20th Ryu-O Match Game 3
[Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"]
[Event "20th Ryu-O sen, Game 3"]
[Date "November 13th and 14th 2007"]
1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:03:00
3.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:03:00
4.P8d-8e 00:00:00 00:03:00
5.G6i-7h 00:00:00 00:03:00
6.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:04:00
7.P2e-2d 00:00:00 00:04:00
8.P2cx2d 00:00:00 00:04:00
9.R2hx2d 00:00:00 00:04:00
10.P*2c 00:00:00 00:04:00
11.R2d-2f 00:00:00 00:04:00
12.S7a-7b 00:00:00 00:07:00
13.P9g-9f 00:01:00 00:07:00
14.P1c-1d 00:01:00 00:15:00
15.P7g-7f 00:06:00 00:15:00
16.P8e-8f 00:06:00 00:49:00
17.P8gx8f 00:09:00 00:49:00
18.R8bx8f 00:09:00 00:49:00
19.S3i-3h 00:09:00 00:49:00
20.R8f-8b 00:09:00 00:56:00
21.P7f-7e 00:53:00 00:56:00
22.K5a-4a 00:53:00 01:20:00
23.N8i-7g 00:54:00 01:20:00
24.S3a-4b 00:54:00 01:20:00
25.K5i-4h 00:56:00 01:20:00
26.P9c-9d 00:56:00 01:27:00
27.P*8e 01:23:00 01:27:00
28.K4a-3a 01:23:00 01:34:00
29.S7i-6h 01:28:00 01:34:00
30.P6c-6d 01:28:00 01:53:00
31.R2f-7f 01:34:00 01:53:00
The Hineribisha opening was a complete surprise, also for Watanabe. There
was a time that this opening was considered a strategy that might prove that
shogi is a win for the black player. The reason for this is that black has
all the advantages of a Furibisha position, while white has to settle for a
relatively weak castle. However, recently a number of counter strategies have
been found for white and the black winning percentage with this opening plummeted.
As a result, this opening has now become a rarity in professional shogi.
32.P3c-3d 01:34:00 02:21:00
33.P6g-6f 02:05:00 02:21:00
34.S7b-6c 02:05:00 02:42:00
35.S6h-6g 02:05:00 02:42:00
36.B2b-3c 02:05:00 02:42:00
37.S6g-5f 02:56:00 02:42:00
38.P4c-4d 02:56:00 02:43:00
39.G7h-6h 03:40:00 02:43:00
40.K3a-2b 03:40:00 02:48:00
41.G6h-5h 03:40:00 02:48:00
42.G6a-7b 03:40:00 03:42:00
43.K4h-3i 03:56:00 03:42:00
44.S6c-5d 03:56:00 03:59:00
45.P4g-4f 03:57:00 03:59:00
46.G7b-6c 03:57:00 04:13:00
47.P1g-1f 03:58:00 04:13:00
48.S5d-4c 03:58:00 04:45:00
49.P3g-3f 04:44:00 04:45:00
Sato's new idea. The normal way to play here is 49.B9g to activate the bishop,
but Sato decides to delay this development after making the castle stronger by
moving into a High Mino formation. However, this leaves the 7th file vulnerable
and Watanabe doesn't hesitate to attack it.
50.P7c-7d 04:44:00 05:12:00
51.B8h-9g 04:48:00 05:12:00
52.P7dx7e?! 04:48:00 05:52:00
After this questionable move black gets the advantage. Correct was 52.P9e Px9e
R9b. Watanabe didn't like it because of B8f R7b P8d Px7e Bx7e P*8b and it is hard
to find good moves for either side. Still, this was better than what followed in
the game.
53.R7fx7e 04:48:00 05:52:00
54.P*7d 04:48:00 05:52:00
55.R7e-7f 04:48:00 05:52:00
56.N8a-9c 04:48:00 05:52:00
Here Watanabe could have opted for 56.P5d P6e S5c, but this would have lead to a
position where he can only wait for the black attack and hope that he may somehow
get a chance to counter. Playing a waiting game is not Watanabe's style.
57.R7f-8f 05:06:00 05:52:00
58.G6c-5d!? 05:06:00 05:57:00
A very unusual move that shows Watanabe's special shogi sense. A gold in front of
the pawn is against all shogi logic and the difference between the good shape of
the silver on 5f and the bad shape of the gold on 5d is painfully clear. Despite
this, Watanabe was convinced that without the gold on 5d there was no way to win
this game. This game shows that he probably was right.
59.N2i-3g 05:20:00 05:57:00
60.P6d-6e 05:20:00 06:19:00
61.P1f-1e 05:32:00 06:19:00
62.P1dx1e 05:32:00 06:20:00
63.P8e-8d 05:32:00 06:20:00
64.P1e-1f 05:32:00 06:23:00
65.P*1c 06:31:00 06:23:00
66.L1ax1c 06:31:00 06:23:00
67.N3g-2e 06:32:00 06:23:00
68.B3c-2d 06:32:00 06:27:00
69.N2ex1c+ 06:34:00 06:27:00
70.N2ax1c 06:34:00 06:27:00
71.L*2h 06:34:00 06:27:00
72.B2dx4f 06:34:00 06:32:00
73.S5f-4g? 06:35:00 06:32:00
After the game Sato admitted that he deeply regretted this move. He had overlooked
Watanabe's plan. If he had seen it, he would have played 73.G4g here. The after
74.B6d R8i it is hard to find a good move for white, while black has a number of
options like Bx6d followed by B*7c, P8c+ or P*1d.
74.B4f-6d 06:35:00 06:35:00
75.R8f-7f 06:38:00 06:35:00
76.B6dx2h+! 06:38:00 06:44:00
Great bishop sacrifice. Exchanging the bishop for the lance is almost always bad,
but here Watanabe thought that the lance on 2h was worth more than the bishop.
Great judgement, because the pressure that black had built on files 1 to 3 now
turns against him. Most painful is the weakness of 3g, which is caused by pulling
back the silver from 5f. If Sato would have moved up the gold to 4g there, this
would not have been a problem.
77.K3ix2h 06:38:00 06:44:00
78.R8bx8d 06:38:00 06:44:00
79.N7gx6e 06:57:00 06:44:00
80.N1c-2e 06:57:00 06:47:00
81.P*1d 07:03:00 06:47:00
82.P1f-1g+ 07:03:00 06:53:00
83.L1ix1g 07:03:00 06:53:00
84.N2ex1g+ 07:03:00 06:53:00
85.K2hx1g 07:03:00 06:53:00
86.L*1a 07:03:00 06:55:00
87.K1g-2h 07:07:00 06:55:00
88.P*1f 07:07:00 06:58:00
89.P1d-1c+ 07:07:00 06:58:00
90.L1ax1c 07:07:00 06:58:00
91.P*1h 07:07:00 06:58:00
92.P*6d 07:07:00 07:18:00
93.N6e-7c+ 07:08:00 07:18:00
94.R8d-8i+ 07:08:00 07:18:00
95.R7f-7i 07:09:00 07:18:00
96.+R8i-8e 07:09:00 07:20:00
97.P*2f? 07:24:00 07:20:00
Sato seems to have given up on this game here. Better was 97.K3i P*8f Rx7d and if
black manages to get the rook into play, there is still something to fight for.
98.L*7f 07:24:00 07:30:00
99.R7ix7f? 07:36:00 07:30:00
Better is 99.R5i, but Sato didn't feel he had a chance to win after 100.+R1e +Nx7d
N8e B8f +R2f. Watanabe couldn't believe the rook sacrifice: "It was like a dream,
I suddenly got a rook and bishop in hand!". Still, there is one more scary moment
ahead.
100.+R8ex7f 07:36:00 07:30:00
101.N*2e 07:36:00 07:30:00
102.N9c-8e 07:36:00 07:34:00
103.B*4f 07:49:00 07:34:00
104.P1f-1g+ 07:49:00 07:37:00
105.P1hx1g 07:49:00 07:37:00
106.P*1b 07:49:00 07:37:00
107.B9gx6d 07:49:00 07:37:00
108.R*8i 07:49:00 07:43:00
109.+N7c-6c 07:49:00 07:43:00
110.G5dx6d 07:49:00 07:44:00
111.B4fx6d 07:53:00 07:44:00
112.+R7fx6f 07:53:00 07:45:00
113.N2ex1c+ 07:56:00 07:45:00
114.P1bx1c 07:56:00 07:45:00
115.P*6g 07:56:00 07:45:00
116.+R6fx6d 07:56:00 07:47:00
117.+N6cx6d 07:56:00 07:47:00
118.N*3g 07:56:00 07:51:00
119.G4i-5i 07:57:00 07:51:00
120.B*8f 07:57:00 07:51:00
121.L*1e 07:58:00 07:51:00
122.B8fx5i+ 07:58:00 07:55:00
123.G5hx5i 07:58:00 07:55:00
124.R8ix5i+ 07:58:00 07:55:00
125.P*4i 07:59:00 07:55:00
126.P1c-1d! 07:59:00 07:59:00
Here Watanabe didn't know which move was better: 126.P1d or 126.Nx4i+. He used the
last four minutes of his thinking time, but still couldn't figure it out. In the end
he decided to play 126.P1d, which was the right choice. Actually, 126.Nx4i+ would
have been a blunder comparable to the one with which he gave away the second game.
There is a hidden devilish move after 126.Nx4i+ Lx1c+ Kx1c, namely B*3c!!. White
cannot take this bishop because after R*1a it is mate. A lucky break for Watanabe
here. Even for a psychological powerhouse like him it would be almost impossible
to recover from blundering away two games in a row.
127.S3hx3g 07:59:00 07:59:00
128.+R5ix4i 07:59:00 07:59:00
129.G*1c 07:59:00 07:59:00
130.K2b-3a 07:59:00 07:59:00
131.N*2d 07:59:00 07:59:00
132.P2cx2d 07:59:00 07:59:00
133.L*2c 07:59:00 07:59:00
134.N*1f 07:59:00 07:59:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:59:00
Mate after 135.Px1f B*3i or 135.K2g G*2h Sx2h Nx2h+ Kx2h +R4h etc. A scary moment at
the end there, but Watanabe deserved to win this game for his positive play. It seems
like Watanabe is growing in this match, but Sato still is making an unusual number of
mistakes and is showing a lack of fighting spirit at the end. The score is still only
2-1, but Watanabe clearly seems to have the upper hand in this match.