84th Kisei Match Game 4
[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Kisei"]
[Event "84th Kisei-sen, Game 4"]
[Date "July 17th 2014"]
1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
4.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:01:00
5.P2f-2e 00:01:00 00:01:00
6.P8d-8e 00:01:00 00:01:00
7.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:01:00
8.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:01:00
9.P2e-2d 00:01:00 00:01:00
10.P2cx2d 00:01:00 00:01:00
11.R2hx2d 00:01:00 00:01:00
12.P8e-8f 00:01:00 00:01:00
13.P8gx8f 00:01:00 00:01:00
14.R8bx8f 00:01:00 00:01:00
15.R2dx3d 00:01:00 00:01:00
16.B2b-3c 00:01:00 00:01:00
17.R3d-3f 00:02:00 00:01:00
18.R8f-8d 00:02:00 00:02:00
19.R3f-2f 00:03:00 00:02:00
20.S3a-2b 00:03:00 00:02:00
21.P*8g 00:03:00 00:02:00
22.K5a-5b 00:03:00 00:03:00
23.S3i-4h 00:05:00 00:03:00
24.P9c-9d 00:05:00 00:05:00
25.K5i-5h 00:23:00 00:05:00
26.P9d-9e 00:23:00 00:07:00
This extension of the edge is often played on the 1st file, but pushing up the edge pawn on this side of
the board is not often seen. White is aiming at putting some constraints on the black piece build-up. The
most important one is that after a later bishop exchange with Bx8h+ Sx8h, black wants to move up the wall
silver on 8h to 7g. However, with the edge pawn on 9e, this gives white the attacking option P9f Px9f P*9g
and this pawn cannot be taken by the lance because of either P*9h, B*9h or even N9c followed by N8e. This
attack doesn't actually happen in the game, but it is an important part of the white strategy, because
black has to start the fighting with the wall silver on 8h, which makes it much more difficult for the
king to escape.
27.G4i-3h 00:28:00 00:07:00
28.G6a-5a 00:28:00 00:14:00
29.P3g-3f 00:54:00 00:14:00
30.S7a-6b 00:54:00 00:19:00
31.P3f-3e 00:56:00 00:19:00
32.S2b-2c 00:56:00 00:34:00
33.S4h-3g 01:01:00 00:34:00
34.B3cx8h+ 01:01:00 00:39:00
35.S7ix8h 01:01:00 00:39:00
36.N2a-3c 01:01:00 00:39:00
37.R2f-2h 01:19:00 00:39:00
38.P*2e 01:19:00 00:51:00
39.K5h-6h 01:22:00 00:51:00
Played after only three minutes, which surprised Habu, who thought this was the type of position where there
seem to be different options, so he would probably spend a lot more time here. In the interview after the
game, he returned to this, adding that he thought this was one of the remarkable things about Watanabe's
play: his instant and most often correct decisions in difficult positions. Watanabe has already seen what
is going to hit him up the road and prepares the best defense for it. Despite this, he seems to have lost
the opening battle.
40.P1c-1d 01:22:00 00:55:00
41.P4g-4f 01:30:00 00:55:00
42.P1d-1e 01:30:00 01:08:00
43.S3g-3f 01:31:00 01:08:00
Another point of having the pawn on 9e becomes clear if black plays 43.S7g here. Then 44.R2d seems difficult
to play because of the hole on 8b, but after 45.B*8b, white can move the rook to 9d (46.R9d) to defend the
lance. This threatens R9b next and the black bishop is lost.
44.P1e-1f 01:31:00 01:12:00
45.P1gx1f 01:41:00 01:12:00
46.P*1g 01:41:00 01:12:00
47.L1ix1g 01:43:00 01:12:00
This allows white to make a promoted bishop and get a clear advantage. Therefore, in the press room 47.G2g
was analyzed, but this was not looked at in the post-mortem analysis. After the game, Habu said that he had
planned to answer this with 48.R4d and he thought it was hard to find a good move for black.
48.B*1i 01:43:00 01:13:00
49.R2h-2g 01:43:00 01:13:00
50.B1ix4f+ 01:43:00 01:14:00
51.G3h-3g 01:43:00 01:14:00
52.+B4f-5e 01:43:00 01:18:00
53.P5g-5f 02:12:00 01:18:00
54.+B5ex5f 02:12:00 01:42:00
55.G3g-4g 02:12:00 01:42:00
56.+B5f-5e 02:12:00 01:51:00
57.N2i-3g 02:12:00 01:51:00
58.R8d-4d 02:12:00 01:52:00
59.P*4e 02:12:00 01:52:00
60.R4d-5d 02:12:00 01:52:00
A nice little rook maneuver by Habu. He gives the initiative back to the opponent, knowing that black has a
difficult decision to make.
61.R2g-2h? 02:40:00 01:52:00
This is a game where it is hard to find a great move by white nor a mistake by black, but white seems to have
the advantage here. In the post-mortem analysis, Watanabe regretted this move, saying that 61.S7g was his only
fighting chance. After 62.+Bx7g Nx7g S*3h P*5e Rx5e B*6f Sx2g= Bx5e Sx3f+ Gx3f R*2h P*5h S*4g he thought that
white would win, but after G4f Rx5h+ K7i S5f+ S*6i things are not so easy for white. Habu suggested 62.+B6e
instead of +Bx7g, but then 63.S6f is strong because after 64.+Bx4g Sx4g P*3f Sx3f G*2f R2h Gx3f white has won
a silver, but because the black silver is no longer on 8h, black's chances are much better than in the game.
62.+B5e-6e 02:40:00 01:56:00
63.P*5f 02:40:00 01:56:00
64.+B6ex5f 02:40:00 02:20:00
65.R2h-5h 02:41:00 02:20:00
No choice. After 65.Gx5f 66.Rx5f the silver on 3f is attacked and 67.S4g fails to G*5g.
66.+B5fx4g 02:41:00 02:24:00
67.S3fx4g 02:41:00 02:24:00
68.P*3f 02:41:00 02:24:00
69.P*5e 02:43:00 02:24:00
70.R5d-2d 02:43:00 02:24:00
71.S4gx3f 02:43:00 02:24:00
72.G*4f 02:43:00 02:24:00
73.P5e-5d 02:58:00 02:24:00
74.G4fx3f 02:58:00 02:26:00
75.P5dx5c+ 02:59:00 02:26:00
76.S6bx5c 02:59:00 02:26:00
77.B*7a 02:59:00 02:26:00
78.P*5d 02:59:00 02:34:00
79.K6h-7i 03:06:00 02:34:00
80.G3fx3g 03:06:00 02:37:00
81.N8i-7g 03:06:00 02:37:00
82.G3g-4g 03:06:00 02:48:00
83.R5h-5f 03:06:00 02:48:00
84.N3cx4e 03:06:00 02:49:00
85.P*4d 03:06:00 02:49:00
86.S*6b! 03:06:00 02:54:00
The decisive move. If now 87.B8b+ then 88.Nx5g+ R6f Rx4d +B8a G5h is winning.
87.N7g-6e 03:26:00 02:54:00
Watanabe decides to give up the bishop for attack, but this attack clearly isn't strong enough.
88.S6bx7a 03:26:00 02:55:00
89.N6ex5c+ 03:26:00 02:55:00
90.K5bx5c 03:26:00 02:55:00
91.P*5e 03:26:00 02:55:00
92.K5cx4d 03:26:00 03:01:00
93.P5ex5d 03:26:00 03:01:00
94.P*5e 03:26:00 03:04:00
95.B*7g 03:28:00 03:04:00
96.B*3g 03:28:00 03:07:00
97.P5d-5c+ 03:47:00 03:07:00
98.K4dx5c 03:47:00 03:12:00
99.B7gx5e 03:47:00 03:12:00
100.R2d-5d 03:47:00 03:12:00
Resigns 03:47:00 03:12:00
Black has no way of defending against the simple threat of taking the bishop on 5e. A big material loss
and no attack, so Watanabe resigned here. Habu wins the game and the match with a remarkable show of mental
strength. He lost the Meijin match against Moriuchi without much of a chance and had to face his nemesis
Watanabe in this battle of the three title holders. After a good start he dropped a game he should have
won, putting a lot of pressure on him for this fourth game with the white pieces. Not only did he come
through, he won this fourth game very impressively.