69th Kisei Match Game 3
Black: Yashiki, Kisei
White: Goda, Challenger
69th Kisei-sen, Game 3, July 3rd 1998
1.P2g-2f 1/1 0/0
2.P8c-8d 0/1 2/2
3.P2f-2e 0/1 0/2
Things are looking grim for Yashiki, 2-0 down against an almost invincible
looking Goda. Superstition or not, but for this third game he decides to play
the same opening that won him the Kisei match last year against Miura: the
Aigakari.
4.P8d-8e 0/1 0/2
5.G6i-7h 0/1 0/2
6.G4a-3b 0/1 0/2
7.P2e-2d 0/1 0/2
8.P2cx2d 0/1 0/2
9.R2hx2d 0/1 0/2
10.P*2c 0/1 0/2
11.R2d-2f 0/1 0/2
12.S7a-6b 0/1 18/20
13.S3i-3h 14/15 0/20
14.P6c-6d 0/15 3/23
15.P7g-7f 8/23 0/23
16.P8e-8f 0/23 11/34
17.P8gx8f 0/23 0/34
18.R8bx8f 0/23 0/34
19.P*8g 2/25 0/34
20.R8f-8b 0/25 0/34
21.K5i-5h 13/38 0/34
22.S6b-6c 0/38 4/38
23.P3g-3f 8/46 0/38
24.P3c-3d 0/46 14/52
25.P3f-3e 1/47 0/52
26.P3dx3e 0/47 0/52
27.S3h-3g 0/47 0/52
28.B2b-4d 0/47 69/121
29.S3g-4f 3/50 0/121
30.S6c-5d 0/50 1/122
31.G4i-3h 6/56 0/122
32.S3a-2b 0/56 21/143
33.P*3d 3/59 0/143
34.P1c-1d 0/59 73/216
A simple looking move that was played after very long thought. However, simple
as it may look, this is a move that will decide the development of the middle
game. If Yashiki would answer with 35.P1f, then white can play 36.S1c followed
by 36.S2d and get into the normal joseki.
35.N2i-3g! 34/93 0/216
Of course Yashiki takes this opportunity to improve his own position and
ignores the edge pawn move.
36.P1d-1e 0/93 7/223
The outcome of the game now depends on whether these two white moves on the
edge will have any meaning or that Yashiki can prove that they are just a
waste of time.
37.B8h-7g 25/118 0/223
38.K5a-4b 0/118 1/224
39.S7i-6h 1/119 0/224
40.G6a-5b 0/119 0/224
41.P9g-9f 17/136 0/224
42.P9c-9d 0/136 3/227
43.B7gx4d 7/143 0/227
Katsumata (4-dan), who comments the game for Shukan Shogi, thinks that 44.P5f
would have been better. Still, even after 44.Bx4d, the general feeling was that
Yashiki had the slightly better position.
44.P4cx4d 0/143 0/227
45.S4fx3e 4/147 0/227
46.S5d-4c 0/147 0/227
47.N8i-7g 5/152 0/227
48.P1e-1f! 0/152 27/254
Tries to make the edge pawn work.
49.N3g-2e! 50/202 0/254
Yashiki also sees that 49.Px1f P*1h Lx1h B*5d! is very difficult for black to
defend against both Bx1h+ and P*3f. 49.N2e starts the decisive fight.
50.P*3c! 0/202 7/261
Not good is 50.Px1g+ Lx1g! Lx1g+ B*1b and black seems to be better. 50.P*3c
caused quite a stir in the press room, since dropping this pawn at the knight
square is in general only helping black's attack. Goda has calculated deep
though...
51.P3dx3c+ 1/203 0/261
52.N2ax3c 0/203 0/261
53.N2ex3c+ 0/203 0/261
54.S2bx3c 0/203 0/261
55.P1gx1f 1/204 0/261
56.P*3d 0/204 6/267
57.P*2d 4/208 0/267
58.P2cx2d 0/208 1/268
59.S3ex2d 0/208 0/268
60.P*2e! 0/208 0/268
This was what Goda was aiming for. After 61.Rx2e N*4f Px4f B*3f B*4g Bx2e
Sx3c+ Kx3c Bx2e R*2i white is clearly better.
61.S2dx3c+ 1/209 0/268
62.K4bx3c 0/209 1/269
63.R2f-2i? 3/212 0/269
Up until now, Yashiki has played the game very well. However, this is a big
mistake that costs him the game and the Kisei title. After 63.R2h instead,
the position still seems to favour black. For example 64.N*2f G3g B*3i R2g
S*3h Rx2f Px2f Gx3h or 64.N*2f G3g P*1h N*1g and black has the better chances.
64.N*2f 0/212 1/270
65.G3h-4h 0/212 0/270
66.P*1h 0/212 1/271
67.L1ix1h 3/215 0/271
68.B*5d! 0/215 2/273
Brilliant move. After the simple 68.Nx1h+ Rx2e L*2b R8e black can activate the
rook. After B*5d this is not possible and the black rook is doomed to stay in
black's own camp.
69.S*4a 5/220 0/273
70.B5dx1h+ 0/220 0/273
71.S4ax3b+ 1/221 0/273
72.S4cx3b 0/221 2/275
73.R2i-8i 0/221 0/275
74.L*3e 0/221 3/278
75.P*3i 4/225 0/278
76.S*2c! 0/225 1/279
Goda does not give Yashiki any chances to break free. The potential threat
of P*2d is killed before white start his decisive attack.
77.P8g-8f 5/230 0/279
Desperately tries to make the rook work, but this is just one move too slow.
However, black has no alternatives.
78.+B1h-2h 0/230 2/281
79.P8f-8e 9/239 0/281
80.L3ex3i+ 0/239 0/281
81.K5h-6i 2/241 0/281
82.N2f-3h+ 0/241 0/281
83.G4h-5h 0/241 0/281
84.+L3i-4i 0/241 3/284
85.P8e-8d 2/243 0/284
86.+N3h-4h 0/243 1/285
87.G5hx4h 1/244 0/285
88.+L4ix4h 0/244 0/285
89.P8d-8c+ 0/244 0/285
90.S*5h 0/244 0/285
91.K6i-7i 0/244 0/285
92.G*6i 0/244 0/285
93.K7i-8h 0/244 0/285
94.R8bx8c 0/244 0/285
For a moment, it looked like black might get some counter chances, but the
vulgar attack S*5h followed by G*6i forces black to block the rook so that
white can take the promoted pawn on 8c. Now white's position is completely
safe and winning is only a question of time.
95.P*8d 4/248 0/285
96.R8cx8d 0/248 0/285
97.P*8e 0/248 0/285
98.R8d-8b 0/248 0/285
99.N*3f 2/250 0/285
100.+B2h-5e! 0/250 0/285
This kills the last threat black has (N*4e Px4e B*4d). It also brings the
horse back into play and threatens Rx8e. Black can not defend by 101.B*6f
because +Bx6f Px6f B*4e is too severe.
101.P*2d 3/253 0/285
102.S2c-1d 0/253 0/285
103.B*6f 3/256 0/285
104.+B5ex6f 0/256 0/285
105.P6gx6f 0/256 0/285
106.B*4e 0/256 0/285
107.N3fx4d 0/256 0/285
108.G6ix6h 0/256 0/285
109.G7hx6h 2/258 0/285
110.P*8g 0/258 1/286
111.K8h-9g 3/261 0/286
112.B4ex8i+ 0/261 0/286
113.N4dx3b+ 0/261 0/286
114.K3cx3b 0/261 0/286
115.N*4d 0/261 0/286
116.K3b-4c 0/261 3/289
117.N4dx5b+ 0/261 0/289
118.K4cx5b? 0/261 6/295
It is a little emberassing to the new Kisei that he missed mate here. After
118.+B8h K8f S*9g! Lx9g N*7d K7e +Bx9g this would have been another flawless
Goda win.
119.G*4d 0/261 0/295
120.+B8i-8h 0/261 2/297
Resigns 0/261 0/297
Time: 04:21:00 04:57:00
After failing twice, Goda succeeds in taking the Kisei title in his
third attempt. Yashiki will be disappointed with his play in this match, but
one should not take anything away from Goda, who seemed to have taken his
shogi to another level in the first months of the 1998 season. With this
victory, he brings his season's record to 17-1, a Habu like performance. This
title is a reward for his outstanding play.
