50th Oi Match Game 1

[Black "Fukaura Koichi, Oi"]
[White "Kimura Kazuki, Challenger"]
[Event "50th Oi-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "July 13th and 14th 2009"]
1.P7g-7f     00:01:00  00:00:00

For the first time in sixteen years(!), Habu is not one of the players in the Oi match, 
so this match-up between Fukaura and Kimura feels fresh. For Fukaura it is the first 
time he meets a player other than Habu in a title match, so it will be interesting 
to see how he adapts to a different opponent. Kimura has experience with a different 
opponent than Habu in a title match and also has experience in playing two-day title 
match games. The experience wasn't a memorable one, though, because he lost 4-0 
against Watanabe in the 18th Ryu-O match in 2005.

2.P8c-8d     00:01:00  00:02:00
3.P5g-5f     00:09:00  00:02:00
4.P3c-3d     00:09:00  00:12:00
5.P5f-5e     00:10:00  00:12:00
6.S7a-6b     00:10:00  00:18:00
7.R2h-5h     00:11:00  00:18:00
8.K5a-4b     00:11:00  00:25:00
9.K5i-4h     00:11:00  00:25:00
10.K4b-3b    00:11:00  00:26:00
11.G6i-6h    00:37:00  00:26:00
12.G6a-5b    00:37:00  00:49:00
13.G6h-5g    00:43:00  00:49:00
14.P8d-8e    00:43:00  01:07:00
15.B8h-7g    00:43:00  01:07:00
16.P7c-7d    00:43:00  01:09:00
17.G5g-5f    01:37:00  01:09:00
18.S6b-7c    01:37:00  01:50:00
19.G5f-4e    02:16:00  01:50:00
20.S7c-6d    02:16:00  01:56:00
21.R5h-5f    02:43:00  01:56:00
22.P8e-8f    02:43:00  02:11:00
23.P8gx8f    02:59:00  02:11:00
24.S3a-4b    02:59:00  02:23:00
25.G4ex3d    03:29:00  02:23:00

Diagram 1

For this first game of this match, Fukaura has prepared the unusual gold maneuver 
G6h-5g-4e-3d in the Nakabisha, but it is unlikely that it will be repeated by 
other players, as the rest of the game shows.

26.S4b-3c    03:29:00  02:27:00
27.G3dx3c    03:30:00  02:27:00
28.B2bx3c    03:30:00  02:27:00
29.R5f-3f    03:30:00  02:27:00
30.G*4e      03:30:00  03:15:00
31.R3f-3d    03:45:00  03:15:00
32.G4e-4d    03:45:00  03:15:00
33.R3d-3f    03:45:00  03:15:00
34.G4d-4e    03:45:00  03:20:00
35.R3f-3d    03:46:00  03:20:00
36.G4e-4d    03:46:00  03:21:00
37.R3d-3f    03:46:00  03:21:00
38.G4d-4e    03:46:00  03:23:00
39.R3f-3d    03:48:00  03:23:00
40.G4e-4d    03:48:00  03:27:00
41.R3d-3f    03:48:00  03:27:00
42.N8a-7c    03:48:00  03:28:00

Here only white has the option of settling for sennichite or opening the game 
because black cannot afford to lose the rook. This is clearly not what Fukaura 
intended when he prepared this opening at home. White seems to have the slightly 
better position and with 42.N7c it seems that Kimura is willing to play with that 
slight advantage instead of taking a chance with the black pieces in a replay.

43.B7g-6h    03:59:00  03:28:00
44.G4d-4e    03:59:00  03:40:00

The sealed move and a surprise. Because Kimura played 42.N7c, it was expected that 
white would continue by a different path, but here Kimura again enters the sennichite 
variation. Actually, the sealed move shouldn't be that big of a surprise. By playing 
44.G4e, Kimura gives himself the whole night before the restart of the game to think 
about whether to settle for sennichite or not. After all, black has nothing but 45.R3d 
and after 46.G4d R3f we have the same position as the position in which the move was 
sealed.

45.R3f-3d    04:00:00  03:40:00
46.G4e-4d    04:00:00  03:40:00
47.R3d-3f    04:00:00  03:40:00
48.G4d-4e    04:00:00  03:40:00

This move is the real surprise. Kimura decides to avoid sennichite and take his chances 
with the black pieces in the replay.

49.R3f-3d    04:00:00  03:40:00
50.G4e-4d    04:00:00  03:40:00
51.R3d-3f    04:00:00  03:40:00
52.G4d-4e    04:00:00  03:40:00
53.R3f-3d    04:00:00  03:40:00
54.G4e-4d    04:00:00  03:40:00
55.R3d-3f    04:00:00  03:40:00
Sennichite   04:00:00  03:40:00

Sennichite Diagram

After nine minutes of play on the second day, the first game of the Oi match ends in 
sennichite. The replay of the game starts after a break of about 20 minutes.