51st Oza Match Game 2
[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"]
[Event "51 Oza-sen, Game 2"]
[Date "September 12th 2003"]
1.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:02:00
3.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:02:00
4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:02:00
5.P2f-2e 00:02:00 00:02:00
6.P8d-8e 00:02:00 00:03:00
7.G6i-7h 00:03:00 00:03:00
8.G4a-3b 00:03:00 00:05:00
9.P2e-2d 00:04:00 00:05:00
10.P2cx2d 00:04:00 00:05:00
11.R2hx2d 00:04:00 00:05:00
12.P8e-8f 00:04:00 00:07:00
13.P8gx8f 00:05:00 00:07:00
14.R8bx8f 00:05:00 00:08:00
15.R2dx3d 00:06:00 00:08:00
16.B2b-3c 00:06:00 00:12:00
17.R3d-3f 00:10:00 00:12:00
18.K5a-4a 00:10:00 00:15:00
19.K5i-5h 00:16:00 00:15:00
20.S3a-2b 00:16:00 00:22:00
21.P*8g 00:17:00 00:22:00
22.R8f-8e 00:17:00 00:37:00
After beating Watanabe in the R8e-Yokofudori in the first game, Habu now
plays the opening himself. Again this is a small psychological battle.
If Habu would win this game, he would show that he can beat Watanabe in
his specialty on both sides of the board. It would then be very hard for
Watanabe to come up with a good game plan for game three.
23.B8hx3c+ 00:25:00 00:37:00
24.N2ax3c 00:25:00 00:37:00
25.N8i-7g 00:25:00 00:37:00
26.R8e-2e 00:25:00 01:10:00
Unusual. More often played is 26.R8b or 26.R8d. 26.R2e is considered
risky, but Habu has a new move he wanted to try.
27.P*2f 00:26:00 01:10:00
28.R2e-2d 00:26:00 01:10:00
29.R3f-5f 00:35:00 01:10:00
30.B*4e? 00:35:00 01:27:00
This is Habu's opening preparation. The idea is to attack instead of to
defend the pawn on 5c. If white just defends here with 30.K5b, in the
worst case black can gather all his forces on 5c by N6e and B*3e to force
a breakthrough. Habu's idea is to allow the rook promotion and promote
the bishop on 2g himself. Unfortunately, the idea has a major flaw.
31.N7g-6e! 01:35:00 01:27:00
Watanabe took 60 minutes for his reply, but this was time well spent.
White must now defend against Nx5c=, but that is not easy. For example,
32.G6b is answered by 33.Nx5c+ Bx5f +Nx6b Sx6b Px5f Rx2f B*3e and black
has a big advantage.
32.G6a-5a 01:35:00 02:04:00
In the press room, alternatives like 32.K3a were also analyzed, but
these also seem to lead to good play for black.
33.R5fx5c+ 01:45:00 02:04:00
34.P*5b 01:45:00 02:09:00
35.+R5c-5e 01:50:00 02:09:00
Watanabe will have been very happy with his position here. He has managed
to promote his rook, he is two pawns up and the possibility of a counter
attack with P*5f is impossible as white has dropped the pawn on 5b.
36.S7a-6b? 01:50:00 02:09:00
The white position goes from bad to worse. It is important for white to
get the knight on 6e (P6d followed by Px6e) to get some material
compensation. However, 36.S6b allows a drop of the bishop on 8b, leading
to another promotion of a major piece and the capture of the lance.
Habu's only chance was to play 36.G6b and for a while nobody could
find a good continuation for black. Finally, the variation 37.P3f P6d
N3g B1b B*1e R4d +Rx4d Px4d N2e was found, which seems very good for
black (Nx2e is mate in one after R*5a).
37.P3g-3f 02:09:00 02:09:00
38.P6c-6d 02:09:00 02:21:00
39.N2i-3g 02:15:00 02:21:00
40.B4e-6c 02:15:00 02:28:00
41.+R5e-3e 02:19:00 02:28:00
42.R2d-1d 02:19:00 02:41:00
43.B*8b 02:21:00 02:41:00
44.P6dx6e 02:21:00 02:41:00
45.S3i-3h 02:26:00 02:41:00
46.P7c-7d 02:26:00 03:16:00
47.B8bx9a+ 02:32:00 03:16:00
48.N8a-7c 02:32:00 03:16:00
49.P2f-2e 02:39:00 03:16:00
50.R1d-5d 02:39:00 03:17:00
51.P2e-2d 02:40:00 03:17:00
52.P*2c 02:40:00 03:18:00
53.L*3d! 02:40:00 03:18:00
With a promoted rook and bishop and no compensation for white, it is
clear that black is winning. Still, the end of the game looks quite far
away. With 53.L*3d Watanabe shows what a gifted player he is. Not even
giving Habu a glimmer of hope to use his magical powers, he ends the
game with a textbook attack.
54.P2cx2d 02:40:00 03:19:00
55.P*2c 02:43:00 03:19:00
56.G3bx2c 02:43:00 03:26:00
57.L3dx3c+ 02:43:00 03:26:00
58.G2cx3c 02:43:00 03:26:00
59.N*5e! 02:43:00 03:26:00
Game over.
60.B6c-7b 02:43:00 03:26:00
61.+B9a-8b 02:43:00 03:26:00
62.B7b-9d 02:43:00 03:26:00
63.P*2c 02:43:00 03:26:00
64.G3cx2c 02:43:00 03:26:00
65.N5ex4c+ 02:43:00 03:26:00
66.G2c-3d 02:43:00 03:27:00
67.+B8bx7c 02:43:00 03:27:00
68.S6bx7c 02:43:00 03:28:00
69.N*3c 02:44:00 03:28:00
Resigns 02:44:00 03:28:00
No defense after 70.Gx3c +Rx3c or 70.Sx3c (or K3a) +Rx3d. A complete
victory for Watanabe, who had a hard time hiding his delight after the
game. His first win against Habu and his first win in a title match.
Not only that, he completely crushed Habu in this game. This must give
the challenger a big confidence boost and Habu will have something to
think about for the rest of the match.