51st Oi Match Game 4

[Black "Fukaura Koichi, Oi"]
[White "Hirose Akihito, Challenger"]
[Event "51st Oi-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "August 10th and 11th 2010"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00

This is the third time in a row that a title match game of the Oi match is being played in 
Sasebo, which is Fukuara's hometown. He won the two previous games here and went on to win 
the title both times. Especially last year this "home game" was huge, as he came in 3-0 
down to Kimura and the win in Sasebo set up an improbable comeback. This year his situation 
is not so bad as last year, but he is 2-1 behind against Hirose and losing with the black 
pieces on home soil could well mark the end of his reign as Oi title holder. 

2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:01:00
3.P2g-2f     00:01:00  00:01:00
4.P4c-4d     00:01:00  00:03:00
5.S3i-4h     00:08:00  00:03:00
6.R8b-4b     00:08:00  00:03:00
7.P5g-5f     00:10:00  00:03:00
8.K5a-6b     00:10:00  00:05:00
9.K5i-6h     00:10:00  00:05:00
10.K6b-7b    00:10:00  00:06:00
11.K6h-7h    00:10:00  00:06:00
12.S3a-3b    00:10:00  00:07:00
13.B8h-7g    00:20:00  00:07:00
14.S3b-4c    00:20:00  00:08:00
15.S4h-5g    00:20:00  00:08:00
16.K7b-8b    00:20:00  00:12:00
17.K7h-8h    00:20:00  00:12:00
18.L9a-9b    00:20:00  00:18:00
19.P2f-2e    00:38:00  00:18:00
20.B2b-3c    00:38:00  00:18:00
21.L9i-9h    00:38:00  00:18:00
22.S4c-5d    00:38:00  00:20:00
23.S5g-6f    00:39:00  00:20:00
24.P6c-6d    00:39:00  00:21:00
25.G6i-7h    00:39:00  00:21:00
26.K8b-9a    00:39:00  00:23:00
27.K8h-9i    00:39:00  00:23:00
28.S7a-8b    00:39:00  00:24:00
29.S7i-8h    00:40:00  00:24:00

A double Anaguma strategy, which is supposed to be Hirose's game. They have played two 
games with this strategy against each other (their only game before this match in the 
Daiwa Cup and the first game of this Oi match) and Hirose won both games.

30.G4a-5b    00:40:00  00:27:00
31.P3g-3f    01:08:00  00:27:00
32.G5b-6b    01:08:00  00:41:00
33.G4i-5i    01:31:00  00:41:00
34.P4d-4e    01:31:00  00:48:00
35.B7g-6h    01:31:00  00:48:00
36.P6d-6e    01:31:00  00:49:00
37.S6f-7g    01:32:00  00:49:00
38.S5d-6c    01:32:00  00:51:00
39.G5i-6i    02:10:00  00:51:00
40.P5c-5d    02:10:00  01:01:00
41.P2e-2d    02:21:00  01:01:00
42.P2cx2d    02:21:00  01:01:00
43.P3f-3e    02:21:00  01:01:00
44.R4b-3b    02:21:00  01:14:00
45.P3ex3d?!  02:23:00  01:14:00

Up until this point, the development was identical to the Daiwa Cup game they played 
a little before the Oi match started (on June 13th). There Fukuara played 45.G6i-7i. 
After the game he said that he wanted to see what happened if he just took the pawn on 
3d, which is a euphemism for opening preparation. Although it is not completely clear
after this game, it seems that this is a risky move for black.

46.B3c-4b    02:23:00  01:16:00
47.R2h-3h    02:23:00  01:16:00
48.B4b-6d    02:23:00  02:01:00

Diagram 1

It seems white has everything he wished for here. The bishop is ideally placed and black 
cannot follow through here with 49.P3c+ because the exchange of the rooks only favors 
white with the gold still on 6i.

49.R3h-3e    02:24:00  02:01:00
50.B6dx1i+   02:24:00  02:16:00
51.P*2b      02:42:00  02:16:00

This is the move that Fukaura had counted on, but Hirose has the perfect reply.

52.P5d-5e!   02:42:00  02:42:00

This attack through the center is very strong. White can ride the attack on the rook with 
the promoted pawn to switch to the center file.

53.P2bx2a+   02:51:00  02:42:00
54.P5ex5f    02:51:00  02:43:00
55.P3d-3c+   02:52:00  02:43:00
56.R3b-5b    02:52:00  02:49:00
57.+P3c-4c   02:53:00  02:49:00
58.R5b-5d    02:53:00  03:17:00
59.+P2ax1a!  02:59:00  03:17:00

Diagram 2

This is the move that makes a conclusion about Fukaura's opening strategy difficult. Taking 
the lance far away from the king while white threatens a breakthrough on the 5th file looks 
bad, but the lance that black takes just holds the position together.

60.+B1i-6d   02:59:00  04:46:00

The sealed move and played after 89 minutes. There are a number of moves that white would 
like to play here, most prominently 60.P5g+. However, after 61.Bx5g Rx5g+ L*5h +R4h L5c+ 
and black has a strong attack. The other obvious move is 60.+Bx2i, but then 61.R3a+ +Bx4g 
G6i-7i strongly threatens B3e next, so white has to play P5g+ which is answered by N*7e S7d 
L*6c and again the lance is a strong attacking piece. 60.+B6d is the type of move Hirose 
likes, strengthening the Anaguma with a promoted bishop. However, although this looks very 
solid, the position is not clear.

61.L*5i      03:32:00  04:46:00
62.L*5e      03:32:00  04:53:00

After the game, Hirose said that he regretted this move and should have played 62.P5g+ 
instead. However, then also 63.Bx5g L*5e +P4d Rx4d B7e seems unclear. +Bx7e Px7e P*5h 
picks up the lance, but the cost of having the promoted bishop removed is high.

63.N*4i      03:33:00  04:53:00

Very few in the press room expected this. The main variations, which was also what Hirose 
had been looking at, all started with 63.G5h. Dropping both lance and knight, pieces that 
black wants to use to attack, just to defend 5g seems overly defensive. Fukaura looked at 
it in another way: "These were pieces I was ahead anyway, so I used them to defend strongly".

64.P5f-5g+   03:33:00  05:07:00
65.N4ix5g    03:47:00  05:07:00
66.P4e-4f    03:47:00  05:15:00
67.P4gx4f    04:00:00  05:15:00
68.P*5f      04:00:00  05:17:00
69.P*5h      04:02:00  05:17:00
70.P*4h      04:02:00  05:17:00
71.N5g-4e    04:07:00  05:17:00
72.P4h-4i+   04:07:00  05:17:00
73.R3e-3b+   04:08:00  05:17:00
74.P2d-2e    04:08:00  05:19:00
75.G6i-7i    04:39:00  05:19:00
76.S6c-7b    04:39:00  05:30:00
77.N4e-5c+   05:10:00  05:30:00
78.G6bx5c    05:10:00  05:34:00
79.+P4cx5c   05:10:00  05:34:00
80.+B6dx5c   05:10:00  05:34:00
81.P4f-4e    05:12:00  05:34:00
82.P5f-5g+   05:12:00  05:36:00
83.P5hx5g    05:12:00  05:36:00
84.+P4ix5i   05:12:00  05:36:00
85.P5g-5f    05:12:00  05:36:00
86.L5ex5f    05:12:00  05:37:00
87.G*4d      05:18:00  05:37:00

Diagram 3

Fukaura has a very good rhythm in this game. Defending when necessary, attack when 
possible. He has secured his position and now takes the first opportunity to switch 
back to the attack.

88.L5f-5h+?  05:18:00  05:55:00

Too eager. Correct was 88.+B6c Gx5d +Bx5d +R4a G*5a +R3a L5h+ B2d P*4b and it is 
not easy to get to the white Anaguma. However, if the black attack is too slow, white 
will have time to go for the black king with +P6i.

89.G4dx5c    05:35:00  05:55:00
90.R5dx5c    05:35:00  05:55:00
91.B6h-3e    05:35:00  05:55:00
92.R5c-5f    05:35:00  06:04:00

Diagram 4

93.+R3bx7b!  06:16:00  06:04:00

Hirose was completely taken by surprise by this rook sacrifice. It seems that the black 
attack is too thin with only the bishop in support, but Fukuara has seen that it will 
work. Alternatives are 93.B*4c or 93.P4d, but Fukaura shows his great sense of the 
Anaguma, which often has positions where generals are more powerful than bishops and 
rooks.

94.G6ax7b    06:16:00  06:41:00

Hirose thought for 37 minutes about this move, clearly indicating that he doesn't care 
much about playing psychological games here. Most players would have taken the rook 
immediately (which is forced), trying to hide the fact that they overlooked this move 
from their opponent. Hirose just tries to figure a way out as early as possible.

95.S*6a      06:16:00  06:41:00
96.G*7a      06:16:00  06:41:00
97.S6ax7b+   06:19:00  06:41:00
98.G7ax7b    06:19:00  06:41:00
99.B*6a      06:20:00  06:41:00
100.L*7a     06:20:00  06:41:00
101.B6ax7b+  06:33:00  06:41:00
102.L7ax7b   06:33:00  06:41:00
103.G*6c     06:33:00  06:41:00
104.B*5d     06:33:00  07:02:00
105.G*6b     06:44:00  07:02:00
106.S*7a     06:44:00  07:18:00
107.G6bx7a   06:56:00  07:18:00
108.B5dx6c   06:56:00  07:18:00
109.B3e-6b+  06:56:00  07:18:00
110.S8bx7a   06:56:00  07:18:00
111.+B6bx7a  06:57:00  07:18:00
112.G*8b     06:57:00  07:18:00
113.+B7ax8b  07:05:00  07:18:00
114.K9ax8b   07:05:00  07:19:00
115.G*6b     07:05:00  07:19:00
116.N*7a     07:05:00  07:19:00
117.G6bx6c   07:05:00  07:19:00
118.N7ax6c   07:05:00  07:19:00
119.S*6b     07:05:00  07:19:00

Diagram 5

120.R*3a     07:05:00  07:41:00

This was a change of plan. In his earlier calculations, Hirose had counted on being 
able to play 120.P8d here, but here he realized that this fails to 121.B*7a K8c S5c+ 
and if black picks up the knight with +Sx6c next, there is no way to defend the white 
king. The problem is that 120.R*3a is no real defense against this threat. It takes a 
few more moves, but Fukaura cleverly manages to execute the same plan.

121.P*5d     07:20:00  07:41:00
122.R5fx5d   07:20:00  07:41:00
123.P*5c     07:29:00  07:41:00
124.P8c-8d   07:29:00  07:44:00
125.+P1a-2a  07:31:00  07:44:00

Forces away the rook that Hirose just dropped.

126.R3a-3i+  07:31:00  07:52:00
127.P5c-5b+  07:35:00  07:52:00

Clears the square 5c for the silver.

128.R5dx5b   07:35:00  07:56:00
129.B*7a     07:36:00  07:56:00
130.K8b-8c   07:36:00  07:56:00
131.S6b-5c+  07:36:00  07:56:00

And here we have the same type of position. Black wins with +Sx6c next, which is 
impossible to defend, so Hirose just plays some meaningless attacking moves.

132.+P5i-6i  07:36:00  07:59:00
133.+S5cx6c  07:37:00  07:59:00
134.+P6ix7i  07:37:00  07:59:00
135.N*7e     07:37:00  07:59:00
Resigns      07:37:00  07:59:00

Final Diagram

Mate after 136.K7d (or K9d) S*8c K8e P8f K9e P9f. Fukaura wins again in his hometown 
and evens the match at 2-2. This is now a best-of-three match and the next game will 
be very important because the winner will be only one game away from the title. This 
holds even more for Hirose, who plays with black in the next game and all games in 
this match so far have been won by black.