55th Meijin Match Game 1

Black: Tanigawa, Ryu-O
White: Habu, Meijin
55th Meijin-sen, Game 1, April 10th & 11th 1997

Furigoma decided that Tanigawa could start the match with black. A couple of
years ago there was talk that Habu could even mesmerize the pawns thrown to
decide black and white, but lately he seemed to have lost that ability :-).

1.P7g-7f
2.P3c-3d
3.P2g-2f
4.P4c-4d
5.S3i-4h
6.S3a-4b
7.P5g-5f
8.P5c-5d
9.G4i-5h
10.S7a-6b

It was expected that Habu would play ranging rook, but Habu decided to play
Yagura. It was a year and three months ago that Habu and Tanigawa last played
the Yagura opening against each other.

11.S7i-6h
12.G6a-5b
13.P3g-3f
14.G5b-4c
15.G6i-7h
16.G4a-3b
17.K5i-6i
18.K5a-4a
19.P4g-4f
20.P8c-8d
21.P2f-2e
22.S4b-3c
23.S4h-4g
24.P8d-8e
25.S6h-7g
26.B2b-3a
27.N2i-3g
28.P7c-7d
29.P9g-9f
30.N8a-7c
31.P6g-6f

The sealed move. 31.S6f also seems possible, but after P6d P5e P6e the silver
has to retreat to 5g which is not something one would like to do.

32.P6c-6d
33.G5h-6g
34.S6b-6c
35.B8h-7i
36.B3a-4b
37.B7i-6h
38.K4a-3a
39.K6i-7i
40.K3a-2b
41.P4f-4e

Tanigawa: "If I allow white to attack first, I have no faith in the position,
so I pushed on". Now the fight starts.

42.P4dx4e
43.N3gx4e
44.S3c-4d
45.S4g-4f
46.P6d-6e

The classic counter pawn push. The whole board will now be the battleground.

47.P6fx6e
48.N7cx6e
49.S7g-6f
50.P8e-8f
51.P8gx8f

Interestingly enough, the same position already occured in a game between the
same two players. In November 1988 Habu had black against (at that time) Meijin
Tanigawa.

52.B4bx8f?

Almost ten years ago, Tanigawa played 52.P*8e, which is much better. After
Px8f P2d Bx2d P3e Rx8e P*8h white had a good position and went on to win the
game from there.

53.B6hx8f
54.R8bx8f
55.P2e-2d
56.P2cx2d
57.P*2c

A severe attack. If Kx2c then P*2e Px2e P*2d Kx2d B*4a and the attack only
becomes stronger. Taking with the gold is also not very attractive. In the
analysing room some people already wondered if the game was over. However,
even at this level the game is never that simple...

58.G3bx2c
59.S6fx6e
60.P*6f
61.G6g-7g
62.R8f-8e
63.N*1e

This knight drop is always a problem if the pawn is not pushed to 1d. However,
also good seems 63.P*2e Px2e Rx2e P*2d Sx5d (Sx5d N3c+ and Rx8e).

64.S4dx4e
65.B*4a
66.B*3b!

A great fighting move and the only defense that keeps Habu's position together
(at least for the time being).

67.B4ax6c+
68.N*6g
69.G7gx6g
70.P6fx6g+
71.G7hx6g
72.R8ex6e
73.S*4a??

A horrible mistake. Tanigawa: "I thought I was threatening an easy mate, but
after having dropped the silver I realised that it wasn't mate at all".

74.R6ex6c??

Habu is victim to the same illusion. Both players had plenty of time here
(Tanigawa 25 minutes and Habu more than 90 minutes). Actually Habu took 15
minutes to play this move. His shallow analysis: Sx3b+ Kx3b B*4a K3a N*2c
and a quick mate. However, after N*2c K2b G*3b K1b Nx1a+ Kx1a G2b Kx2b Rx2d
K3a there is no mate. There are actually quite a few variations that seem to
lead to mate in this position, but none does. For example, Sx3b+ Kx3b Nx2c+
Kx2c N*1e K3c B*2b K3b and no mate. Conclusion: if Habu would have played
74.Rx6g+ instead of Rx6c, he would have won the game!

75.S4ax3b+
76.K2bx3b
77.N1ex2c+
78.K3b-4a
79.P*6d
80.R6cx6d
81.P*6e
82.R6dx6e
83.P*6f
84.R6e-8e
85.B*6c
86.S*5b
87.B6cx7d+
88.R8e-8g+

Habu: "G*6i might have been better...". However, even if 88.G*6i then K7h
B*8g K8h is no mate and black wins.

89.G6g-7g
90.S*8h

Nothing helps. For example 90.G*6i Kx6i +Rx8i G*7i B*4g G*5h and black wins.

91.R2hx8h
92.G*6i
93.K7ix6i
94.+R8gx8h
95.S*3b
96.K4a-5a
97.+B7dx5b
98.K5ax5b
99.S3bx4c=
Resigns

Not an easy mate. Habu took three minutes before resigning to confirm the
variations:
a) 100.Kx4c N*5e Px5e G*4d Kx4d Sx5e and easy mate
b) 100.K6a S5b= (S5b+ is also good) Kx5b G*5c Kx5c N*6e and mate
c) 100.K6b N*7d K6c G*7c Kx7c S*6b and mate