49th Oi Match Game 6
[Black "Fukaura Koichi, Oi"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[Event "49th Oi-sen, Game 6"]
[Date "September 9th and 10th 2008"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00
4.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:02:00
5.G6i-7h 00:03:00 00:02:00
6.P4c-4d 00:03:00 00:03:00
Looks like a passive way of playing this position, but it is more a question of what
type of game you seek. Instead of an early fight, Habu prefers to have a slow build-up.
Maybe not many fireworks in the opening, but this type of position gives both players
a lot of freedom to build their own position, so strategic mistakes can have
far-reaching consequences.
7.P2f-2e 00:09:00 00:03:00
8.B2b-3c 00:09:00 00:03:00
9.S3i-4h 00:09:00 00:03:00
10.G6a-5b 00:09:00 00:04:00
11.P5g-5f 00:19:00 00:04:00
12.S3a-2b 00:19:00 00:06:00
13.B8h-6f 00:19:00 00:06:00
14.G5b-4c 00:19:00 00:07:00
15.B6f-5g 00:19:00 00:07:00
16.K5a-4a 00:19:00 00:07:00
17.K5i-6i 00:22:00 00:07:00
18.P5c-5d 00:22:00 00:08:00
19.S7i-6h 00:24:00 00:08:00
20.S7a-6b 00:24:00 00:11:00
21.G4i-5h 00:27:00 00:11:00
22.S6b-5c 00:27:00 00:27:00
23.S6h-7g 00:28:00 00:27:00
24.K4a-3a 00:28:00 00:53:00
25.P3g-3f 00:30:00 00:53:00
26.B3c-4b 00:30:00 01:08:00
An important concession and Fukuara will have been quite satisfied with his position
here. The black opening strategy has been based on being able to exchange the pawn
on 2d at any time. Looking at this from the white point of view, this can't be
helped but white wants black to play P2d while the bishop is still on 3c. However,
white is running out of moves in this position, because the other point here is that
white doesn't want to push the rook pawn because keeping the pawn back gives extra
attacking options with N8e. White can keep the bishop on 3c, and develop the right
side of the board, but with the silver on 2b, the king will never be safe and a
black counter attack will be devastating. So, Habu decides to give up a full move
(after the exchange of the bishops on 2d next, 26.B4b becomes a waste of time) to
make sure that his king can be safely castled.
27.P2e-2d 00:42:00 01:08:00
28.P2cx2d 00:42:00 01:09:00
29.B5gx2d 00:42:00 01:09:00
30.B4bx2d 00:42:00 01:09:00
31.R2hx2d 00:42:00 01:09:00
32.S2b-2c 00:42:00 01:09:00
33.R2d-2h 00:42:00 01:09:00
34.P*2d 00:42:00 01:09:00
35.B*6h 00:55:00 01:09:00
36.B*5a 00:55:00 01:16:00
37.K6i-7i 01:06:00 01:16:00
38.P1c-1d 01:06:00 01:18:00
39.P1g-1f 01:07:00 01:18:00
40.P7c-7d 01:07:00 01:21:00
41.K7i-8h 01:10:00 01:21:00
42.P9c-9d 01:10:00 01:27:00
43.P9g-9f 01:15:00 01:27:00
44.S5c-6d 01:15:00 02:02:00
45.P6g-6f 02:16:00 02:02:00
46.P5d-5e 02:16:00 02:05:00
47.P5fx5e 02:17:00 02:05:00
48.R8b-5b 02:17:00 02:05:00
Black has the advantage of having a pawn in hand and white exchanges pawns in the
centre to nullify this difference.
49.N2i-3g 02:25:00 02:05:00
Black really wants to play 50.P4f here to start an attack with P4e, but after
51.Sx5e P*5f white doesn't need to pull back the silver, but can play P*5g Sx5g
Sx5f instead.
50.R5bx5e 02:25:00 02:15:00
51.S4h-5i 02:38:00 02:15:00
This silver move looks a little strange, but black wants to switch the rook to
the centre file. Also, black wants to use this silver to strengthen the defence
later with S5i-6h after the bishop moves from 6h.
52.R5e-5b 02:38:00 02:19:00
53.G5h-6g 02:38:00 02:19:00
54.N8a-7c 02:38:00 03:10:00
55.R2h-5h 02:51:00 03:10:00
56.P*5e 02:51:00 03:10:00
57.B6h-4f 03:11:00 03:10:00
58.K3a-2b 03:11:00 03:10:00
59.L9i-9h 03:18:00 03:10:00
60.N7c-8e 03:18:00 03:28:00
61.S7g-8f 03:50:00 03:28:00
62.P8c-8d 03:50:00 03:28:00
63.K8h-9i 03:50:00 03:28:00
64.B5a-4b 03:50:00 03:34:00
65.G7h-8h 03:51:00 03:34:00
66.R5b-5a? 03:51:00 03:43:00
Uncharacteristically, Habu passes up on an opportunity to start the attack. This
was the sealed move and Habu took only 9 minutes for it. When asked after the game
if 66.P4e or 66.P9e weren't viable alternatives, he first commented that he just
thought that these wouldn't work. However, the post-mortem analysis showed that
especially 66.P9e was probably a better move than 66.R5a. For example, 66.P9e Px9e
P7e Px7e Sx7e Sx7e Bx7e S*4a (the move that Habu didn't like) is answered by P*9g
and the white attack looks pretty strong.
67.S5i-6h 04:11:00 03:43:00
This is an important difference, because the black castle is now very strong.
68.P7d-7e 04:11:00 03:54:00
69.P*2e 04:29:00 03:54:00
70.P2dx2e 04:29:00 03:55:00
71.P6f-6e 04:44:00 03:55:00
72.S6dx6e 04:44:00 03:58:00
73.P*2d 04:44:00 03:58:00
74.S2cx2d 04:44:00 04:31:00
75.R5hx5e 04:44:00 04:31:00
Black has been playing forcing moves, not allowing white the edge attack with P9e.
76.R5ax5e 04:44:00 04:41:00
If white wants to play the edge attack, 76.S5d looks like the way to do it, but
then black plays 77.Rx7e! and after Bx7e Px7e the silver on 2d hangs, which is
painful for white.
77.B4fx5e 04:44:00 04:41:00
78.S6ex7f 04:44:00 05:05:00
79.R*4a 05:06:00 05:05:00
80.R*3a 05:06:00 05:16:00
81.R4ax3a+ 05:06:00 05:16:00
82.G3bx3a 05:06:00 05:16:00
83.G6gx7f 05:46:00 05:16:00
84.P7ex7f 05:46:00 05:16:00
85.R*7b 05:46:00 05:16:00
86.R*6i 05:46:00 05:26:00
87.S*5b 06:07:00 05:26:00
88.G4c-3c 06:07:00 05:52:00
89.S5b-5a= 06:21:00 05:52:00
90.P*5b! 06:21:00 05:58:00
It seems that black has gotten the upper hand in this game, but this is a very
good pawn drop.
91.R7bx5b+?! 06:46:00 05:58:00
The alternative is 91.Sx4b= Gx4b B*5a G*4a Bx4b+ Gx4b G*5i which also looks very
good for black. After Rx5i+ Sx5i B*6g S6h or Rx6h+ Gx6h S*7i G6h-7h the white attack
is not decisive yet and black has moves like P*5c and R7a+ which seem to be in time.
Still, 91.Rx5b+ can also not be called bad, because black ends up with the promoted
rook on 6c where it is positioned very well to attack the white king. It just seems
that it is more difficult to give the attack decisive strength after 91.Rx5b+.
92.G*4a 06:46:00 05:59:00
93.P*2c 06:47:00 05:59:00
94.K2bx2c 06:47:00 06:06:00
95.S5ax4b+ 06:47:00 06:06:00
96.G3ax4b 06:47:00 06:06:00
97.+R5bx6c 06:48:00 06:06:00
98.S*7g 06:48:00 06:35:00
99.N3gx2e 06:57:00 06:35:00
100.S2dx2e 06:57:00 06:49:00
101.P*2d 06:57:00 06:49:00
The start of a downward spiral for Fukuara.
102.K2c-1c 06:57:00 06:49:00
103.B5ex9a+? 07:22:00 06:49:00
This seems the real culprit. Here black should have played 103.B*5d instead. Then
after 104.Sx8h+ Kx8h black has no problems, after 104.P*6f B*4f black has mate if
he gets a silver in hand, which is no problem with the white silver on 7g , after
104.N*6f S6hx7g Px7g+ Sx7g Nx7g+ Gx7g S*7i N*8h is safe and finally, after 104.Sx6h+
Bx2a+ black has a winning attack. Fukaura admitted that 103.Bx9a+ was a serious
mistake, but he said that he just wasn't able to read out all the variations here.
104.P*6b! 07:22:00 07:17:00
This second pawn drop is even nastier than the first one on 5b. It forces the white
rook out of position and that is basically deciding the game.
105.P2d-2c+ 07:25:00 07:17:00
106.K1cx2c 07:25:00 07:19:00
107.L*2d 07:25:00 07:19:00
108.K2cx2d 07:25:00 07:20:00
109.+B9a-4f 07:25:00 07:20:00
It is now clear why 101.P*2d and 103.Bx9a+ were bad moves. Black has sacrificed the
pawn on 2d (105.P2c+), sacrificed the lance he took (107.L*2d) and moved the bishop
back to 4f where it could have gone straightaway instead of taking the lance on 9a.
110.N*3e 07:25:00 07:20:00
111.+R6c-6e 07:31:00 07:20:00
112.L*4e 07:31:00 07:24:00
113.+B4f-5g 07:32:00 07:24:00
114.L4ex4g+ 07:32:00 07:26:00
Habu has now completely closed off all routes to his king and because the head of
the king is very strong, black's attacking chances have been completely nullified.
The game is over, but Fukaura is trying to make a final stand that he hopes may
carry over to the all-deciding seventh game.
115.+B5g-6g 07:33:00 07:26:00
116.S7gx8h= 07:33:00 07:32:00
117.K9ix8h 07:33:00 07:32:00
118.G*5g 07:33:00 07:33:00
119.P*2f 07:35:00 07:33:00
120.S2ex2f 07:35:00 07:36:00
121.S*7h 07:52:00 07:36:00
122.G5gx6h 07:52:00 07:40:00
123.+B6gx6h 07:52:00 07:40:00
124.R6ix6h+ 07:52:00 07:40:00
125.+R6ex6h 07:52:00 07:40:00
126.B*5e 07:52:00 07:40:00
127.B*6f 07:54:00 07:40:00
128.B5ex1i+ 07:54:00 07:40:00
129.B6fx8d 07:54:00 07:40:00
130.+B1i-5e 07:54:00 07:44:00
131.P*7g 07:55:00 07:44:00
132.P7fx7g+ 07:55:00 07:45:00
133.S8fx7g 07:55:00 07:45:00
134.N8ex7g+ 07:55:00 07:46:00
135.N8ix7g 07:56:00 07:46:00
136.P*7f 07:56:00 07:46:00
137.B8d-6f 07:59:00 07:46:00
138.+B5e-5f 07:59:00 07:46:00
139.P*5g 07:59:00 07:46:00
140.P7fx7g+ 07:59:00 07:46:00
141.+R6hx7g 07:59:00 07:46:00
142.S*6e 07:59:00 07:46:00
143.P*2g 07:59:00 07:46:00
144.N3ex2g+ 07:59:00 07:47:00
145.R*5e 07:59:00 07:47:00
146.S6ex6f 07:59:00 07:49:00
147.G*2e 07:59:00 07:49:00
148.K2d-1c 07:59:00 07:49:00
149.+R7gx6f 07:59:00 07:49:00
150.+B5fx5e 07:59:00 07:49:00
151.+R6fx5e 07:59:00 07:49:00
152.N*7f 07:59:00 07:49:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:49:00
If black moves the king down it is an easy mate and after either 153.K7g or 153.K9g,
white wins the rook after 154.B*8h followed by Bx5e+. This ends all hope, so Fukaura
decided to resign here. For the second year in a row, Habu comes back from 3-1 down
to force a seventh game in the Oi match. Last year Fukuara came out on top. Who will
it be this year?