46th Oza Match Game 1
Black: Habu, Oza
White: Tanigawa, Challenger
46th Oza-sen, Game 1, September 10th 1998
1.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0
A couple of years ago, Habu and Tanigawa met so many times in title matches
that there were people (like me) hoping that they would not meet for a while.
This indeed happened, since this is the first meeting between the two since
Tanigawa beat Habu in the Meijin title match more than a year ago. Habu has
been dominating the Oza for years, winning the last fourteen title match games.
However, Tanigawa is in good form and comes into this match with eight
consecutive wins. This could be a very closely fought match.
2.P8c-8d 0/0 3/3
3.S7i-6h 0/0 0/3
4.P3c-3d 0/0 0/3
5.P6g-6f 1/1 0/3
6.S7a-6b 0/1 1/4
7.P5g-5f 2/3 0/4
8.P6c-6d 0/3 9/13
9.G6i-7h 3/6 0/13
10.S6b-6c 0/6 0/13
11.S3i-4h 0/6 0/13
12.S3a-4b 0/6 5/18
13.G4i-5h 3/9 0/18
14.P4c-4d 0/9 6/24
15.K5i-6i 4/13 0/24
16.S4b-4c 0/13 2/26
17.P2g-2f 3/16 0/26
18.P7c-7d 0/16 8/34
19.G5h-6g 50/66 0/34
20.R8b-4b 0/66 18/52
Yodofuribisha, which seemed to have been prepared by Tanigawa. Still, in this
first game this strategy does not seem to be paying off.
21.K6i-7i 6/72 0/52
22.N8a-7c 0/72 18/70
23.S4h-5g 2/74 0/70
24.G4a-5b 0/74 12/82
25.P2f-2e 7/81 0/82
26.B2b-3c 0/81 0/82
27.P3g-3f 0/81 0/82
28.K5a-6b 0/81 9/91
29.B8h-7g 1/82 0/91
30.G6a-7b 0/82 29/120
31.K7i-8h 4/86 0/120
32.N7c-8e 0/86 62/182
33.B7g-8f 7/93 0/182
34.P4d-4e 0/93 2/184
35.N8i-7g! 56/149 0/184
Good counter by Habu. Normally, the exchange of the attacking knight against
the defending knight should benefit white, but in this case Habu correctly
judges that the knight in hand has much more potential for black than it has
for white. Alternatives are 35.L9h and 35.K9h, but Habu thought that these
moves were "dangerous".
36.P9c-9d 0/149 2/186
36.Nx7g+ Bx7g N*8e B8f P6e looks dangerous, but after K8i black's position is
allright. The knight drops on 6d and 5e are too dangerous for white. Tanigawa
is forced to switch to a slower pace, illustrating that his opening strategy
has not been successful.
37.N7gx8e 8/157 0/186
38.P8dx8e 0/157 0/186
39.B8f-7g 0/157 0/186
40.S4c-4d 0/157 1/187
41.P1g-1f 0/157 0/187
42.G7b-7c 0/157 14/201
43.S6h-7i 14/171 0/201
44.P1c-1d 0/171 8/209
45.K8h-8i 3/174 0/209
46.K6b-7b 0/174 1/210
47.R2h-4h 31/205 0/210
48.B3c-2b 0/205 17/227
49.P2e-2d 18/223 0/227
50.P2cx2d 0/223 0/227
51.P4g-4f 0/223 0/227
52.P4ex4f 0/223 3/230
53.S5gx4f 0/223 0/230
54.P*4e 0/223 2/232
55.S4f-5g?! 15/238 0/232
It seems Habu passed up a good opportunity here: 55.P*4c Rx4c N*5e Sx5e Sx5e
P5d S*3b R4b Sx2a+ B3c Sx6d Gx6d P6e and the difference in king position
looks like giving black the advantage. Habu had seen this, but: "I did not
have much confidence in this position". Tanigawa: "I was bothered by this a
little bit, but I had no choice". Who was right? With 55.S5g the game again
switches to a slower pace, but this time it is Tanigawa who seems to be helped
by that.
56.R4b-4a 0/238 1/233
57.N2i-3g 2/240 0/233
58.P5c-5d 0/240 27/260
59.P*4f 22/262 0/260
60.P4ex4f 0/262 17/277
61.S5gx4f 0/262 0/277
62.P9d-9e 0/262 0/277
63.S7i-8h 9/271 0/277
64.R4a-8a 0/271 5/282
65.P*2c 6/277 0/282
66.B2b-3a 0/277 4/286
67.P6f-6e 3/280 0/286
68.P*4c 0/280 0/286
69.P6ex6d 4/284 0/286
70.G7cx6d 0/284 0/286
71.N*5g? 1/285 0/286
This is a clear mistake. Correct was 71.P*6e Gx6e
N*5g G6d S4e. This sacrifices a pawn for an extra move. Usually this is easy
to judge, but in this case it would have been black's final pawn. Habu did
not like that and thought he could weather the storm. It is not easy
after this, but Tanigawa now gets the clear initiative and he is one of the
players who is most dangerous in a situation like that. Habu should have
sacrificed his last pawn here.
72.P7d-7e 0/285 1/287
73.P*6e 0/285 0/287
74.G6d-7d 0/285 0/287
75.P7fx7e? 2/287 0/287
After this Habu's position becomes very critical. The way to keep it close
was 75.P2b+. Then 76.P*7f Bx4d Px4d +Px3a P8f Px8f P*8g Sx8g N*7e Gx7f Nx8g+
Gx8g and black survives the white attack and has a lot of weak points in
white's campt to work with. Also, 75.Bx2b Px7e Gx7e P*7f G7d and S4e gives
black good chances of counterattack with the two attacking bases on 6d and 7e.
After 75.Px7e white gets a very strong and perhaps even winning attack.
However, time is running out and things are far from easy.
76.G7dx7e 0/287 3/290
77.P*7f 1/288 0/290
78.P*6f 0/288 0/290
79.G6gx6f 4/292 0/290
80.G7ex6f 0/292 0/290
81.B7gx6f 0/292 0/290
82.P8e-8f 0/292 0/290
83.P2c-2b+ 0/292 0/290
84.N*7d 0/292 0/290
85.B6fx4d 1/293 0/290
86.P4cx4d 0/293 0/290
87.+P2bx3a 0/293 0/290
88.P8fx8g+ 0/293 1/291
89.G7hx8g 0/293 0/291
90.B*5i 0/293 3/294
91.P*8c 3/296 0/294
92.R8ax8c 0/296 1/295
93.P*8d 0/296 0/295
94.R8cx8d 0/296 0/295
95.S*7e 0/296 0/295
96.R8dx8g+ 0/296 0/295
97.S8hx8g 0/296 0/295
98.G*7g 0/296 0/295
99.G*8h 1/297 0/295
100.B5ix4h+ 0/297 1/296
101.G8hx7g 0/297 0/296
102.R*4i 0/297 0/296
103.K8i-9h 0/297 0/296
104.G*8i 0/297 0/296
105.G7g-7h 0/297 0/296
106.G8ix9i 0/297 0/296
107.K9h-8h 0/297 0/296
108.R4i-8i+ 0/297 0/296
109.K8h-7g 0/297 0/296
110.+B4h-5i 0/297 0/296
111.G*6h 0/297 0/296
112.P*8f 0/297 1/297
113.S7ex7d 0/297 0/297
114.P8fx8g+ 0/297 0/297
115.K7g-6f 0/297 0/297
116.S6cx7d! 0/297 0/297
At a glance it looks like Habu has done it again. Black's king looks reasonably
safe for the moment and white's king seems to be in all sorts of danger.
Tanigawa has calculated this accurately, though, and already knows he is going
to win by one move. If he would have played 116.+Px7h? here, Habu would really
have managed to turn around the game after 117.R*7c K8a Sx6c+ Gx6c B*7b K8b
Bx6c+ and black wins.
117.N*6d 1/298 0/297
118.K7b-8c 0/298 1/298
119.R*8a 0/298 0/298
120.K8c-9b 0/298 0/298
121.N6d-7b+ 1/299 0/298
122.+P8gx7h 0/299 0/298
Resigns 0/299 0/298
Time: 04:59:00 04:58:00
Now the dragon on 8i is working in defense, while 122.+Px7h is threatening
mate (after S*7g). Best defense is 123.B*8h, but after +Rx8h Rx8h+ B*9c R*7e
(R*8d Bx8d +Rx8d S*7g) Bx7e Px7e G*7f Kx7f S*6g Gx6g R*8f +Rx8f +Bx8f also
leads to mate.
A great start for Tanigawa, starting this short match with a white win. Ending
Habu's winning streak in the Oza will help in the psychological battle. Game
two is now already a vital game for the title holder.