49th Oza Match Game 3
Black: Habu Yoshiharu, Oza
White: Kubo Toshiaki, Challenger
49th Oza-sen, Game 3, October 5th 2001
1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00
In the Kio match, Habu also won the first two games against Kubo.
Then, he experimented in the third game with the Ai-furibisha, but
lost without much of a fight. This time he sticks to his game plan,
despite the comfortable lead he holds in the match. This is probably
because of the upcoming Ryu-O title match with Fujii. Getting this
Oza match out of the way by winning in straight games would make his
preparation for the re-match with Fujii much easier. Also, some extra
practice with static rook against ranging rook might help.
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00
3.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:01:00
4.P4c-4d 00:00:00 00:02:00
5.S3i-4h 00:01:00 00:02:00
6.R8b-4b 00:01:00 00:04:00
7.K5i-6h 00:02:00 00:04:00
8.P9c-9d 00:02:00 00:06:00
9.K6h-7h 00:03:00 00:06:00
10.S7a-7b 00:03:00 00:06:00
11.P5g-5f 00:05:00 00:06:00
12.S3a-3b 00:05:00 00:08:00
13.P2f-2e 00:08:00 00:08:00
14.B2b-3c 00:08:00 00:08:00
15.B8h-7g 00:08:00 00:08:00
16.S3b-4c 00:08:00 00:10:00
17.B7g-6h 00:08:00 00:10:00
18.R4b-2b 00:08:00 00:11:00
19.S4h-5g 00:08:00 00:11:00
20.K5a-6b 00:08:00 00:14:00
21.K7h-8h 00:14:00 00:14:00
22.K6b-7a 00:14:00 00:21:00
23.S5g-6f 00:20:00 00:21:00
24.P4d-4e 00:20:00 00:21:00
25.K8h-9h 00:23:00 00:21:00
26.G4a-5b 00:23:00 00:22:00
27.S7i-8h 00:26:00 00:22:00
28.P6c-6d 00:26:00 00:27:00
29.G4i-5i 00:30:00 00:27:00
30.S4c-5d 00:30:00 00:30:00
31.G6i-7h 00:41:00 00:30:00
32.K7a-8b 00:41:00 00:49:00
33.G5i-6i 00:46:00 00:49:00
34.P7c-7d 00:46:00 00:53:00
35.G6i-7i 00:47:00 00:53:00
36.P9d-9e 00:47:00 00:59:00
37.P1g-1f 01:24:00 00:59:00
38.P1c-1d 01:24:00 00:59:00
39.R2h-3h 01:55:00 00:59:00
Both players have built strong formations. Habu's castle is almost as
strong as the anaguma. Having the king on 9h instead of 9i is a weakness,
but not unusual in professional games. Still, it is a bit hard to find
an attack for either player. 39.R3h is an attempt to make some noise on
the third file, but this is easily countered.
40.R2b-3b 01:55:00 01:30:00
41.R3h-2h 02:10:00 01:30:00
42.R3b-2b 02:10:00 01:36:00
43.R2h-2f 02:10:00 01:36:00
44.B3c-4d 02:10:00 01:39:00
45.R2f-2g 02:21:00 01:39:00
46.S5d-6c 02:21:00 01:44:00
47.P3g-3f 02:24:00 01:44:00
48.P5c-5d 02:24:00 01:45:00
49.N2i-3g 02:26:00 01:45:00
50.P6d-6e 02:26:00 01:58:00
51.S6f-7g 02:30:00 01:58:00
52.P5d-5e 02:30:00 02:23:00
Habu has tested the waters a little with some rook maneuvering, but this
didn't gain him much. Both players have a four general castle and Kubo
decides it is time to open the game. White seems to have come out of the
opening with a slight advantage, but this might be an illusion. There is
still everything to play for here.
53.N3gx4e 02:58:00 02:23:00
The first real choice. Habu rejected the obvious 53.P2d, because he
didn't like the position after 54.Px2d Rx2d Rx2d Bx2d R*2g R*4a Rx2d+
Rx4d+ B*2h and black now can't play Nx4e because then the promoted rook
dies after P*4c.
54.P5ex5f 02:58:00 02:28:00
55.P2e-2d 02:58:00 02:28:00
56.P2cx2d 02:58:00 02:30:00
57.R2gx2d 02:58:00 02:30:00
58.R2bx2d 02:58:00 02:40:00
59.B6hx2d 02:58:00 02:40:00
60.B4d-5e 02:58:00 02:40:00
61.P*5d 03:18:00 02:40:00
62.S6cx5d 03:18:00 02:47:00
63.B2d-4f 03:18:00 02:47:00
64.B5ex4f 03:18:00 03:10:00
65.P4gx4f 03:18:00 03:10:00
66.B*6d 03:18:00 03:12:00
67.B*8f 03:39:00 03:12:00
68.B6dx8f 03:39:00 03:13:00
69.S7gx8f 03:39:00 03:13:00
70.B*5e 03:39:00 03:16:00
71.R*5c!? 04:08:00 03:16:00
The most important point in this game. This is an rather unexpected rook
move and it seems unlikely that the players took it into consideration
when they exchanged rooks. Kubo is a little lucky that this surprising
move turns out to be alright for him.
72.G5b-6c 04:08:00 03:42:00
73.B*3b? 04:08:00 03:42:00
The key variation was 73.P*5b, but both players had seen that white
can counter this with a surprising rook drop of his own: 74.R*2b!.
Then, after 75.P5a+ G6a-6b B*3a R3b Rx6c+ Gx6c B5c+ P5g+ +P5b P*5a
+Bx6c S5dx6c +P5c can be expected and "maybe this might end in
sennichite" (Habu). "I spent a lot of time thinking about what to
do after the promotion of the bishop on 5c, but I had no idea" (Kubo).
Another variation is 75.Rx6c+ S5dx6c N5c+ Sx5b +Nx5b Gx5b G*5d Bx4f
S*7a K9b (there is a fork on rook and king after Kx7a) B*4d R2h+
Bx1a+ and "it seems that the attack is bit thin, but..." (Habu).
It is probably hard for white to defend this well in an actual game.
In any case, Habu should have played 73.P*5b here. It seems
that finding the surprising reply R*2b made this move look worse than
it actually was. Habu tries to play it differently, but 73.B*3b is a
blunder that quickly ends the game.
74.P*4c! 04:08:00 03:44:00
It seems Habu underestimated the strength of this simple defense.
Suddenly, black has no good way to attack anymore.
75.R5cx5d+ 04:12:00 03:44:00
76.G6cx5d 04:12:00 03:45:00
77.B3bx4c+ 04:12:00 03:45:00
78.G5d-4d! 04:12:00 03:54:00
Another good defensive move by Kubo. Tempting is to take the knight
on 4e with sente, but after Px4e black still has +Bx2a and/or +Bx6e
(with attack on a bishop that is now undefended). Also, black can use
a gold in hand to strengthen his attack.
79.+B4cx6e 04:15:00 03:54:00
No choice. Another point of having the gold on 4d, is that white can
shut out the promoted bishop after 79.+Bx2a P*4c!. If then +B3a white
simply plays P5g+ and wins in the attack. The black promoted bishop on
6e is better positioned, but black has no real attack and white can
feast on the defending generals with the combined attack of tokin,
bishop and two rooks.
80.B5ex4f 04:15:00 03:59:00
81.N4e-5c+ 04:15:00 03:59:00
82.P5f-5g+ 04:15:00 03:59:00
83.S*6b 04:15:00 03:59:00
84.R*4h 04:15:00 04:10:00
85.P*4g 04:19:00 04:10:00
86.B4fx1i+ 04:19:00 04:10:00
87.P*5e 04:25:00 04:10:00
88.R*3i 04:25:00 04:18:00
89.+B6e-6d 04:28:00 04:18:00
90.L*7c 04:28:00 04:19:00
91.P7f-7e 04:28:00 04:19:00
92.+P5gx6g 04:28:00 04:29:00
93.G7hx6g 04:28:00 04:29:00
94.R3ix7i+ 04:28:00 04:31:00
95.P*6h 04:28:00 04:31:00
96.R4h-4i+ 04:28:00 04:32:00
Resigns 04:29:00 04:32:00
The game is finished after 97.Sx7i +Rx7i and black has no defense and
no mate. This game was over very quickly after Habu's mistake on the
73rd move. It must have been a great boost to Kubo's confidence to win
this game so easily after Habu dominated in game 1 and 2. Maybe this is
all the young challenger needs to get back in this match. The next game
he can't afford to lose as well, but he will feel much better now than
after game 2 and also has the advantage of playing with the black
pieces in game 4.