73rd Kisei Match Game 2

Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger
White: Goda Masataka, Kisei
73rd Kisei-sen, Game 2, June 25th 2002
1.P7g-7f     00:00:00  00:00:00
2.P8c-8d     00:00:00  00:01:00
3.P2g-2f     00:01:00  00:01:00
4.P8d-8e     00:01:00  00:01:00
5.B8h-7g     00:01:00  00:01:00
6.P3c-3d     00:01:00  00:01:00
7.S7i-8h     00:01:00  00:01:00
8.B2bx7g+    00:01:00  00:02:00
9.S8hx7g     00:01:00  00:02:00
10.S3a-2b    00:01:00  00:02:00
11.S3i-3h    00:01:00  00:02:00
12.S7a-7b    00:01:00  00:02:00
13.P4g-4f    00:05:00  00:02:00
14.S2b-3c    00:05:00  00:02:00
15.S3h-4g    00:05:00  00:02:00
16.K5a-4b    00:05:00  00:03:00
17.P3g-3f    00:32:00  00:03:00
18.G6a-5b    00:32:00  00:45:00
19.P6g-6f    00:53:00  00:45:00
20.S7b-8c    00:53:00  01:14:00

No real surprises in the early opening stage of this game. Sato was 
expected to use the Kakugawari (Bishop Exchange) as he has a high 
winning percentage with it, while Goda likes to fight the Kakugawari 
with the Bogin (Climbing Silver).

21.P9g-9f    00:58:00  01:14:00
22.P9c-9d    00:58:00  01:15:00
23.R2h-6h    01:00:00  01:15:00
24.S8c-8d    01:00:00  01:15:00
25.G4i-3h    01:01:00  01:15:00
26.K4b-3b    01:01:00  01:24:00
27.N2i-3g    01:04:00  01:24:00
28.G4a-4b    01:04:00  01:25:00
29.K5i-4h    01:23:00  01:25:00

Against the Bogin attack, moving the king to the right side of the 
board is an often played plan. The Bogin aims at a breakthrough on 
the edge, sacrificing the silver for a lance. By moving the king to 
the right, this attack will not lead to immediate king danger and 
will give black the time to use the material advantage to counter.

30.P7c-7d    01:23:00  01:30:00
31.P6f-6e    01:31:00  01:30:00
32.S8d-7c    01:31:00  01:31:00

When the black king moves to the right, white often abandons his 
Bogin plans pulls the silver back to use it in a central position. 
This gives up a couple of moves, but black has no quick attack, so 
this is not so important in this position.

33.P1g-1f    01:31:00  01:31:00
34.P1c-1d    01:31:00  01:31:00
35.S4g-5f?!  01:56:00  01:31:00

Diagram 1

The first important point of the game. By moving up this silver, Sato 
gives up the idea of castling on the right. Instead, he intends to
move the king back to left with G7h-K5h-K6i-K7i, as white no longer 
has a strong attack with the climbing silver. This seems to take a 
lot of moves, but as white also has lost some moves with his silver 
manoeuvre, this more or less cancels out. 

36.S7c-6b    01:56:00  02:08:00
37.G6i-7h    02:00:00  02:08:00
38.P5c-5d    02:00:00  02:13:00
39.K4h-5h    02:06:00  02:13:00
40.S3c-4d!   02:06:00  02:30:00

Aggressive play, but very important. White could just strengthen his 
castle with P4d-S5c-G4c(5b), but that would give black the time to 
complete the king walk to the left. White will then be stuck for 
moves, so Goda decides to play for an early opening of the position, 
while the black king is still on 5h.

41.P4f-4e    02:22:00  02:30:00
42.P5d-5e    02:22:00  02:30:00
43.S5f-6g    02:24:00  02:30:00
44.S4d-5c    02:24:00  02:32:00
45.R6h-6i    02:39:00  02:32:00
46.N8a-7c    02:39:00  03:02:00
47.R6i-2i    02:41:00  03:02:00
48.N7cx6e    02:41:00  03:09:00
49.S7g-6f    02:41:00  03:09:00
50.S5c-5d    02:41:00  03:09:00
51.P2f-2e    02:43:00  03:09:00
52.G4b-3c    02:43:00  03:09:00

This is the disadvantage of white's 40th move. Because the silver is 
no longer on 3c, white has to defend the pawn exchange on 2d by 
moving this gold to a bad square. Goda's judgment at the 40th move 
was that this couldn't be helped and that white still would have the 
better chances. He was probably right, but things are still far 
from easy.

53.G3h-4h    02:51:00  03:09:00
54.G5b-4b    02:51:00  03:13:00
55.P9f-9e!   03:31:00  03:13:00

Diagram 2

Very resourceful attack. If black allows white to secure the position 
with 56.P6d, he will have no reasonable moves left. It was hard to 
find anything good for black in this position, but Sato's 55.P9e is 
the only way to put pressure on the white position.

56.P9dx9e    03:31:00  03:19:00
57.S6fx6e    03:31:00  03:19:00
58.S5dx6e    03:31:00  03:19:00
59.N8i-7g    03:31:00  03:19:00
60.S6e-5d    03:31:00  03:19:00
61.N*4f      03:31:00  03:19:00
62.S6b-5c    03:31:00  03:19:00
63.B*7c      03:31:00  03:19:00
64.R8b-8a    03:31:00  03:19:00
65.L9ix9e    03:31:00  03:19:00
66.L9ax9e    03:31:00  03:19:00
67.B7cx9e+   03:31:00  03:19:00

The point of the edge attack. Black has made a promoted bishop 
and white needs to attack quickly to make sure that this promoted 
bishop is not creating all sorts of trouble in the white camp.

68.P4c-4d    03:31:00  03:21:00
69.+B9e-7c   03:33:00  03:21:00

Black now strongly threatens R9i followed by R9b+.

70.P8e-8f    03:33:00  03:33:00

Goda said that he had overlooked the rook switch, but that he still 
felt he was OK because of the P8f attack. In reality, the position 
is quite complicated.

71.P8gx8f    03:43:00  03:33:00
72.P4dx4e    03:43:00  03:33:00
73.N4fx5d    03:43:00  03:33:00
74.S5cx5d    03:43:00  03:33:00
75.P*4c?     03:45:00  03:33:00

Diagram 3

Sato picks the wrong plan. He should have played 75.R9i P*9h Rx9h 
Rx8f P*8g P*9g Rx9g L*9f Px8f Lx9g+ and now black has reasonably 
good chances to survive after R*9b N*4f K6h S*8g Rx9g+ R*8i P*6i. 
It seemed that Goda thought that he could stop the rook with P*9f 
followed by Px9g+ instead of having to use the lance. After the 
game Sato regretted playing 75.P*4c, but black still has another 
chance to make it interesting.

76.G3cx4c    03:45:00  03:33:00
77.L*2h      03:47:00  03:33:00
78.R8ax8f    03:47:00  03:37:00
79.+B7cx7d?  03:54:00  03:37:00

Diagram 4

Here Sato misses his final chance. The simple 79.P*8g would have 
still made things quite difficult for white. For example, 80.R9f P2d 
Px2d Lx2d P*2h Rx2h R9i+ P*6i S*3i and white seems to be attacking 
strongly, but after L2b+ K4a S*6b! (overlooked by Goda) K5b N6e Sx6e 
Nx4e black wins. Therefore, after L2b+ white has to play K3c Nx4e 
K4d +B6d L*5c and even though it seems that white might survive, it 
is not easy to play such a position under time pressure. Note that 
instead of L2b+, the variation L2c+ K4a S*6b fails to Sx2h+. After 
79.+Bx7d the endgame becomes a display of Goda's attacking skills. 
Black never gets another chance to play P2d, so the lance on 2h 
becomes just a useless piece of wood.

80.S*8g      03:54:00  03:41:00
81.P*4d      03:58:00  03:41:00
82.G4cx4d    03:58:00  03:41:00
83.+B7d-7e   03:58:00  03:41:00
84.N*4f      03:58:00  03:45:00
85.K5h-6h    03:58:00  03:45:00
86.S8gx7h+   03:58:00  03:45:00
87.S6gx7h    03:58:00  03:45:00
88.R8f-8h+   03:58:00  03:45:00
89.S*8g      03:59:00  03:45:00
90.P*8f!     03:59:00  03:47:00

Diagram 5

Good move. This forces the promoted bishop away from the square 6f, 
opening up this square for a lance drop.

91.+B7ex8f   03:59:00  03:47:00
92.B*4g      03:59:00  03:49:00
93.R2i-5i    03:59:00  03:49:00
94.L*6f      03:59:00  03:49:00
95.P*6g      03:59:00  03:49:00
96.G*6i      03:59:00  03:49:00
Resigns      03:59:00  03:49:00

Final Diagram

Mate after 97.Rx6i Bx6i+ Kx6i Lx6g= K5i (Sx6g or a piece drop on 6h 
is answered by R*7i) R*6i Sx6i+ Lx6i+ etc. An important win for Goda 
with the white pieces as he is now two up with three to play. This game 
may not have been as exciting as the first one, but Goda showed that 
positive play pays off, as he was the one dictating the pace of game 
from early on. Sato will need to find something quick or this match 
will be over.