61st Osho Match Game 1

[Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"]
[White "Kubo Toshiaki, Osho"]
[Event "61st Osho-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "January 8th and 9th 2012"]
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00

The furigoma for this first title match game of 2012 resulted in three tokins, 
giving challenger Sato the black pieces.

2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:01:00
3.P2g-2f     00:02:00  00:01:00
4.P5c-5d     00:02:00  00:03:00
5.P2f-2e     00:03:00  00:03:00
6.R8b-5b     00:03:00  00:04:00

The Nakabisha is no surprise.

7.S3i-4h     00:05:00  00:04:00
8.P5d-5e     00:05:00  00:09:00
9.K5i-6h     00:05:00  00:09:00
10.B2b-3c    00:05:00  00:10:00
11.P3g-3f    00:05:00  00:10:00
12.K5a-6b    00:05:00  00:20:00
13.S4h-3g    00:06:00  00:20:00
14.P4c-4d    00:06:00  00:20:00
15.S3g-4f    01:14:00  00:20:00

Moving the right silver up while the king is still on 6h is a hugely popular way 
of playing these days.

16.P4d-4e    01:14:00  00:26:00
17.S4fx4e    01:14:00  00:26:00
18.G4a-3b    01:14:00  00:26:00

Of course Kubo doesn't shy away from the early fight. This was first played by 
Sugai (5-dan) and is one of the latest variations in this ultra sharp opening.

19.S4ex3d    02:29:00  00:26:00
20.P5e-5f    02:29:00  00:48:00
21.P5gx5f    02:30:00  00:48:00
22.B3cx8h+   02:30:00  00:50:00
23.S7ix8h    02:30:00  00:50:00
24.K6b-7b    02:30:00  00:51:00
25.K6h-5g!?  02:33:00  00:51:00

Diagram 1

On his blog, Ryu-O Watanabe said that this move was actually discussed over a beer 
with friends a little while ago, but nobody believed it could be good to move the 
king out in the open, only protected by three little pawns. True, the king defends 
the pawn on 5f against Rx5f, but it takes a lot of courage to put the king in an 
awkward spot like that. However, Sato commented dryly: "In this position it can't 
be helped". When given time, black can strengthen the position with P4f followed by 
putting a piece on 4g, but at the moment the black position is unstable. In contrast, 
Kubo is three pawns down, so he has to do something to try and take advantage of the 
black king position.

26.B*6e      02:33:00  01:43:00
27.B*4e      02:44:00  01:43:00
28.B6ex7f    02:44:00  02:33:00
29.P3f-3e    03:08:00  02:33:00

Diagram 2

30.G6a-6b?   03:08:00  03:03:00

Sato was seriously worried about this position, but he must have let out a quiet 
sigh of relief when he saw that Kubo moved up this gold. The critical variation 
is 30.P*3c Sx2c+ R4b B3f Gx2c P*2d which seems unclear. Kubo thought that +Sx3b 
instead of B3f would be better and he didn't like that after Rx4e +Sx3a Bx6g+ Kx6g 
Rx4g+ he had to give up so much material to get to the king. However, in the press 
room arbiter Kamiya suggested that white could play 30.P*3c Sx3c G4c!. For example, 
R7h G5d B1h G6e and white has managed to bring the passive gold into play. Sato didn't 
have much confidence in the black position here and Kubo also admitted that he should 
have played it this way.

31.G6i-7h    04:11:00  03:03:00

After seeing Kubo strengthening his position, Sato also takes time to improve his 
defense.

32.P*4d?     04:11:00  03:35:00

Diagram 3

The sealed move, but Kubo said after the game that this was a mistake. He has 
calculated correctly that he can win the black silver on 3d, but surprisingly there 
is a way for black to neutralize this material deficit. Kubo said after the game that 
if winning the silver doesn't amount to much, there is no need to attack the bishop 
with 32.P*4d here. Sato was also surprised by 32.P*4d, because he didn't expect white 
to come for the silver on 3d anymore. In the post-mortem analysis the move 32.B5d was 
analyzed here. For example, 33.Bx5d Rx5d S4e R5a P4f P*5e Px5e Rx5e and if black
 defends with P*5f then Rx4e Px4e N3c is a strong attack. Analyzing all the wild 
variations with the king on the third or even the fourth rank made both players 
forget the importance of this match. They seemed to thoroughly enjoy just digging 
out all kinds of interesting moves.

33.B4e-1h    04:13:00  03:35:00
34.B7f-6e    04:13:00  03:36:00
35.S8h-7g    04:23:00  03:36:00
36.R5bx5f    04:23:00  03:56:00
37.K5g-6h    04:23:00  03:56:00
38.P*3c      04:23:00  03:58:00
39.S3dx2c+   04:41:00  03:58:00
40.G3bx2c    04:41:00  03:58:00
41.P2e-2d    04:41:00  03:58:00
42.G2c-1d    04:41:00  04:00:00

Diagram 4

43.P*5g!     05:25:00  04:00:00

Black is a silver down and wants to promote the pawn on 2c quickly to even the 
material balance, but Sato is patient here. The gold on 1d looks completely out 
of play, but white has the nasty plan of playing G1e followed by R2f. Therefore, 
Sato first takes this plan out of the position and then strengthens his defense 
before finally promoting the pawn.

44.R5f-5b    05:25:00  04:54:00
45.G4i-3h    05:27:00  04:54:00

Now the white gold on 1d is doomed to be passive for the rest of the game, as 
are most of the other white pieces on that side of the board. White may be a 
silver up at this point, but there is no way to use it anywhere in this position.

46.B6e-5d    05:27:00  05:39:00
47.B1hx5d    05:28:00  05:39:00
48.R5bx5d    05:28:00  05:39:00
49.P2d-2c+   05:33:00  05:39:00
50.B*6d      05:33:00  05:55:00
51.B*3g      05:40:00  05:55:00
52.B6dx3g+   05:40:00  05:59:00
53.N2ix3g    05:40:00  05:59:00
54.S*3f      05:40:00  06:06:00

Diagram 5

This is Kubo's last hope. He threatens Sx3g+ Gx3g and N*4e or B*3i next.

55.S7g-6f!   05:44:00  06:06:00

This strengthens the important square 5g and also creates an escape route for the 
king on 7g. 

56.B*6d      05:44:00  06:22:00
57.B*4f      05:58:00  06:22:00
58.B6d-5c    05:58:00  06:45:00

Or 58.Bx4f Px4f Px4e P4e which looks dangerous, but after Nx4e B*6d S6e Bx4f Sx5d 
Bx2h+ black doesn't take the promoted bishop on 2h, but plays N5c+ instead, winning 
the attacking race.

59.S6f-6e    06:25:00  06:45:00

Now black has a clear advantage. Both players lost interest in the position after 
this and ended the post-mortem analysis here.

60.R5d-9d    06:25:00  06:45:00
61.R2h-2f    06:41:00  06:45:00
62.S3f-4e    06:41:00  06:55:00
63.N3gx4e    06:48:00  06:55:00
64.P4dx4e    06:48:00  06:55:00
65.B4f-3g    06:49:00  06:55:00
66.B5cx3e    06:49:00  07:07:00
67.R2f-5f    06:49:00  07:07:00
68.S3a-4b    06:49:00  07:07:00
69.P*3f      06:56:00  07:07:00
70.B3e-4d    06:56:00  07:08:00
71.S*5e      06:56:00  07:08:00
72.P4e-4f    06:56:00  07:10:00
73.B3gx4f    07:06:00  07:10:00
74.B4dx5e    07:06:00  07:16:00
75.B4fx5e    07:06:00  07:16:00
76.N*5c      07:06:00  07:18:00
77.S6e-7f    07:10:00  07:18:00
78.S*4e      07:10:00  07:19:00
79.R5f-6f    07:10:00  07:19:00
80.S4b-4c    07:10:00  07:21:00
81.P*2b      07:15:00  07:21:00
82.R9d-5d    07:15:00  07:22:00
83.B5e-2h    07:20:00  07:22:00
84.S4c-4d    07:20:00  07:22:00
85.P2bx2a+   07:20:00  07:22:00
86.P*5f      07:20:00  07:25:00
87.P5gx5f    07:20:00  07:25:00
88.S4ex5f    07:20:00  07:25:00
89.G3h-4h    07:22:00  07:25:00
90.N5c-4e    07:22:00  07:30:00
91.P*5h      07:29:00  07:30:00
92.P*5g      07:29:00  07:32:00
93.B*3b      07:31:00  07:32:00
94.P5gx5h+   07:31:00  07:34:00
95.K6h-7g    07:31:00  07:34:00

After the game Sato said that he may have been a little too careful in the endgame, 
but he makes no mistake in defense and wins quickly in the counter attack from here.

96.R5d-5e    07:31:00  07:41:00
97.B3b-4c+   07:32:00  07:41:00
98.S5f-5g=   07:32:00  07:48:00
99.G4hx5g    07:39:00  07:48:00
100.R5ex5g+  07:39:00  07:48:00
101.+B4cx4d  07:39:00  07:48:00
102.G*5d     07:39:00  07:48:00
103.+B4d-3e  07:41:00  07:48:00
104.+R5g-4h  07:41:00  07:51:00
105.N*7d     07:45:00  07:51:00
106.+R4hx2h  07:45:00  07:56:00
107.+B3ex6b  07:48:00  07:56:00
108.S7ax6b   07:48:00  07:56:00
109.G*8b     07:48:00  07:56:00
110.K7b-6a   07:48:00  07:56:00
111.S*4c     07:48:00  07:56:00
Resigns      07:48:00  07:58:00

Final Diagram

A slight variation to a well-known hisshi position. Even after 112.G5c black has 
mate with 113.Nx6b+ Kx6b S*7a etc. so Kubo resigned here. A complete victory for 
Sato, who couldn't have wished for a better start of the year and of this match. 
Will Kubo strike back with the black pieces in the second game or can Sato take 
an unexpected 2-0 lead?