70th Kisei Match Game 3
Black: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger
White: Goda Masataka, Kisei
70th Kisei-sen, Game 3, July 7th 1999
1.P7g-7f 1/1 0/0
2.P8c-8d 0/1 3/3
3.P2g-2f 2/3 0/3
4.G4a-3b 0/3 2/5
5.G6i-7h 0/3 0/5
6.P8d-8e 0/3 0/5
7.B8h-7g 0/3 0/5
8.P3c-3d 0/3 0/5
9.S7i-8h 0/3 0/5
10.B2bx7g+ 0/3 2/7
11.S8hx7g 0/3 0/7
The Kakugawari opening is no surprise. Tanigawa picks his favourite opening
to try and take the Kisei title in straight games.
12.S3a-2b 0/3 0/7
13.S3i-3h 5/8 0/7
14.S7a-7b 0/8 0/7
15.P9g-9f 1/9 0/7
16.K5a-4b 0/9 19/26
17.P4g-4f 12/21 0/26
18.S7b-8c 0/21 2/28
19.S3h-4g 7/28 0/28
20.S8c-8d 0/28 0/28
Goda likes to play the Bogin against the Kakugawari, but at professional level,
this strategy does not seem to have enough power for a direct attack and the
silver is often pulled back to 7c later in the game. This game shows the
problems of playing this strategy.
21.P6g-6f 13/41 0/28
22.P9c-9d 0/41 1/29
23.G4i-5h 9/50 0/29
24.S2b-3c 0/50 1/30
25.P3g-3f 7/57 0/30
26.G6a-5b 0/57 20/50
27.N2i-3g 11/68 0/50
28.P4c-4d 0/68 24/74
29.K5i-6h 15/83 0/74
30.P7c-7d 0/83 1/75
31.R2h-4h 27/110 0/75
32.K4b-3a 0/110 74/149
33.P4f-4e! 12/122 0/149
Positive play by Tanigawa. The silver on 8d is still not doing anything and
the P4e-attack is more powerful than it looks. The rook on 4h is still
blocked by the silver, but will work nicely soon. Alternatives are S5f or
P2e, but P4e seems like a better idea.
34.P4dx4e 0/122 28/177
35.N3gx4e 1/123 0/177
36.S3c-4d 0/123 0/177
37.S4g-4f 1/124 0/177
38.P7d-7e 0/124 29/206
39.P3f-3e 23/147 0/206
40.B*2g 0/147 17/223
Goda knows his attack is slower, so this move is almost forced.
41.P3ex3d 40/187 0/223
42.P*4g 0/187 10/233
43.G5hx4g?! 3/190 0/233
A small mistake that gives Goda chances. Better would have been 43.Rx4g B3f+
P3c+ and black's attack looks very strong.
44.P7ex7f 0/190 1/234
45.S7gx7f 0/190 0/234
46.S4dx4e 0/190 2/236
Taking this important knight looks good for white.
47.B*5e!? 34/224 0/236
48.N*6d 0/224 13/249
This looks like a very good defense. Black can not take the lance on 1a because
of Nx7f. However, Tanigawa has looked deeper...
49.S7f-6g 1/225 0/249
50.S4ex4f 0/225 0/249
51.B5ex1a+! 3/228 0/249
Good move. Tanigawa sacrifices a lot of material for a very dangerous attack.
52.S4fx4g+ 0/228 25/274
53.R4hx4g 0/228 0/274
54.B2g-3f+ 0/228 0/274
55.+B1ax2a 4/232 0/274
56.K3ax2a 0/232 0/274
57.R4g-4a+ 0/232 0/274
58.P*3a? 0/232 7/281
Here Goda thought he could survive the next attack, but he overlooked a simple
variation. If he would have seen it, he would have played 58.G*3a +R7a S*6i
L*3c N7f! and white still has fighting chances.
59.N*3c 10/242 0/281
60.K2a-2b 0/242 3/284
61.S*2a 0/242 0/284
62.P1c-1d 0/242 6/290
Goda had counted on 62.Gx3c +Rx5b P3b! (Rx5b G*1b mate) and there is no
good continuation of the black attack, while N*7f is a mating threat. Goda
overlooked that after 62.Gx3c, the simple Px3c+ Kx3c +Rx3a loses the promoted
bishop on 3f.
63.+R4ax5b 3/245 0/290
64.K2b-1c 0/245 9/299
65.+R5bx8b 0/245 0/299
66.+B3fx2f 0/245 0/299
Here Goda might as well have resigned. He decided to hold on to his Kisei
title a couple of minutes more.
67.L*2i 2/247 0/299
68.G*6i 0/247 0/299
69.K6hx6i 1/248 0/299
70.B*4g 0/248 0/299
71.K6i-7i 0/248 0/299
72.B4gx2i+ 0/248 0/299
73.G*1f 0/248 0/299
Resigns 0/248 0/299
Time: 04:08:00 04:59:00
This ends all hopes of escaping up the board. After only 73 moves the Kisei
title changes hands. After 8 months without a title, Tanigawa wins his fourth
Kisei title (the last one he won in 1992). Unfortunately, this Kisei match
was a one-sided affair, matching a challenger in great form against a
struggling titleholder. A little disappointing, but it is good to see
Tanigawa back among the title holders.