60th Oza Match Game 1

[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Oza"]
[Event "60th Oza-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "August 29th 2012"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P8c-8d     00:00:00  00:00:00
3.S7i-6h     00:01:00  00:00:00
4.P3c-3d     00:01:00  00:01:00
5.P6g-6f     00:01:00  00:01:00
6.S7a-6b     00:01:00  00:01:00
7.P5g-5f     00:01:00  00:01:00
8.P5c-5d     00:01:00  00:02:00
9.S3i-4h     00:01:00  00:02:00
10.S3a-4b    00:01:00  00:03:00
11.G4i-5h    00:02:00  00:03:00
12.G4a-3b    00:02:00  00:04:00
13.G6i-7h    00:03:00  00:04:00
14.K5a-4a    00:03:00  00:05:00
15.K5i-6i    00:03:00  00:05:00
16.P7c-7d    00:03:00  00:07:00
17.G5h-6g    00:03:00  00:07:00
18.S6b-5c    00:03:00  00:11:00
19.P2g-2f    00:12:00  00:11:00
20.P8d-8e    00:12:00  00:11:00
21.P2f-2e!?  00:12:00  00:11:00

Diagram 1

The opening of the first game of this match is a Quick Fight Yagura. This is a 
strategy that both players have used against each other in the past. Especially, 
the 21st Ryu-O match, where Watanabe made history by winning four games in a 
row to come back from 3-0 down to defend his title comes to mind. In that match, 
the Quick Fight Yagura was played both in the 6th and the 7th game. However, 
playing 21.P2e is unusual, allowing white the exchange of the pawn in front of 
the rook. Here 21.S7g is played almost exclusively. Allowing the pawn exchange 
may be good for white, but Habu had expressed his intention to keep the game 
out of deeply analyzed positions to avoid being surprised by opening preparation.

22.P8e-8f    00:12:00  00:26:00
23.P8gx8f    00:12:00  00:26:00
24.R8bx8f    00:12:00  00:26:00
25.P*8g      00:12:00  00:26:00
26.R8f-8e    00:12:00  00:38:00
27.P3g-3f    00:19:00  00:38:00

If black changes the rook pawn here, then after 27.P2d Px2d Rx2d P*2c R2h the 
black shape of P6f and G6g makes it hard to activate the bishop on 8h and it will 
be difficult for black to get a satisfying position.

28.P5d-5e    00:19:00  00:49:00
29.P4g-4f    00:27:00  00:49:00
30.P5ex5f    00:27:00  01:08:00
31.S4h-4g    00:28:00  01:08:00
32.S5c-5d    00:28:00  01:08:00
33.S4gx5f    00:30:00  01:08:00
34.P6c-6d    00:30:00  01:09:00
35.P2e-2d    00:39:00  01:09:00
36.P2cx2d    00:39:00  01:09:00
37.R2hx2d    00:39:00  01:09:00
38.P*2c      00:39:00  01:09:00
39.R2d-2h    00:39:00  01:09:00
40.N8a-7c    00:39:00  01:10:00
41.K6i-7i    00:56:00  01:10:00
42.G6a-5a    00:56:00  01:18:00
43.N2i-3g    01:04:00  01:18:00
44.K4a-3a    01:04:00  01:22:00

Habu's opening strategy seems to have confused Watanabe a little. Or maybe his 
plan to start the fight as early as possible has gotten the better of him. White 
has started to attack in the center, but realizing that the black position is 
too strong for a breakthrough, he now switches to defense, strengthening his 
castle position. This mixture has left the white position a little unbalanced 
and as a result, black can be considered to have the opening battle.

45.P9g-9f    01:13:00  01:22:00
46.P9c-9d    01:13:00  01:23:00
47.B8h-9g?!  01:33:00  01:23:00

This may have been suspect. After the game, Habu questioned this idea to put the 
bishop on the edge.

48.P6d-6e    01:33:00  01:56:00
49.N8i-7g    01:38:00  01:56:00
50.P6ex6f    01:38:00  01:58:00
51.G6g-5g    01:38:00  01:58:00
52.R8e-8c    01:38:00  02:16:00
53.P*2d      01:38:00  02:16:00
54.P2cx2d    01:38:00  02:16:00
55.R2hx2d    01:38:00  02:16:00
56.P9d-9e    01:38:00  02:17:00

Diagram 2

57.B9gx4b+   02:30:00  02:17:00

Played after 52 minutes (a long time for a one-day match) and a change of plan. 
Habu originally intended to play 57.P*2c here, but after 58.B3c Rx3d P*5c! the 
silver is protected and the bishop line to the white castle formation is closed. 
Furthermore, if black tries to force the issue N4e, then Px9f B6d and the black 
attack runs out of steam while the rook on 3d is in danger of being captured. By 
the way, 57.Rx2b+ Kx2b B*7b looks interesting because it is a fork on rook and 
silver, but after Px9f white has good chances to win the mutual attack.

58.G5ax4b    02:30:00  02:39:00
59.P*2c      02:30:00  02:39:00
60.B2b-4d    02:30:00  02:39:00
61.N3g-4e    02:31:00  02:39:00

Diagram 3

Probably black's best chance, but a hard move to play because this knight isn't 
threatening anything at the moment. It takes the flexibility of Habu to play a 
preparation move in a heated battle.

62.P9ex9f    02:31:00  02:46:00
63.S*2b      02:57:00  02:46:00
64.K3a-4a    02:57:00  02:46:00
65.S2bx2a=   02:57:00  02:46:00
66.G3b-3a    02:57:00  03:24:00
67.P2c-2b+   02:59:00  03:24:00
68.G3ax2b    02:59:00  03:25:00
69.N*3c      03:39:00  03:25:00
70.K4a-3a    03:39:00  03:26:00
71.P*2c      03:40:00  03:26:00
72.G2bx3c    03:40:00  03:26:00
73.N4ex3c+   04:12:00  03:26:00
74.G4bx3c    04:12:00  03:26:00
75.S5f-4e    04:12:00  03:26:00
76.N*6g      04:12:00  03:47:00

Diagram 4

77.S6hx6g?   04:45:00  03:47:00

A serious mistake that turns the tables in white's favor. Here 77.K6i was the 
right move. For example, 78.K4b Sx4d Px4d B*3a Kx3a Rx3d K4b G*3b Gx3b Rx3b+ K5c 
P*5e Sx5e +R7b! (the move that Habu overlooked) attacks the rook and threatens 
mate with G*6c at the same time. White has to defend with B*6c +Rx8c S*7b +R8b 
P*5f which leads to a complicated endgame. In the post-mortem analysis neither 
player was sure who would win from here.

78.S5dx4e    04:45:00  03:58:00
79.S6gx6f    04:48:00  03:58:00
80.P9f-9g+   04:48:00  04:15:00
81.P2c-2b+   04:50:00  04:15:00
82.K3a-4b    04:50:00  04:15:00
83.+P2b-3b   04:50:00  04:15:00
84.G3cx3b    04:50:00  04:17:00
85.S2ax3b+   04:50:00  04:17:00
86.K4bx3b    04:50:00  04:17:00
87.N*2e      04:51:00  04:17:00
88.S*2c!     04:51:00  04:35:00

Diagram 5

Perfect defense. Now 89.Px4e can safely be answered by 90.Sx2d because this silver 
defends the vital square 3c.

89.G*3a      04:53:00  04:35:00
90.K3bx3a    04:53:00  04:35:00
91.R2dx2c+   04:53:00  04:35:00
92.S*3b      04:53:00  04:47:00

The bishop on 4d works very well in defense. There is no way through for black.

93.P4fx4e    04:55:00  04:47:00
94.G*8h      04:55:00  04:48:00
95.G7hx8h    04:55:00  04:48:00
96.+P9gx8h   04:55:00  04:48:00
97.K7i-6i    04:55:00  04:48:00
98.S3bx2c    04:55:00  04:48:00
99.P4ex4d    04:55:00  04:48:00
100.R*3i     04:55:00  04:48:00
101.S*5i     04:57:00  04:48:00
102.B*7h     04:57:00  04:49:00
103.K6i-5h   04:57:00  04:49:00
104.R3i-3h+  04:57:00  04:49:00
Resigns      04:57:00  04:49:00

Final Diagram

Mate after 105.S4h N*4f Gx4f G*6g K5i B6i+ Kx6i +R4i P*5i +P7h so Habu resigned 
here. A good start for Watanabe, taking a come from behind with the white pieces. 
Habu is already under considerable pressure to win the second game because a 
2-0 deficit in a short match is quite a steep mountain to climb.