71st Meijin Match Game 4

[Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Meijin"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[Event "71st Meijin-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "May 21st and 22nd 2013"]
1.P2g-2f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:00:00  00:02:00
3.P2f-2e!?   00:00:00  00:02:00

This is an unusual way to play between two Ibisha players. Against a Furibisha 
player it is considered interesting, because it makes it more difficult for white 
to play the Gokigen Nakabisha (if 3.P7f then P5d). However, in double Ibisha games, 
black likes to keep its options on the second file open by leaving the pawn on 2f. 
Based on the white position, either N3g~N2e or P2e followed by S3g and S2f or S4f 
can be played. By pushing the pawn early, like Moriuchi does here, the first option 
is no longer possible. Therefore, professionals don't play P2e against an opponent 
who likes to play Yagura. However, in this game Moriuchi shows that the early pawn 
push has some important advantages and that white needs to play very carefully 
against it.

4.B2b-3c     00:00:00  00:11:00
5.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:11:00
6.S3a-2b     00:00:00  00:12:00
7.P6g-6f     00:00:00  00:12:00
8.S7a-6b     00:00:00  00:20:00
9.S7i-6h     00:19:00  00:20:00
10.P5c-5d    00:19:00  00:35:00
11.P5g-5f    00:33:00  00:35:00
12.G4a-3b    00:33:00  00:39:00
13.G4i-5h    00:38:00  00:39:00
14.K5a-4a    00:38:00  00:43:00
15.S6h-7g    00:52:00  00:43:00
16.B3c-4b    00:52:00  00:45:00
17.B8h-7i    00:52:00  00:45:00
18.S2b-3c    00:52:00  00:46:00
19.K5i-6h    01:00:00  00:46:00
20.G6a-5b    01:00:00  01:06:00
21.K6h-7h    01:00:00  01:06:00
22.P4c-4d    01:00:00  01:06:00
23.S3i-4h    01:29:00  01:06:00
24.G5b-4c    01:29:00  01:12:00
25.P3g-3f    01:30:00  01:12:00
26.K4a-3a    01:30:00  01:21:00
27.G5h-6g    01:57:00  01:21:00
28.P7c-7d    01:57:00  01:58:00
29.S4h-3g    02:09:00  01:58:00
30.K3a-2b    02:09:00  02:12:00
31.K7h-8h    02:28:00  02:12:00

Diagram 1

This is the point of the black strategy. The black king can move into the Yagura 
with the bishop still on 7i, giving black an extra move. In return, he has fixed 
his position with P2e, so it seems not so easy to say who is better here. However, 
this game seems to indicate that the extra move is a bigger factor.

32.P7d-7e    02:28:00  02:33:00

White acknowledges that he has lost a move. However, after 32.R7b G7h P7e Px7e Bx7e 
B4f is good for black after S7c S2f P4e B3g because the right silver is very hard 
to use.

33.P7fx7e    03:06:00  02:33:00
34.B4bx7e    03:06:00  02:33:00
35.P3f-3e    03:06:00  02:33:00
36.P3dx3e    03:06:00  05:03:00
37.B7ix3e    03:08:00  05:03:00

Diagram 2

White has moved the bishop to 7e through the route B3c-B4b-B7e while black has moved 
his bishop to 3e by the rout B7i-B3e, a clear one move advantage. White must attack 
or this difference will become a big advantage for black. Habu took 150 minutes for 
this move (which was also the sealed move), trying to find a good continuation, but 
after the game admitted that he was unable to find something good for white.

38.B7e-6d    03:08:00  05:03:00

The natural reply is 38.P4e, which is good for white if he can follow up with S5c and 
S5c-4d, but black of course doesn't allow that and moves back the bishop with 39.B5g. 
Then if 40.R7b P4f B6d Px4e P*3f S4f P*4d Px4d Sx4d P6e B8b R4h is good for black. 
Even after Px4e Sx4e Sx4e Rx4e S4d R4i Bx1i+ B4f and despite the loss of the lance, 
the weakness of the 4th file gives black a very strong attack. Also 40.S5c S7f B8d 
P4f S5c-4d R4h is good for black. In the post-mortem analysis a lot of time was spent 
on the position after 38.P4e B5g, but no good way to play for white was found. 
Moriuchi's opening strategy seems to have worked well.

39.B3e-4f    03:11:00  05:03:00
40.S6b-7c    03:11:00  05:03:00
41.G6i-7h    03:35:00  05:03:00
42.P*3d      03:35:00  05:05:00

Now the game slows down and the extra move is a clear advantage for black. An important 
problem of the white position is that the rook pawn is still on 8c, while the black rook 
pawn is on 2e, ready to support an attack. 

43.B4fx6d    03:53:00  05:05:00

Of course, if black gives white the time to move the rook pawn up, his advantage will 
go away, so Moriuchi cannot play a waiting game here. First, this exchange of bishops, 
which invites a white counter, which Moriuchi counters nicely.

44.P6cx6d    03:53:00  05:07:00
45.S3g-4f    03:58:00  05:07:00
46.P6d-6e    03:58:00  05:14:00

Diagram 3

This looks like a problem for black, because 47.Px6e is answered by B*3i followed 
by B8d+.

47.P5f-5e!   04:44:00  05:14:00
48.P5dx5e    04:44:00  05:19:00

Moriuchi's first pawn sacrifice makes an attack through the center possible with a 
later rook switch R5h. Timing is important, because if black plays P5e later, it will 
be ignored.

49.P2e-2d!   04:59:00  05:19:00
50.S3cx2d    04:59:00  05:32:00

This weakens the center, but after 50.Px2d, black has an even stronger attack with 
P*2e followed by N3g.

51.P6fx6e    05:24:00  05:32:00

Moriuchi has sacrificed two pawns to weaken the white position and then allows the 
white bishop promotion.

52.B*3i      05:24:00  06:06:00
53.R2h-5h    05:31:00  06:06:00

The rook switch.

54.B3i-7e+   05:31:00  06:06:00
55.S4fx5e    05:35:00  06:06:00

Diagram 4

56.P*5g?!    05:35:00  06:15:00

This is an overplay, increasing the black advantage. White should have been patient 
with 56.P*5d S6f (Sx5d fails to P*5g) +B5c and the white promoted bishop is in a good 
defensive position, making it hard to break down the white position. For example, 
P4f P8d N3g P8e P*5e Px5e P4e P8f Sx8f Px4e and even though black still seems to have 
an advantage, white has better fighting chances than in the game.

57.G6gx5g    05:46:00  06:15:00
58.+B7ex6e   05:46:00  06:24:00
59.G5g-5f    05:53:00  06:24:00
60.+B6e-7d   05:53:00  06:28:00

This is not an ideal position for this promoted bishop, but white had no choice.

61.P*5d!     05:57:00  06:28:00

Diagram 5

Makes a strong attacking base to set up the decisive attack.

62.P*7f?!    05:57:00  06:49:00

Quickens the end. White's last hope was 62.P*5b, which is a very hard move to play 
for a professional, because it is defense only, blocking the sideways working of the 
rook and making an attacking pawn drop on the fifth file impossible. However, things 
are far from easy after 63.P*6e R6b G6f P*6d P*7e +B6c and again the promoted bishop 
is in a good position to defend.

63.S7gx7f    06:22:00  06:49:00
64.S7c-6d    06:22:00  06:49:00
65.S5ex6d    06:32:00  06:49:00
66.+B7dx6d   06:32:00  07:01:00
67.G5f-5e    06:32:00  07:01:00
68.P*5g      06:32:00  07:16:00
69.R5hx5g    06:33:00  07:16:00
70.S*6f      06:33:00  07:18:00
71.G5ex6d    06:34:00  07:18:00
72.S6fx5g+   06:34:00  07:18:00
73.P5d-5c+   06:34:00  07:18:00
74.G4c-3c    06:34:00  07:18:00
75.B*6e      06:44:00  07:18:00
76.R*2h      06:44:00  07:46:00
77.P*5b      07:07:00  07:46:00
78.+S5g-6h   07:07:00  07:52:00
79.P*7i      07:11:00  07:52:00
80.+S6hx7h   07:11:00  07:54:00
81.P7ix7h    07:11:00  07:54:00
82.P*7g      07:11:00  07:54:00
83.K8hx7g    07:32:00  07:54:00
84.G*5e      07:32:00  07:54:00
85.B6ex3b+   07:53:00  07:54:00
86.G3cx3b    07:53:00  07:54:00
87.S*4a      07:55:00  07:54:00
88.G3b-3a    07:55:00  08:08:00
89.G*3b      07:55:00  08:08:00
90.K2b-1b    07:55:00  08:08:00
91.G3bx3a    07:55:00  08:08:00
92.R8b-7b    07:55:00  08:09:00
93.B*3b      08:02:00  08:09:00
Resigns      08:02:00  08:09:00

Final Diagram

White cannot defend against the mating threat Bx2a+ and has no way to attack the 
black king, even after B*6f or B*6h, so Habu resigned here. Again a one-sided game, 
this time convincingly won by Moriuchi. He takes a 3-1 lead and only needs one more 
win to defend his Meijin title. This would give him eight Meijin title against Habu's 
seven, which would also be significant. Still, Habu has the black pieces in the next 
game, so has a good chance to extend the match.