51st Osho Match Game 4
Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger
White: Habu Yoshiharu, Osho
51st Osho-sen, Game 4, February 20th and 21st 2002
1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:02:00
3.P2g-2f 00:03:00 00:02:00
4.P8c-8d 00:03:00 00:04:00
5.P2f-2e 00:05:00 00:04:00
6.P8d-8e 00:05:00 00:05:00
7.G6i-7h 00:05:00 00:05:00
8.G4a-3b 00:05:00 00:06:00
9.P2e-2d 00:05:00 00:06:00
10.P2cx2d 00:05:00 00:07:00
11.R2hx2d 00:05:00 00:07:00
12.P8e-8f 00:05:00 00:07:00
13.P8gx8f 00:05:00 00:07:00
14.R8bx8f 00:05:00 00:07:00
15.R2dx3d 00:05:00 00:07:00
16.B2b-3c 00:05:00 00:08:00
Habu didn't play the Yokofudori in the second game, but that was
a surprise. The Yokofudori is the opening with the best winning
percentage for white, but Habu might have feared Sato's deep study
of the openings. No player knows more about the opening than he does.
This time he meets Sato's opening preparation head-on.
17.K5i-5h 00:30:00 00:08:00
18.S3a-2b 00:30:00 00:29:00
19.G4i-3h 00:36:00 00:29:00
20.K5a-4a 00:36:00 00:38:00
21.R3d-3f 00:43:00 00:38:00
22.G6a-5a 00:43:00 01:04:00
23.B8hx3c+ 01:24:00 01:04:00
24.N2ax3c 01:24:00 01:07:00
25.S7i-8h 01:24:00 01:07:00
26.R8f-8d 01:24:00 01:15:00
27.S3i-4h 01:31:00 01:15:00
28.S7a-6b 01:31:00 02:03:00
29.N8i-7g 01:51:00 02:03:00
This was a move that Sato prepared for his game in the A class Junisen
against Tanigawa two weeks earlier. Even though that game was an
easy victory for Sato, he said after this Osho title match game
that he didn't believe that it would lead to better play for black.
He said he is happy with a position where the chances are equal.
30.P*8g 01:51:00 03:19:00
31.S8hx8g 02:15:00 03:19:00
32.P*8f 02:15:00 03:19:00
33.S8g-9f 02:25:00 03:19:00
34.B*8g 02:25:00 03:22:00
35.G7h-8h 02:26:00 03:22:00
36.B8gx9f+ 02:26:00 03:32:00
37.P9gx9f 02:26:00 03:32:00
38.P8f-8g+ 02:26:00 03:33:00
39.B*6f 02:28:00 03:33:00
40.R8d-2d 02:28:00 03:36:00
41.P*2e 02:31:00 03:36:00
42.R2dx2e 02:31:00 03:39:00
43.P*2f 02:31:00 03:39:00
44.R2e-2c 02:31:00 03:43:00
45.G8hx8g 02:33:00 03:43:00
46.S*4e 02:33:00 03:44:00
47.R3f-3e 02:47:00 03:44:00
48.R2cx2f 02:47:00 03:47:00
49.P*2h!? 02:48:00 03:47:00
So far this game is identical to the game between Sato and Tanigawa.
In that game Sato played 49.P*2g, which seems the more natural move,
as it gives black an escape route for the king to the right. However,
in the post-mortem analysis of the Junisen game, Sato and Tanigawa
agreed that P*2h might be the better move. Whether this is true is
difficult to say, but it is almost certain that Habu only analyzed
the position after 49.P*2g.
50.P*3d 02:48:00 04:41:00
An indication of Habu's surprise. He takes 54 moves to end the first
day with sealing 50.P*3d. Kamiya (7-dan) expected 50.Rx6f Px6f B*2d
Rx4e Nx4e R*7i! here, which seems just enough to defend against
white's attack. Still, after that the position is still very close,
so it is hard to say who is better. Habu decided to chase the black
rook instead.
51.R3e-1e 02:52:00 04:41:00
52.P1c-1d 02:52:00 04:49:00
53.R1e-1f 02:54:00 04:49:00
54.R2f-2d 02:54:00 04:49:00
55.B6fx3c+ 03:29:00 04:49:00
56.S2bx3c? 03:29:00 04:50:00
A natural move that turns out to be a bad mistake. In 99 out of a
100 positions Sx3c is better than Gx3c, but not in this case. Sato
said after the game that he thought he had made a mistake as he
had read here: 56.Gx3c R6f P3e G8h R8d P*8e R6d R2f (the same as
in the game) and now K3b!. In this case, the gold is not in a bad
position at all. Still, there was no turning back here and Sato
could only hope that Habu hadn't seen this. He must have been
very relieved that Habu only took a minute to play 56.Sx3c. From
here on there is still a lot of exciting shogi to follow, but Sato
now gets a big, perhaps decisive advantage.
57.R1f-6f 03:29:00 04:50:00
58.P3d-3e 03:29:00 04:52:00
59.G8g-8h 03:37:00 04:52:00
60.R2d-8d 03:37:00 05:55:00
61.P*8e 04:54:00 05:55:00
62.R8d-6d 04:54:00 05:55:00
63.R6f-2f 04:55:00 05:55:00
64.K4a-3a! 04:55:00 05:55:00
This type of move is the reason why Habu wins so many games. 64.P*2d
is the obvious defense, but after 65.G7h, black has nothing to worry
about anymore. Habu gives up the lance, but keeps the extra pawn
that will give him a chance to attack and therefore a chance to win.
65.N*2c 05:08:00 05:55:00
66.K3a-4b 05:08:00 06:01:00
67.N2cx1a+ 05:08:00 06:01:00
68.P*8f? 05:08:00 06:16:00
This makes things worse. Better was 68.S2d to go after the black rook.
Then 69.B7e P*2e R6f Rx6f Bx6f (or Px6f) R*7i and black has to be
very careful.
69.P6g-6f! 05:37:00 06:16:00
A perfect defense against the white threat P8g+ followed by B*7h.
From here Habu said he had no real chance to win anymore.
70.P3e-3f 05:37:00 07:08:00
71.L*3e 05:54:00 07:08:00
72.S4e-3d 05:54:00 07:09:00
73.L3ex3d 05:55:00 07:09:00
74.R6dx3d 05:55:00 07:09:00
75.S*2c 06:04:00 07:09:00
76.G3bx2c 06:04:00 07:09:00
77.R2fx2c+ 06:04:00 07:09:00
78.S*3b 06:04:00 07:09:00
79.+R2c-2e 06:15:00 07:09:00
80.R3d-6d 06:15:00 07:17:00
81.+R2e-7e 06:22:00 07:17:00
82.P7c-7d 06:22:00 07:27:00
83.+R7ex8f 06:27:00 07:27:00
84.R6dx6f 06:27:00 07:27:00
85.P*6g 06:28:00 07:27:00
86.B*6d 06:28:00 07:27:00
87.+R8f-8g 06:37:00 07:27:00
88.P*8f 06:37:00 07:27:00
89.+R8g-7h 06:40:00 07:27:00
90.R6fx7f 06:40:00 07:27:00
91.G*6f 07:01:00 07:27:00
92.P7d-7e 07:01:00 07:32:00
93.+N1a-1b 07:01:00 07:32:00
94.L*7a 07:01:00 07:43:00
95.P*7d 07:03:00 07:43:00
96.R7fx6f 07:03:00 07:43:00
97.P6gx6f 07:03:00 07:43:00
98.P7e-7f 07:03:00 07:43:00
99.N7g-6e 07:04:00 07:43:00
100.L7ax7d 07:04:00 07:43:00
101.R*1a 07:23:00 07:43:00
102.G*7g 07:23:00 07:46:00
103.P4g-4f 07:35:00 07:46:00
104.G7gx7h 07:35:00 07:46:00
105.G8hx7h 07:35:00 07:46:00
106.P7f-7g+ 07:35:00 07:46:00
107.G*3a 07:46:00 07:46:00
108.+P7gx7h 07:46:00 07:48:00
109.G3ax3b 07:46:00 07:48:00
110.K4bx3b 07:46:00 07:48:00
111.S*2b 07:47:00 07:48:00
Against most players, this would be the game winner. 112.Sx2b R2a+
is too severe.
112.R*4a! 07:47:00 07:51:00
Habu finds another magic trick to complicate the position. The white
king can suddenly find some relative safety on 5b.
113.R1ax4a+ 07:49:00 07:51:00
114.K3bx4a 07:49:00 07:53:00
115.S2bx3c+ 07:49:00 07:53:00
116.K4a-5b 07:49:00 07:53:00
117.S*7b 07:55:00 07:53:00
118.G*3a! 07:55:00 07:53:00
The move 112.R*4a only works in combination with this gold drop. Sato
is running out of time and things are still far from easy.
119.B*1c 07:55:00 07:53:00
120.G*3b 07:55:00 07:54:00
121.K5h-4g 07:58:00 07:54:00
122.P5c-5d 07:58:00 07:56:00
123.+S3cx3b 07:58:00 07:56:00
124.G3ax3b 07:58:00 07:56:00
125.+N1b-2b 07:58:00 07:56:00
126.G3b-4b 07:58:00 07:56:00
127.S7bx8a=?! 07:59:00 07:56:00
A small mistake that makes the game quite close. The safe route
would have been 127.R*3a G4b-4a R3d+ followed by B3e+ which is both
defending and threatening mate.
128.+P7h-6h 07:59:00 07:57:00
129.N*3d 07:59:00 07:57:00
130.G4b-3c 07:59:00 07:57:00
131.S8a-7b+ 07:59:00 07:57:00
132.G3cx3d 07:59:00 07:57:00
133.R*3b 07:59:00 07:57:00
134.N*4b 07:59:00 07:57:00
135.R3b-3a+ 07:59:00 07:57:00
136.G3d-2e 07:59:00 07:58:00
This suddenly is a white mating threat. Sato is a little lucky that
there is still a way to win.
137.P3gx3f 07:59:00 07:58:00
138.P*7a 07:59:00 07:59:00
139.+S7bx6b 07:59:00 07:59:00
140.K5bx6b 07:59:00 07:59:00
141.B1c-3e+ 07:59:00 07:59:00
142.G2ex3e 07:59:00 07:59:00
143.S*5c 07:59:00 07:59:00
144.K6b-7b 07:59:00 07:59:00
145.+R3ax3e 07:59:00 07:59:00
Game over. This gives black an escape route up the board.
146.S*4i 07:59:00 07:59:00
147.S5cx6d+ 07:59:00 07:59:00
148.S*5h 07:59:00 07:59:00
149.K4g-3g 07:59:00 07:59:00
150.S4ix3h+ 07:59:00 07:59:00
151.K3g-2f 07:59:00 07:59:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:59:00
No mate for white and after 152.Px6d G*7c K6a N5c= white is mated, so
there is no defense. With this victory Sato gets within one game of
taking the Osho title from Habu. Moreover, in this game he showed that
he was the better player. It will be very hard for Habu to turn
things around against a Sato who must be full of confidence now.