60th Osho Match Game 4

[Black "Kubo Toshiaki, Osho"]
[White "Toyoshima Masayuki, Challenger"]
[Event "60th Osho-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "February 18th and 19th 2011"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:00:00
3.P7f-7e     00:06:00  00:00:00
4.S7a-6b     00:06:00  00:02:00
5.P6g-6f     00:14:00  00:02:00
6.K5a-4b     00:14:00  00:02:00
7.R2h-7h     00:18:00  00:02:00
8.S3a-3b     00:18:00  00:06:00
9.K5i-4h     00:31:00  00:06:00
10.K4b-3a    00:31:00  00:06:00
11.S3i-3h    00:39:00  00:06:00
12.P8c-8d    00:39:00  00:13:00
13.K4h-3i    00:40:00  00:13:00
14.P8d-8e    00:40:00  00:13:00
15.R7h-7f    00:43:00  00:13:00
16.P1c-1d    00:43:00  00:13:00
17.P1g-1f    00:51:00  00:13:00
18.B2b-3c    00:51:00  00:14:00
19.K3i-2h    00:59:00  00:14:00
20.P2c-2d    00:59:00  00:18:00
21.B8h-7g    01:14:00  00:18:00
22.R8b-8d    01:14:00  00:22:00
23.S7i-7h    01:39:00  00:22:00
24.P9c-9d    01:39:00  00:28:00
25.S7h-6g    01:41:00  00:28:00
26.K3a-2b    01:41:00  00:29:00
27.G6i-7h    01:44:00  00:29:00
28.P6c-6d    01:44:00  00:52:00
29.S6g-5f    01:48:00  00:52:00
30.S6b-6c    01:48:00  00:53:00
31.P6f-6e    01:49:00  00:53:00

Diagram 1

Kubo has some fond memories of this position, because he also played it against Watanabe 
in last year's Osho league. He won that game, which was very important for his bid to 
challenge for (and eventually win) the Osho title. Challenger Toyoshima doesn't shy 
away from this and after the game said that he intended to play the pawn push to 6d
 all along.

32.G6a-5b    01:49:00  01:23:00

This is Toyoshima's opening preparation (Watanabe played 32.Px6e here). It doesn't 
look like much, but the white generals are now all nicely connected, so black needs 
something to compensate for having played the gold to 7h.

33.P6ex6d    02:32:00  01:23:00
34.R8dx6d    02:32:00  01:23:00
35.G7h-7i!   02:33:00  01:23:00

Diagram 2

Kubo is not afraid to take some unusual measures. He doesn't want to drop the pawn 
back on the 6th file and 35.G7i is the only reasonable way to defend against the 
rook promotion. Still, this move needed some thorough calculation.

36.P5c-5d    02:33:00  02:14:00

It was important to check that 36.Bx7g+ Nx7g B*6g is not as strong as it looks. 
Both players agreed that black can then play Sx6g Rx6g+ B*5h which holds the black 
position together.

37.B7gx3c+   02:54:00  02:14:00
38.N2ax3c    02:54:00  02:14:00
39.N8i-7g    02:54:00  02:14:00
40.P5d-5e    02:54:00  02:19:00
41.S5f-6e    03:19:00  02:19:00
42.R6d-8d    03:19:00  02:19:00
43.R7f-6f!   03:24:00  02:19:00

Diagram 3

Another good move by Kubo. This threatens the unpleasant P*6d next and at the 
same time opens a square for the silver to retreat.

44.P*6d      03:24:00  03:23:00

This is not what Toyoshima intended, but he has no choice.

45.S6e-7f    03:25:00  03:23:00
46.P8e-8f    03:25:00  03:23:00
47.P8gx8f    04:13:00  03:23:00

The sealed move and a huge surprise. Everybody in the press room expected 47.S8e, 
but Kubo wasn't sure after 48.R8b Rx8f (the natural move, but also necessary here 
because Px8f is answered by P5f) B*9e R7f Bx7g+ Rx7g Rx8e and white gets two pieces
for the bishop.

48.R8dx8f    04:13:00  03:23:00
49.P*8g      04:13:00  03:23:00
50.R8f-8c    04:13:00  04:09:00

Kubo said that he mostly played 47.Px8f because he thought it was difficult for 
white to find a good square for the rook to retreat to. He considered this more 
than enough compensation for making the silver on 7f less mobile. The rest of the 
game seems to prove his analysis right, because black slowly but surely gets the
better position from here on.

51.G7i-7h    04:18:00  04:09:00
52.P5e-5f    04:18:00  04:29:00
53.P5gx5f    04:19:00  04:29:00
54.B*5g      04:19:00  04:29:00
55.R6f-6i    04:21:00  04:29:00
56.P7c-7d    04:21:00  04:31:00
57.P7ex7d    04:27:00  04:31:00
58.B5g-8d+   04:27:00  04:31:00
59.P*6e      04:32:00  04:31:00
60.P6dx6e    04:32:00  04:34:00
61.B*4f      04:38:00  04:34:00
62.L9a-9c    04:38:00  04:34:00
63.P8g-8f    04:58:00  04:34:00
64.S6c-5d    04:58:00  05:41:00
65.P8f-8e    05:25:00  05:41:00
66.+B8d-6f   05:25:00  05:51:00
67.R6ix6f    05:44:00  05:51:00
68.P6ex6f    05:44:00  05:51:00
69.B*7b      05:44:00  05:51:00
70.R8c-5c    05:44:00  06:05:00
71.N7g-6e    05:45:00  06:05:00
72.S5dx6e    05:45:00  06:26:00
73.S7fx6e    05:56:00  06:26:00

Diagram 4

74.R*8i?     05:56:00  06:26:00

This probably missed the only chance that Toyoshima got in this game. Correct was 74.P*5g. 
Kubo thought that white had no good follow-up after 75.Bx5g, but when he was shown the 
variation 76.R*6b Bx5d+ Rx5d Sx5d B*7f P*6c R8b with the double threat Bx5d and P6g+, Kubo 
admitted that he was far from confident in his position.

75.S6e-5d    06:19:00  06:26:00
76.P*5h      06:19:00  06:26:00
77.S*4h      06:33:00  06:26:00
78.P1d-1e    06:33:00  07:14:00
79.B4fx2d    06:48:00  07:14:00
80.R8ix9i+   06:48:00  07:19:00
81.S5dx5c+   07:03:00  07:19:00
82.G5bx5c    07:03:00  07:19:00
83.B7bx8a+   07:11:00  07:19:00
84.L*2c      07:11:00  07:20:00
85.B2dx3c+   07:17:00  07:20:00
86.K2bx3c    07:17:00  07:36:00
87.N*4e      07:17:00  07:36:00
88.K3c-2b    07:17:00  07:36:00
89.N4ex5c+   07:17:00  07:36:00
90.N*3e      07:17:00  07:37:00
91.G4i-3i    07:33:00  07:37:00
92.P1ex1f    07:33:00  07:42:00
93.P*1d      07:37:00  07:42:00
94.L1ax1d    07:37:00  07:50:00
95.P*1e      07:38:00  07:50:00
96.L1dx1e    07:38:00  07:50:00
97.R*1d      07:41:00  07:50:00
98.P*2f      07:41:00  07:55:00
99.P2gx2f    07:46:00  07:55:00
100.B*4d     07:46:00  07:55:00

Diagram 5

101.R1dx1e?  07:49:00  07:55:00

Time for Kubo to make a mistake. Things would have been over quickly if he had 
played 101.G*1b K3a +B6c.

102.P*2g     07:49:00  07:55:00
103.S3hx2g   07:49:00  07:55:00
104.B4dx5c   07:49:00  07:55:00
105.R1ex1f   07:50:00  07:55:00
106.K2b-3a   07:50:00  07:55:00
107.R1f-1a+? 07:50:00  07:55:00

Again, black could have won faster here with 107.G*2b Kx2b (K4b L*5e) R1a+ followed 
by N*4e. Kubo is a little fortunate that his two mistakes are minor and don't change 
the outcome of the game. Toyoshima gets very close with a nasty double knight attack 
at the head of the king, but it is not enough to turn the tables.

108.P*2a     07:50:00  07:55:00
109.L1i-1c+  07:52:00  07:55:00
110.B5c-4d   07:52:00  07:55:00
111.G*2b     07:52:00  07:55:00
112.K3a-4b   07:52:00  07:55:00
113.+L1cx2c  07:53:00  07:55:00
114.S3bx2c   07:53:00  07:55:00
115.+R1ax2a  07:53:00  07:55:00
116.N*1e     07:53:00  07:58:00
117.G2bx2c   07:53:00  07:58:00
118.N1ex2g+  07:53:00  07:58:00
119.+B8ax2g  07:53:00  07:58:00
120.N3ex2g+  07:53:00  07:58:00
121.K2hx2g   07:53:00  07:58:00
122.S*2e     07:53:00  07:58:00
123.S*3c     07:54:00  07:58:00
124.K4b-5c   07:54:00  07:58:00
125.S3cx4d=  07:54:00  07:58:00
126.P4cx4d   07:54:00  07:58:00
127.L*5e     07:54:00  07:58:00
128.K5c-6c   07:54:00  07:58:00
129.B*5d     07:55:00  07:58:00
130.K6cx7d   07:55:00  07:58:00
131.P2fx2e   07:55:00  07:58:00
132.S*1e     07:55:00  07:58:00
133.P*7e     07:56:00  07:58:00
134.K7dx8e   07:56:00  07:58:00
135.B5d-6c+  07:57:00  07:58:00
Resigns      07:57:00  07:58:00

Final Diagram

Mate after 136.K8f S*8g etc.; 136.Kx7e S*7f etc.; 136.K7f L*7g etc. so Toyoshima 
resigned here. It is interesting that in all cases the gold on 7h plays a vital role. 
This bad looking gold has played an important throughout this game. Kubo wins to take 
a 3-1 lead and get within one game of defending his Osho title. Tough times for Toyoshima 
who needs to bounce back in game 5 to avoid that this match ends prematurely.