx7b 07:59:00 07:59:00
169.+R2a-3b 07:59:00 07:59:00
170.K7b-7c 07:59:00 07:59:00
171.B7a-6b+ 07:59:00 07:59:00
Or 171.P*7d K6d +R6b G*6c and no mate.
172.K7c-6d 07:59:00 07:59:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:59:00
The white king just survives the attack. A great game that will be
remembered for its exciting endgame. Habu showed his miracle endgame
skills again to stay alive in this Oi match. He still needs to win all
three remaining games to get back the Oi title he lost to Tanigawa
last year.