59th Oza Match Game 1
[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"]
[Event "59th Oza-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "September 7th 2011"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.G6i-7h 00:02:00 00:00:00
4.G4a-3b 00:02:00 00:01:00
5.P2g-2f 00:03:00 00:01:00
6.P8d-8e 00:03:00 00:02:00
7.B8h-7g 00:03:00 00:02:00
8.P3c-3d 00:03:00 00:02:00
9.S7i-8h 00:03:00 00:02:00
10.B2bx7g+ 00:03:00 00:02:00
11.S8hx7g 00:03:00 00:02:00
12.S3a-4b 00:03:00 00:02:00
13.S3i-3h 00:04:00 00:02:00
14.S7a-7b 00:04:00 00:02:00
15.P9g-9f 00:04:00 00:02:00
16.P9c-9d 00:04:00 00:02:00
17.P4g-4f 00:04:00 00:02:00
18.P6c-6d 00:04:00 00:02:00
19.S3h-4g 00:04:00 00:02:00
20.S7b-6c 00:04:00 00:02:00
21.K5i-6h 00:04:00 00:02:00
22.P1c-1d 00:04:00 00:02:00
23.P1g-1f 00:04:00 00:02:00
24.S6c-5d 00:04:00 00:02:00
25.G4i-5h 00:05:00 00:02:00
26.G6a-5b 00:05:00 00:02:00
27.P3g-3f 00:05:00 00:02:00
28.K5a-4a 00:05:00 00:02:00
29.S4g-5f 00:05:00 00:02:00
30.P4c-4d 00:05:00 00:02:00
31.K6h-7i 00:05:00 00:02:00
32.K4a-3a 00:05:00 00:02:00
33.N2i-3g 00:06:00 00:02:00
34.P7c-7d 00:06:00 00:03:00
35.P6g-6f 00:06:00 00:03:00
36.S4b-3c 00:06:00 00:03:00
37.R2h-4h 00:08:00 00:03:00
38.G5b-4b 00:08:00 00:04:00
39.K7i-8h 00:08:00 00:04:00
40.K3a-2b 00:08:00 00:04:00
41.N3g-2e 00:13:00 00:04:00
42.S3c-2d 00:13:00 00:05:00
43.B*2h 00:13:00 00:05:00
44.P7d-7e 00:13:00 00:07:00
45.P4f-4e 00:15:00 00:07:00
46.P7ex7f 00:15:00 00:09:00
47.S7gx7f 00:15:00 00:09:00
48.P4dx4e 00:15:00 00:09:00
49.B2hx6d 00:16:00 00:09:00
50.P*7c 00:16:00 00:09:00
51.P*7d 00:17:00 00:09:00
52.R8b-6b 00:17:00 00:10:00
53.B6d-3g 00:19:00 00:10:00
54.R6bx6f 00:19:00 00:11:00
55.G5h-6g 00:19:00 00:11:00
56.B*4d 00:19:00 00:15:00
57.N8i-7g 00:21:00 00:15:00
58.R6fx6g+ 00:21:00 00:17:00
59.S5fx6g 00:53:00 00:17:00
60.P*6f 00:53:00 00:23:00
61.S6g-5h 00:56:00 00:23:00
62.G*4f 00:56:00 00:31:00
63.B3g-2h 01:01:00 00:31:00
64.P7cx7d 01:01:00 00:32:00
65.R*7a 01:03:00 00:32:00
There is quite a lot at stake in this match. Habu is aiming for his 20th consecutive
Oza title while Watanabe is looking to finally add an extra crown to the Ryu-O title
he has held for so long. Despite this, the game has proceeded at a very high pace,
following known opening lines. This position is exactly the same as the third game
of the Kisei match between Fukaura and Habu that was played last July (a match that
Habu won in straight games).
66.N8a-9c 01:03:00 00:33:00
Habu won the game against Fukaura, but decides to try to improve upon his own play.
In the third game of the Kisei match Habu played 66.P7e and after 67.Rx7e+ Bx2f R4i
Sx2e Bx4f Px4f +Rx2e B3g+ the position became very sharp. The idea behind 66.N9c is
simply to develop the knight, adding extra force to the attack.
67.P3f-3e! 01:51:00 00:33:00
After thinking for 48 minutes, Watanabe finds the perfect reply. Sacrificing this
pawn to open attacking lines is a well-known tesuji. Furthermore, black defends
against Bx2f (attack on the rook) followed by taking the knight on 2e with the silver
for free.
68.S2dx2e 01:51:00 01:34:00
Habu took more than an hour for this move, indicating that he underestimated the
power of 67.P3e.
69.P2fx2e 01:51:00 01:34:00
70.N*8d 01:51:00 01:34:00
71.P2e-2d! 02:10:00 01:34:00
This might have been the move that Habu overlooked. Watanabe seems to be giving up
a full silver and puts his king in an awkward position. However, the attack at the
head of the white king is more than enough compensation.
72.N8dx7f 02:10:00 01:35:00
73.K8h-9h 02:10:00 01:35:00
74.P2cx2d 02:10:00 01:44:00
75.P*2c 02:21:00 01:44:00
76.K2bx2c 02:21:00 02:17:00
77.R7ax2a+ 02:22:00 02:17:00
78.S*2b 02:22:00 02:19:00
79.+R2ax9a! 02:38:00 02:19:00
This promoted rook has to move or it will get lost after G3a next. However, in the
press room 79.+R6a was considered to be right move because 79.+Rx9a exposes black
to the attack 80.B5a +Rx9c G3g which is good for white. Watanabe has looked deeper.
When he was asked about 79.+R6a after the game, Watanabe said that he didn't like
to allow the edge attack 80.P9e in that case.
80.B4d-5e 02:38:00 02:27:00
81.+R9a-9b! 02:58:00 02:27:00
Taking the knight on 9c is the reflex move, but this is much better. If white now
plays 82.G3g then 83.L*4d is very strong. With some fine play, Watanabe has taken
the advantage, but Habu fights back.
82.P9d-9e 02:58:00 02:52:00
83.N*2f 03:28:00 02:52:00
84.S5d-4c 03:28:00 03:47:00
85.+R9bx9c? 03:46:00 03:47:00
Finally takes the knight, but this is still a mistake that makes the game very close.
Correct was 85.L*3i. For example, 86.B4d Nx3d Sx3d Px3d and the material advantage
that black holds much more weight than in the game.
86.B5e-4d 03:46:00 03:47:00
87.R4h-3h 03:59:00 03:47:00
88.B4dx3e 03:59:00 03:51:00
89.R3hx3e 04:13:00 03:51:00
90.P3dx3e 04:13:00 03:51:00
91.B2hx4f 04:13:00 03:51:00
92.R*4h 04:13:00 03:54:00
93.S*4g 04:14:00 03:54:00
94.P6f-6g+ 04:14:00 04:10:00
95.S5hx6g 04:14:00 04:10:00
96.R4hx7h+? 04:14:00 04:12:00
Realizing that this probably wasn't enough, Habu sees nothing else but to put all
his eggs in one basket. He could have made it much more interesting if he had played
96.Rx4g+ B5e +R4h here. This was analyzed for a long time after the game, but no
conclusion could be reached.
97.S6gx7h 04:14:00 04:12:00
98.P4ex4f 04:14:00 04:12:00
This is a mating threat (G*9g Kx9g B*7i), but Watanabe has the perfect reply.
99.B*6g! 04:14:00 04:12:00
This fork removes the knight, making the black king safe. Black wins.
100.K2c-1c 04:14:00 04:12:00
101.B6gx7f 04:14:00 04:12:00
102.P4fx4g+ 04:14:00 04:14:00
103.P1f-1e 04:41:00 04:14:00
104.B*7e 04:41:00 04:14:00
105.P1ex1d 04:41:00 04:14:00
106.K1c-2c 04:41:00 04:14:00
107.N*8i 04:41:00 04:14:00
108.B7ex9c 04:41:00 04:19:00
109.N*1e 04:43:00 04:19:00
110.K2c-3c 04:43:00 04:29:00
111.G*4e 04:43:00 04:29:00
112.G*4d 04:43:00 04:29:00
113.P*3d 04:43:00 04:29:00
114.S4cx3d 04:43:00 04:29:00
115.G4ex3d 04:43:00 04:29:00
116.G4dx3d 04:43:00 04:29:00
117.S*4e 04:43:00 04:29:00
118.G4b-4c 04:43:00 04:29:00
119.N2fx3d 04:47:00 04:29:00
120.G4cx3d 04:47:00 04:29:00
121.R*5b 04:56:00 04:29:00
122.S*4b 04:56:00 04:35:00
123.G*2c 04:58:00 04:35:00
124.S2bx2c 04:58:00 04:36:00
125.N1ex2c+ 04:58:00 04:36:00
126.G3bx2c 04:58:00 04:36:00
127.R5bx4b+ 04:58:00 04:36:00
128.K3cx4b 04:58:00 04:36:00
129.S*4c 04:58:00 04:36:00
130.K4b-5a 04:58:00 04:36:00
131.L*6d 04:58:00 04:36:00
Resigns 04:58:00 04:36:00
There is a simple mating threat against the white king, but no proper defense. Also,
with rook, gold and knight there is no way to attack the black king, so Habu resigned
here. A great start for Watanabe, who played a very good game, ending Habu's winning
streak of 19 consecutive Oza title match games. Can he end Habu's Oza title streak as
well?