60th Osho Match Game 6

[Black "Kubo Toshiaki, Osho"]
[White "Toyoshima Masayuki, Challenger"]
[Event "60th Osho-sen, Game 6"]
[Date "March 14th and 15th 2011"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:01:00
3.P7f-7e     00:01:00  00:01:00
4.S7a-6b     00:01:00  00:09:00
5.P6g-6f     00:03:00  00:09:00
6.K5a-4b     00:03:00  00:10:00
7.R2h-7h     00:08:00  00:10:00
8.P6c-6d     00:08:00  00:12:00
9.K5i-4h     00:10:00  00:12:00
10.S6b-6c    00:10:00  00:13:00
11.S3i-3h    00:12:00  00:13:00
12.S3a-3b    00:12:00  00:18:00
13.K4h-3i    00:20:00  00:18:00
14.K4b-3a    00:20:00  00:19:00
15.S7i-6h    00:25:00  00:19:00
16.P1c-1d    00:25:00  00:29:00
17.P1g-1f    00:28:00  00:29:00
18.G6a-5b    00:28:00  00:31:00
19.S6h-6g    00:30:00  00:31:00
20.P8c-8d    00:30:00  00:33:00
21.K3i-2h    00:34:00  00:33:00
22.P2c-2d    00:34:00  00:45:00
23.S6g-5f    00:47:00  00:45:00
24.P8d-8e    00:47:00  00:58:00
25.R7h-7f    00:48:00  00:58:00
26.B2b-3c    00:48:00  00:59:00
27.B8h-7g    00:55:00  00:59:00
28.K3a-2b    00:55:00  01:01:00
29.G6i-5h    01:32:00  01:01:00
30.P5c-5d    01:32:00  01:41:00
31.P6f-6e    01:47:00  01:41:00
32.R8b-8d    01:47:00  02:06:00

Diagram 1

This position is very similar to the position in the fourth game. Both players have 
changed only one move. Kubo has moved the left gold to 5h instead of to 7h and Toyoshima 
has pushed the pawn to 5d instead of pushing the edge pawn with P9d. These looks like 
small differences, but they lead to a completely different type of middle game. The 
move 32.R8d is a new move prepared by Toyoshima. There have been a number of official 
games with the position after 31.P6e, but each continued with 32.Px6e Sx6e R6b and both 
black and white have won from there. Judging from this game, 32.R8d seems more than a 
reasonable alternative for 32.Px6e.

33.P4g-4f    02:20:00  02:06:00
34.P6dx6e    02:20:00  03:03:00
35.S5fx6e    02:21:00  03:03:00
36.S6c-6d    02:21:00  03:03:00
37.S6ex6d    03:48:00  03:03:00

Kubo had planned to play 37.Sx5d, but here he saw that after 38.Bx7g+ Nx7g B*7h P7d 
Bx8g+ black may have the counter fork B*6f, but after the exchange of the rook on 8d 
and 7f, the white promoted bishop on 7f will be attacking the silver on 5d which is 
good for white. Kubo played 37.Sx6d after 87 painful minutes, but this leads straight 
to an extremely cramped position.

38.R8dx6d    03:48:00  03:03:00
39.P*6g      03:48:00  03:03:00
40.P5d-5e    03:48:00  04:01:00

Diagram 2

Now the black major pieces are all boxed in. The immediate threat is S*7h which 
simultaneously attacks 6g, 8g and 8i. There is only one way to avoid an immediate 
collapse.

41.R7f-6f    04:24:00  04:01:00
42.P*6e      04:24:00  04:34:00
43.R6f-9f    04:39:00  04:34:00
44.S*7h      04:39:00  04:58:00
45.S*9h      04:55:00  04:58:00

Diagram 3

A terrible place to drop the silver, but there was no alternative. Toyoshima has 
clearly won the opening battle.

46.P9c-9d?   04:55:00  05:29:00

Hard to criticize Toyoshima's reasoning here. With the silver on 9h, he judges that 
the exchange of rooks is now much more in his favor than a few moves ago. However, 
here 46.P7d would have been the right choice. For example, 47.P5f Px7e Bx5e Bx5e 
Px5e B*8h followed by Bx9i+ is good for white.

47.P4f-4e    05:05:00  05:29:00
48.P6e-6f    05:05:00  05:35:00
49.R9fx6f    05:42:00  05:35:00
50.R6dx6f    05:42:00  05:35:00
51.P6gx6f    05:42:00  05:35:00

Black desperately wants to take this pawn with the bishop, but this is not possible 
here: 51.Bx6f R*6i R*5i (otherwise white can play Sx6g+) Rx6g+! Gx6g Sx6g+ B8h +S6h 
is good for white.

52.R*6i      05:42:00  05:55:00

Diagram 4

This looks good for white, but actually the position is unclear as the black position 
is not so easy to break down.

53.G5h-6h?   05:56:00  05:55:00

Better was to play 53.R*6a immediately. Kubo didn't like to give up material after 
54.Sx8i=, but then 55.G6h is a good counter because after 56.R7i+ Sx8i +Rx8i S*7h the 
white promoted rook will be lost and black will get the better position.

54.R6i-7i+   05:56:00  05:55:00
55.R*6a      05:56:00  05:55:00
56.P5e-5f?   05:56:00  06:42:00

In the post-mortem analysis Kubo suggested to play 56.P7d immediately here. After 
57.Px7d P4d Rx8a+ Px4e +Rx9a P*7f is very strong because the black attack rolls on 
after Gx7h +Rx7h B5i P5f and Bx6f next leads to a huge difference in the way the 
bishops work.

57.P5gx5f    05:56:00  06:42:00
58.P7c-7d    05:56:00  06:42:00
59.P7ex7d    05:57:00  06:42:00
60.P4c-4d    05:57:00  06:42:00
61.R6ax8a+   06:18:00  06:42:00
62.P4dx4e    06:18:00  06:42:00
63.P6f-6e    06:22:00  06:42:00

Now black can exchange bishops and black finally gets the upper hand.

64.P4e-4f    06:22:00  06:44:00
65.G6h-5h    06:46:00  06:44:00
66.S7h-6g+   06:46:00  07:16:00

A last desperate try by Toyoshima, but Kubo stays very calm.

67.G5hx6g    06:48:00  07:16:00
68.P4f-4g+   06:48:00  07:16:00
69.S*4d      06:56:00  07:16:00
70.B3cx4d    06:56:00  07:17:00
71.B7gx4d    06:56:00  07:17:00
72.S*3c      06:56:00  07:17:00
73.B4d-7g    07:12:00  07:17:00
74.P*4h      07:12:00  07:22:00
75.G4i-3i    07:15:00  07:22:00
76.+P4gx3h   07:15:00  07:23:00
77.G3ix3h    07:15:00  07:23:00
78.P4h-4i+   07:15:00  07:23:00
79.B*8h      07:25:00  07:23:00
80.+R7i-7h   07:25:00  07:31:00
81.G6g-6h    07:26:00  07:31:00
82.+R7hx8h   07:26:00  07:31:00
83.B7gx8h    07:26:00  07:31:00
84.G5b-4b    07:26:00  07:31:00
85.B8h-6f    07:42:00  07:31:00

Diagram 5

With this bishop working both in attack and defense, Kubo said that here he finally 
felt that things were going his way.

86.B*7i      07:42:00  07:36:00
87.R*7h      07:43:00  07:36:00
88.B7ix6h+   07:43:00  07:39:00
89.R7hx6h    07:43:00  07:39:00
90.G*4f      07:43:00  07:39:00
91.N*5d      07:44:00  07:39:00
92.G4b-4c    07:44:00  07:40:00
93.P*4b      07:46:00  07:40:00
94.G4a-3a    07:46:00  07:40:00
95.B*6d      07:46:00  07:40:00
96.S*3i      07:46:00  07:43:00
97.G3hx3i    07:48:00  07:43:00
98.+P4ix3i   07:48:00  07:43:00
99.+R8ax3a   07:49:00  07:43:00
100.K2bx3a   07:49:00  07:43:00
101.P4b-4a+  07:49:00  07:43:00
102.K3ax4a   07:49:00  07:43:00
103.G*5a     07:50:00  07:43:00
Resigns      07:50:00  07:43:00

Final Diagram

Mate after 104.Kx5a B8d K4a S*5b Kx5b N6b+ K4a +N5a because the two bishops are working 
together perfectly. Like last year, Kubo wins game 1, 3, 4 and 6 to defend his Osho 
title at the same venue he took it from Habu last year. The 20-year old challenger 
Toyoshima failed in his first title bid, but it seems certain that he will be back 
on the big stage soon.