55th Oza Match Game 2
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"]
[White "Kubo Toshiaki, Challenger"]
[Event "55th Oza-sen, Game 2"]
[Date "September 22nd 2007"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
This game was played in Osaka and Kubo is from the Kansai region. It was
really a home game for him, as all professionals in the press room were
rooting for him and more than 80% of the visiting shogi fans. Of course,
on the board he has to do it on his own, but there were a lot of positive
vibes around.
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P6g-6f 00:01:00 00:00:00
4.P5c-5d 00:01:00 00:03:00
5.R2h-7h 00:04:00 00:03:00
6.S3a-4b 00:04:00 00:03:00
7.P7f-7e 00:07:00 00:03:00
8.S4b-5c 00:07:00 00:03:00
9.P9g-9f 00:09:00 00:03:00
10.B2b-3c 00:09:00 00:04:00
11.P7e-7d 00:10:00 00:04:00
12.P7cx7d 00:10:00 00:04:00
13.R7hx7d 00:10:00 00:04:00
14.R8b-2b 00:10:00 00:05:00
15.R7d-7f 00:11:00 00:05:00
16.P2c-2d 00:11:00 00:07:00
17.N8i-7g 00:25:00 00:07:00
18.P2d-2e 00:25:00 00:18:00
19.P6f-6e 00:26:00 00:18:00
20.P*7e!? 00:26:00 00:34:00
For the second time in a row the Ai-Furibisha opening. In most games with
this opening both sides build up slowly, but Kubo immediately seeks the initiative.
In the press room this was considered an overplay, but Kubo knew what he was doing.
21.R7f-8f 00:32:00 00:34:00
The point of 20.P*7e is that after 21.Rx7e P2f Px2f Rx2f P*2h P8d! black seems
to be in trouble because P*7f next is hard to defend. Habu agreed and moved the
rook sideways. Because the rook is now in front of the pawn this looks like white
has an advantage. But as Kubo said after the game: "It's only marginal".
22.S7a-8b 00:32:00 00:40:00
23.S7i-6h 00:37:00 00:40:00
24.P8c-8d 00:37:00 00:54:00
25.B8h-9g 00:52:00 00:54:00
26.B3c-4d 00:52:00 00:58:00
27.G6i-7h 01:12:00 00:58:00
28.S8b-8c 01:12:00 01:15:00
29.K5i-4h 01:16:00 01:15:00
30.G6a-7b 01:16:00 01:27:00
31.G7h-6g 01:55:00 01:27:00
32.P9c-9d 01:55:00 02:09:00
33.R8f-4f 02:18:00 02:09:00
34.S8c-7d 02:18:00 02:21:00
35.G6g-6f 02:19:00 02:21:00
36.P9d-9e 02:19:00 02:24:00
37.G6fx7e 02:19:00 02:24:00
38.P9ex9f 02:19:00 02:24:00
39.B9g-8f 02:19:00 02:24:00
40.S7d-8c 02:19:00 02:33:00
41.P*9e 02:29:00 02:33:00
42.P*7d 02:29:00 02:56:00
43.G7e-7f 02:29:00 02:56:00
44.K5a-5b 02:29:00 03:08:00
45.L9ix9f 02:59:00 03:08:00
46.P2e-2f 02:59:00 03:08:00
47.P2gx2f 02:59:00 03:08:00
48.B4dx2f 02:59:00 03:08:00
49.K4h-3h 02:59:00 03:08:00
50.B2f-3e 02:59:00 03:12:00
51.R4f-5f 02:59:00 03:12:00
52.P*2f 02:59:00 03:14:00
53.P*2h 02:59:00 03:14:00
54.B3e-4d 02:59:00 03:20:00
Here the general opinion was that white had the better position. The pawn on
2f is big and with 54.B4d, white makes sure that the black rook doesn't have
a safe passage back into its own position through R5f-S5i-R6i. However, Kubo
saw it differently. He thought that black could develop the knight with P3f and
N3g, which would make the position very close. Again, Habu agrees with him.
55.G4i-4h 03:17:00 03:20:00
56.G4a-4b 03:17:00 03:29:00
57.P3g-3f 03:23:00 03:29:00
58.N2a-3c 03:23:00 03:37:00
59.N2i-3g 03:24:00 03:37:00
60.R2b-2a 03:24:00 03:43:00
61.P4g-4f 03:24:00 03:43:00
62.P8d-8e 03:24:00 03:47:00
63.B8f-9g 03:39:00 03:47:00
64.S8c-8d 03:39:00 03:47:00
65.P4f-4e 03:42:00 03:47:00
66.B4d-5e 03:42:00 03:47:00
67.G7f-6f 03:42:00 03:47:00
68.B5e-8b 03:42:00 03:59:00
69.P3f-3e 03:42:00 03:59:00
70.N3c-2e 03:42:00 04:18:00
This move was condemned by the professionals in the press room. 70.R2d is the
natural move, which seems to be alright for white. Even when someone pointed
out 71.Bx5c+ Gx5c S*1e R2a Rx2f, the mood didn't change: "Nobody can find happiness
with a move like S*1e". Still, Kubo didn't like it. After Rx2f Sx2f the silver
doesn't look so bad on 2f and the white king looks very vulnerable against a rook
drop. For example R*9h S6g Rx9f+ Px3d or K6b Px3d and white seems to be in trouble.
Kubo said after the game that he just didn't seem to have the right feeling for a
sitting king position yet.
71.N3gx2e 03:44:00 04:18:00
72.R2ax2e 03:44:00 04:19:00
73.N*4f 03:45:00 04:19:00
74.N*7e 03:45:00 04:25:00
Again loud complaints from the professionals in the press room. Surely this was
a strange place to drop the knight. Better must be 74.N*5e or 74.N*2g. However,
again Kubo seemed to have seen it all, because after 74.N*5e black can strongly
play 75.P6d and after 74.N*2g Px2g Px2g+ K4g Rx3e P*3f Rx4e P6d Px6d K5h it is
difficult for white to find a target for attack. 74.N*7e may not look like a
good move, there seems to be no alternative here.
75.N4fx5d 03:52:00 04:25:00
76.G4b-3b 03:52:00 04:28:00
77.G6f-5e 03:57:00 04:28:00
78.P3dx3e 03:57:00 04:35:00
79.P*7f 04:04:00 04:35:00
80.S8dx9e 04:04:00 04:43:00
81.P*3c 04:33:00 04:43:00
82.G3b-3a 04:33:00 04:43:00
83.L9fx9e 04:34:00 04:43:00
84.L9ax9e 04:34:00 04:43:00
85.B9gx7e 04:34:00 04:43:00
86.P2f-2g+ 04:34:00 04:43:00
87.P2hx2g 04:37:00 04:43:00
88.P7dx7e 04:37:00 04:43:00
89.P6e-6d 04:37:00 04:43:00
90.S5cx6d 04:37:00 04:46:00
91.N7g-6e 04:40:00 04:46:00
92.S6dx6e 04:40:00 04:50:00
93.G5ex6e 04:40:00 04:50:00
94.L*3f 04:40:00 04:52:00
95.K3h-4i 04:42:00 04:52:00
96.L3fx3i+ 04:42:00 04:57:00
97.K4ix3i 04:43:00 04:57:00
98.B8bx1i+ 04:43:00 04:59:00
After this the analysis in the press room was stopped because it was clear
that white was losing. There must be a way to attack and try something here...
Again the opinions in the press room were too harsh. Black is threatening mate
here with L*5c Kx5c S*4b K5b S*5c K6a S5a+ Kx5a N4b+ K6a S5b+ K7a +S6a Kx6a R5a+.
Therefore, white has no choice but to open an escape route for the king.
99.S*6b 04:56:00 04:59:00
100.G7bx6b 04:56:00 04:59:00
101.N5dx6b+ 04:56:00 04:59:00
102.K5bx6b 04:56:00 04:59:00
103.N*7d 04:56:00 04:59:00
104.K6b-7c 04:56:00 04:59:00
105.S*8d 04:56:00 04:59:00
106.K7cx8d 04:56:00 04:59:00
107.G6ex7e 04:56:00 04:59:00
108.K8d-8c 04:56:00 04:59:00
109.G*8d 04:56:00 04:59:00
110.K8c-9b 04:56:00 04:59:00
111.R5f-5b+ 04:56:00 04:59:00
112.N*8b 04:56:00 04:59:00
113.P*9c 04:57:00 04:59:00
114.N8ax9c 04:57:00 04:59:00
115.N7dx8b+ 04:57:00 04:59:00
116.+B1ix8b 04:57:00 04:59:00
117.N*7d 04:57:00 04:59:00
It looks like black has a mate after 117.+Rx8b Kx8b N*7d K9b G*8c Kx8c L*8d
K7b B*9d, but white can drop a knight on 8c after which there is no mate.
Therefore, Habu makes a hisshi, which is also good enough.
118.L*3f 04:57:00 04:59:00
119.K3i-4i 04:57:00 04:59:00
120.L3f-3h+ 04:57:00 04:59:00
121.G4hx3h 04:58:00 04:59:00
122.N*3g 04:58:00 04:59:00
123.G3hx3g 04:58:00 04:59:00
124.S*4h 04:58:00 04:59:00
125.K4ix4h 04:58:00 04:59:00
Resigns 04:58:00 04:59:00
Kubo shows his disappointment by playing a number of random, hopeless checks.
If only the bishop on 8b could move... Despite the criticism of the professionals
in the press room, Kubo's judgement turned out to be correct in every instant.
This was probably the hardest to take, because it seems like he lost without
making a mistake. With 2-0 down he is already staring into the abyss and needs
to win all three of the remaining games.