17th Ryu-O Match Game 3
[Black "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Ryu-O"]
[Event "17th Ryu-O sen, Game 3"]
[Date "November 17th and 18th 2004"]
1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:02:00
3.S7i-6h 00:03:00 00:02:00
4.P3c-3d 00:03:00 00:02:00
5.P6g-6f 00:04:00 00:02:00
6.S7a-6b 00:04:00 00:03:00
7.P5g-5f 00:05:00 00:03:00
8.P5c-5d 00:05:00 00:03:00
9.S3i-4h 00:07:00 00:03:00
10.S3a-4b 00:07:00 00:05:00
11.G4i-5h 00:10:00 00:05:00
12.G4a-3b 00:10:00 00:08:00
13.G6i-7h 00:15:00 00:08:00
14.K5a-4a 00:15:00 00:10:00
15.K5i-6i 00:17:00 00:10:00
16.G6a-5b 00:17:00 00:14:00
17.S6h-7g 00:21:00 00:14:00
18.S4b-3c 00:21:00 00:15:00
19.B8h-7i 00:22:00 00:15:00
20.B2b-3a 00:22:00 00:15:00
21.P3g-3f 00:23:00 00:15:00
22.P4c-4d 00:23:00 00:15:00
23.G5h-6g 00:26:00 00:15:00
24.P7c-7d 00:26:00 00:16:00
25.S4h-3g 00:30:00 00:16:00
26.B3a-6d 00:30:00 00:16:00
27.B7i-6h 00:34:00 00:16:00
28.G5b-4c 00:34:00 00:17:00
29.K6i-7i 00:36:00 00:17:00
30.K4a-3a 00:36:00 00:19:00
31.K7i-8h 00:39:00 00:19:00
32.K3a-2b 00:39:00 00:20:00
The Yagura as in game 1, but this time Moriuchi is playing it
more slowly. The quick attack he used in the first game led to
a devastating loss in only 89 moves, so his choice is understandable.
33.S3g-4f 00:57:00 00:20:00
34.S6b-5c 00:57:00 00:33:00
35.N2i-3g 00:59:00 00:33:00
36.P9c-9d 00:59:00 00:34:00
37.P1g-1f 01:02:00 00:34:00
38.P1c-1d 01:02:00 00:35:00
39.P2g-2f 01:04:00 00:35:00
40.S3c-2d 01:04:00 00:35:00
41.R2h-3h 01:05:00 00:35:00
42.B6d-7c 01:05:00 00:39:00
43.L1i-1h 01:10:00 00:39:00
44.P8d-8e!? 01:10:00 00:41:00
A small surprise. The winning percentage of white against the Yagura
has not been very high in the past years, but Moriuchi changed this
by showing new ways of attacking, starting with 44.P9e instead of
44.P8e. However, Watanabe and Moriuchi also played this in an
exhibition game in Fukuoka in August, and then Watanabe won quite
convincingly. This seems to have been the main reason for playing
P8e instead of P9e.
45.L9i-9h 01:25:00 00:41:00
46.B7c-6d 01:25:00 00:42:00
47.K8h-9i 01:28:00 00:42:00
48.S5c-4b 01:28:00 00:47:00
49.P2f-2e 01:41:00 00:47:00
50.S2d-1c 01:41:00 01:24:00
51.S4f-5g 01:46:00 01:24:00
52.N8a-7c 01:46:00 01:39:00
53.P4g-4f 01:47:00 01:39:00
54.P9d-9e 01:47:00 02:28:00
55.R3h-4h 03:14:00 02:28:00
56.N2a-3c 03:14:00 02:44:00
57.R4h-4i 03:48:00 02:44:00
58.K2b-2a 03:48:00 03:45:00
59.S5g-4h 04:41:00 03:45:00
60.R8b-8d 04:41:00 04:15:00
61.G7h-8h 04:48:00 04:15:00
62.S1c-2b 04:48:00 04:28:00
63.S4h-5i? 05:20:00 04:28:00
The natural move is 63.S5g, but Watanabe did not like 64.N4e after
that. After 63.S5i, 64.N4e Px4e Bx3g+ Px4d is good for black because
of the power of the black rook on 4i. Still, Watanabe is too fixated
on the 4th file here. White also wants to exchange the pawns on 7e,
but with the silver on 4h or 4g, P7e fails to Px7e Bx7e R7i followed
by S7f. The silver on 5i blocks the path of the rook, so now white
can play P7e...
64.P7d-7e 05:20:00 04:47:00
65.P7fx7e 05:28:00 04:47:00
66.B6dx7e 05:28:00 04:47:00
67.S5i-5h 05:28:00 04:47:00
68.B7e-5c 05:28:00 04:59:00
69.P4f-4e 05:30:00 04:59:00
70.P4dx4e 05:30:00 05:10:00
71.N3gx4e 05:30:00 05:10:00
72.N3cx4e 05:30:00 05:23:00
73.R4ix4e 05:30:00 05:23:00
74.P*4d 05:30:00 05:49:00
75.R4e-4g 05:38:00 05:49:00
76.N*7e 05:38:00 06:12:00
77.P1f-1e 05:44:00 06:12:00
78.P1dx1e 05:44:00 06:21:00
79.P*1d 05:44:00 06:21:00
80.N7ex8g=! 05:44:00 06:27:00
Completely overlooked by Watanabe. Taking the gold seemed to be the
only move, but Moriuchi judged that with the silver on 6g, the black
position would be very hard to break down. The point 8g is an important
weakness of the Anaguma castle and this becomes a liability for black
in the rest of the game.
81.G8hx8g 05:47:00 06:27:00
82.P*7f 05:47:00 06:27:00
83.G6gx7f 06:30:00 06:27:00
Interesting discussion at this point after the game. In the press room
83.N*1c Lx1c Px1c+ Px7g+ G8hx7g was discussed as a way to try and turn
things around. Watanabe's comment: "If the position is bad then a mutual
attack might have been better. However, I though I was a little better
here...". The young challenger seems to see things differently than
most people.
84.P*7e 06:30:00 06:27:00
85.G7fx7e 06:31:00 06:27:00
86.B5cx7e 06:31:00 06:27:00
87.P*7h? 06:31:00 06:27:00
In the press room the opinion was that white had the better position, but
as pointed out, Watanabe did not agree. He felt confident here that he could
stop the white attack and cash in on his material advantage. Analysis after
the game seems to show that he was right, but that 87.P*7h was an important
mistake. If he would have played 87.N*7h instead, it would have been very
difficult for white to continue the attack. The knight on 7h defends both
8f and 6f which are important attacking bases for white. For example, Moriuchi
intended to play 88.R7d, but then 89.Lx1e P*1b S6g B6d P*8d! is good for black
because Rx8d fails to N*7f. Watanabe thought that instead of using a knight he
could also do with a pawn, but that was a little bit too confident.
88.P9e-9f 06:31:00 06:58:00
89.P9gx9f 06:31:00 06:58:00
90.P8e-8f 06:31:00 07:14:00
91.S7gx8f 06:32:00 07:14:00
92.B7ex8f! 06:32:00 07:14:00
This is the move that Watanabe might have taken a little too lightly. After
92.Bx6f P*8h there is no good way for white to continue the attack.
93.G8gx8f 07:32:00 07:14:00
94.L9ax9f 07:32:00 07:14:00
95.P*8g 07:33:00 07:14:00
96.N7c-8e 07:33:00 07:23:00
97.G8fx9f 07:57:00 07:23:00
98.P*7g 07:57:00 07:23:00
99.B*6g 07:59:00 07:23:00
100.S*7f 07:59:00 07:29:00
101.G9fx8e 07:59:00 07:29:00
102.S7fx6g+! 07:59:00 07:42:00
The only move that wins for white. 102.Rx8e Bx7f Px7h+ S*7i +Px6h Bx8e +Px7i
R*7a wins the white tokin on 7i and 102.Sx8g+ Bx7g Rx8e Bx8e P*9g Nx9g G*7i
P*8i +Sx7h R*8a G3a B9f and the white attack doesn't have enough power.
103.S5hx6g 07:59:00 07:42:00
104.R8dx8e 07:59:00 07:42:00
105.K9i-8h 07:59:00 07:42:00
106.P*9g 07:59:00 07:51:00
107.S*8f 07:59:00 07:51:00
108.P9gx9h+ 07:59:00 07:51:00
109.K8hx9h 07:59:00 07:51:00
110.R8e-8a 07:59:00 07:51:00
111.N*1c 07:59:00 07:51:00
112.L1ax1c 07:59:00 07:55:00
113.P1dx1c+ 07:59:00 07:55:00
114.B*6i 07:59:00 07:56:00
115.N8ix7g 07:59:00 07:56:00
116.B6ix4g+ 07:59:00 07:57:00
117.N*1d 07:59:00 07:57:00
118.L*9b 07:59:00 07:57:00
119.P*9g 07:59:00 07:57:00
120.+B4g-6i 07:59:00 07:57:00
121.N1dx2b+ 07:59:00 07:57:00
122.G3bx2b 07:59:00 07:57:00
123.N*1d 07:59:00 07:57:00
124.L9bx9g+ 07:59:00 07:58:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:58:00
Mate after 124.Sx9g G*9i Kx9i R*8i Kx8i Rx8g+ or 124.Kx9g P*9f Kx9f N*8d K8e
N*7c etc. An important win for Moriuchi with the white pieces. The match is
still young, but it now puts a lot of pressure on young Watanabe to win the
next game with white as well. Can the young prodigy respond?