52nd Oi Match Game 5

[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[White "Hirose Akihito, Oi"]
[Event "52nd Oi-sen, Game 5"]
[Date "August 23rd and 24th 2011"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:01:00
3.P2g-2f     00:02:00  00:01:00
4.P4c-4d     00:02:00  00:05:00
5.P2f-2e     00:06:00  00:05:00
6.B2b-3c     00:06:00  00:05:00
7.S3i-4h     00:07:00  00:05:00
8.R8b-4b     00:07:00  00:07:00
9.K5i-6h     00:11:00  00:07:00
10.K5a-6b    00:11:00  00:08:00
11.K6h-7h    00:14:00  00:08:00
12.K6b-7b    00:14:00  00:09:00
13.P5g-5f    00:19:00  00:09:00
14.S3a-3b    00:19:00  00:11:00
15.B8h-7g    00:23:00  00:11:00
16.S3b-4c    00:23:00  00:13:00
17.S4h-5g    00:25:00  00:13:00
18.K7b-8b    00:25:00  00:16:00
19.K7h-8h    00:31:00  00:16:00
20.S4c-5d    00:31:00  00:19:00
21.S5g-6f    00:39:00  00:19:00
22.P6c-6d    00:39:00  00:24:00
23.G6i-7h    00:39:00  00:24:00
24.L9a-9b    00:39:00  00:37:00

Finally, "The Furiana Prince" plays the Furibisha Anaguma where he got his nickname 
from. Until now, he chose to fight Habu in the Ibisha opening, giving this match a 
completely different flavor from the one he played against Fukaura last year.

25.L9i-9h    00:44:00  00:37:00

Habu answers with an Anaguma of his own. The double Anaguma opening is prone to 
ending in sennichite, which happened twice in the match last year. Actually, the 
fifth game of last year's match was played at the same venue and ended in sennichite. 
The replay also was a long fight and the game ended at one o'clock in the morning, 
actually making it a three day game. It is unclear if Hirose felt that this was a 
burden on the hotel staff, but he promised before the game that he would not allow 
it to end in sennichite this time.

26.K8b-9a    00:44:00  00:39:00
27.K8h-9i    00:45:00  00:39:00
28.S7a-8b    00:45:00  00:41:00
29.S7i-8h    00:49:00  00:41:00
30.G4a-5b    00:49:00  00:44:00
31.G4i-5i    01:07:00  00:44:00
32.P4d-4e    01:07:00  00:49:00
33.B7g-6h    01:08:00  00:49:00
34.G5b-6b    01:08:00  00:53:00
35.G5i-6i    01:10:00  00:53:00
36.P6d-6e    01:10:00  00:57:00
37.S6f-7g    01:13:00  00:57:00
38.S5d-6c    01:13:00  01:02:00
39.G6i-7i    01:16:00  01:02:00
40.P5c-5d    01:16:00  01:05:00
41.P1g-1f    01:17:00  01:05:00

Diagram 1

This move is new. Until now, 41.P3f had been the main line. Hirose had experience 
with this position, because he played it against Watanabe in last year's Kio 
tournament (November 17th 2011). This game continued 42.P5e P2d Px2d P3e and Hirose 
won. The problem of 41.P3f is that it opens the diagonal to the rook, helping white 
to activate the bishop. Habu avoids this by playing the waiting move 41.P1f.

42.G6a-7a    01:17:00  01:25:00
43.P2e-2d    01:52:00  01:25:00
44.P2cx2d    01:52:00  01:27:00
45.B6hx2d    01:52:00  01:27:00
46.R4b-2b    01:52:00  01:56:00
47.P*2e      01:52:00  01:56:00
48.B3c-4d    01:52:00  01:58:00
49.B2d-5a+   02:00:00  01:58:00
50.N2a-3c    02:00:00  01:59:00
51.N2i-1g    02:01:00  01:59:00
52.S6c-5b    02:01:00  02:35:00
53.P5f-5e    02:34:00  02:35:00
54.P5dx5e    02:34:00  03:02:00
55.P2e-2d    02:36:00  03:02:00
56.P*2f      02:36:00  03:12:00
57.+B5ax5b   02:46:00  03:12:00
58.R2bx5b    02:46:00  03:22:00
59.S*4c      02:47:00  03:22:00
60.R5b-5a    02:47:00  03:25:00
61.S4cx3d+   02:47:00  03:25:00
62.B4d-5c    02:47:00  03:27:00
63.P2d-2c+   03:06:00  03:27:00

Diagram 2

64.P5e-5f?   03:06:00  03:41:00

The white plan is to activate the major pieces with P5f and B6d, but it is not so 
clear in which order these moves should be played. It turns out that Hirose should 
have played 64.B6d here. The reason for this will become clear later.

65.P*5b      03:12:00  03:41:00
66.R5ax5b!   03:12:00  03:49:00

Strong reply. The obvious problem of this move is +S4c, and in the press room moves 
like 66.Gx5b and 66.R6a were analyzed. With 66.Rx5b, Hirose dares Habu to play 67.+Sx4c.

67.+P2cx3c?  03:47:00  03:49:00

The sealed move and an important mistake. There were some interesting psychological 
battles going on here. Black has the choice between 67.+Px3c and 67.+S4c, but Hirose
forcefully played 66.Rx5b, which makes Habu second guess the strength of the obvious 
67.+S4c. The other thing was the strange statistic that so far in this match, whoever 
sealed the move, lost the game. In the press room there was speculation that the 
players would avoid sealing the move, playing a move quickly before the time control. 
This did not happen and Habu sealed 67.+Px3c, just 9 minutes after the six o'clock 
time control. After the correct 67.+S4c it follows 68.R5a +Sx5c Rx5c B*3e R5d +Px3c 
and black has good fighting chances. Hirose could have avoided this variation by 
playing 64.B6d instead of 64.P5f and this is the reason that 64.P5f was a bad move. 
After 67.+Px3c, the silver on 3d becomes an idle piece, which is an important problem 
for black.

68.B5c-6d    03:47:00  04:03:00
69.+P3c-4c   04:01:00  04:03:00
70.R5b-5e    04:01:00  04:05:00
71.R2hx2f    04:02:00  04:05:00
72.P5f-5g+   04:02:00  04:07:00
73.P*5h!     04:20:00  04:07:00

Habu fights back strongly. In the press rooms there were visions of sennichite 
after 74.P*5f Px5g Px5g+ P*5h etc. If not sennichite, then 74.Px5h is answered 
by N*5f.

74.+P5g-5f!  04:20:00  04:29:00

Hirose keeps his promise of not playing sennichite. In the press room it was thought 
that he didn't have much choice but to go for sennichite, as it looks very painful 
to have to move this tokin backwards. However, Hirose has looked deeper.

75.R2f-2b+   04:38:00  04:29:00
76.P6e-6f    04:38:00  04:42:00
77.P6gx6f    04:39:00  04:42:00
78.B*6g!     04:39:00  04:42:00

Diagram 3

This is the type of move that requires a lot of Anaguma experience. Because of this 
move, moving back the tokin with 75.+P5f is not slowing down the attack. For example, 
79.G7h-6h P*5g is adding more firepower to the attack. If black doesn't defend, then 
Bx7h+ Gx7h G*6g is too strong.

79.N*5i      04:43:00  04:42:00

Habu tries to keep the position together, but dropping this knight is painful because 
this is the knight that he was ahead. Professionals are very much aware of material 
difference, even in the endgame, and both Habu and Hirose said after the game that 
white had the upper hand now, because the black material advantage was nullified here.

80.B6gx7h+   04:43:00  05:03:00
81.G7ix7h    04:43:00  05:03:00
82.+P5fx6f   04:43:00  05:03:00
83.S7gx6f    04:55:00  05:03:00
84.R5ex5h+   04:55:00  05:04:00
85.P*6h      04:55:00  05:04:00

Diagram 4

86.+R5h-6i!  04:55:00  05:26:00

Looks strange, because it invites black to move the gold back with tempo to 7i, where 
it is defended. Hirose again shows his extraordinary intuition in Anaguma positions, 
as we will see. The obvious 86.+Rx5i is not clear after 87.B*4d P*6a +Rx1a and in the 
press room 86.Bx3g+ followed by +Bx5i was analyzed, which also is not clear.

87.G7h-7i    05:28:00  05:26:00

The obvious reply, but it was important that 86.R6i also dealt with 87.+P5b. If then 
88.Gx5b +Rx5b +Rx7h B*6g is not good for white, but 88.G6b-7b G7i +Rx5i +Rx1i +Rx5b 
takes the vital tokin.

88.+R6ix5i   05:28:00  05:28:00
89.B*4d      05:28:00  05:28:00
90.P*6a      05:28:00  05:46:00
91.+R2bx1a   05:37:00  05:46:00
92.N*9e!     05:37:00  05:51:00

The second point of 86.R6i. By inviting the gold back to 7i, the main weakness of 
the Anaguma, square 8g, is exposed. Hirose attacks it quickly, and it is very hard 
to defend.

93.G7i-7h    05:49:00  05:51:00
94.+R5ix1i   05:49:00  06:01:00

Diagram 5

95.+P4c-5b?  06:06:00  06:01:00

Habu throws the towel quickly and after the game said that he regretted that. He 
could have made it a lot harder for Hirose had he played 95.+R5a here. This threatens 
to shut out the white rook with P*5i next, so the obvious reply is 96.+R6i but after 
97.L*7i L*8d +R5g black threatens P8f next and there doesn't seem to be an easy way 
to continue the white attack. Therefore, white has to allow P*5i by playing 96.L*8d, 
but then the position is not completely clear after 97.P*5i P*5e Sx5e Nx8g= (or +Rx5i 
Sx6d +R5a +P5c) Sx8g Lx8g+ Gx8g S*8f G8h Bx5e +Rx5e S*8g N*7i.

96.L*8d      06:06:00  06:27:00
97.+P5bx6b   06:22:00  06:27:00
98.N9ex8g=   06:22:00  06:32:00
99.S8hx8g    06:22:00  06:32:00
100.G*7i     06:22:00  06:32:00
Resigns      06:24:00  06:32:00

Final Diagram

As Habu explained: I can only play something like 101.K8h, but then 102.Lx8g+ Gx8g 
+R6i G7g Gx8i K8g G*8h leads to mate. Again Hirose delivers with the white pieces 
after playing a very strong game and he is now one win away from successfully 
defending his Oi title. Can Habu force another game seven?