25th Asahi Open Match Game 2
[Black "Akutsu Chikara, Challenger"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Asahi"]
[Event "25th Asahi Open, Game 2"]
[Date "April 19th 2007"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00
3.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:01:00
4.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:02:00
5.P2f-2e 00:01:00 00:02:00
6.P8d-8e 00:01:00 00:02:00
7.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:02:00
8.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:02:00
9.P2e-2d 00:01:00 00:02:00
10.P2cx2d 00:01:00 00:02:00
11.R2hx2d 00:01:00 00:02:00
12.P8e-8f 00:01:00 00:02:00
13.P8gx8f 00:01:00 00:02:00
14.R8bx8f 00:01:00 00:02:00
15.R2dx3d 00:01:00 00:02:00
16.B2b-3c 00:01:00 00:02:00
17.R3d-3f 00:01:00 00:02:00
18.S3a-2b 00:01:00 00:02:00
19.K5i-5h 00:07:00 00:02:00
20.K5a-4a 00:07:00 00:03:00
21.P*8g 00:08:00 00:03:00
22.R8f-8e 00:08:00 00:04:00
There was a time when the R8e Yokofudori seemed to be the only opening that
was being played, but recently its popularity has decreased significantly.
Habu admitted after the game that he had planned to play this opening from
the start. The main reason might have been that despite the fact that Akutsu
is a Ibisha player, he hasn't played many game with this opening. Furthermore,
he is not renowned for his opening preparation so Habu might have thought that
this was the opening that would give Akutsu the most trouble.
23.B8hx3c+ 00:08:00 00:04:00
24.N2ax3c 00:08:00 00:04:00
25.N8i-7g 00:08:00 00:04:00
26.R8e-2e 00:08:00 00:08:00
27.P*2f 00:08:00 00:08:00
28.R2e-2d 00:08:00 00:08:00
29.R3f-5f 00:08:00 00:08:00
30.G6a-6b 00:08:00 00:10:00
31.G4i-3h 00:08:00 00:10:00
32.R2d-5d 00:08:00 00:17:00
33.R5f-6f 00:27:00 00:17:00
34.K4a-5b 00:27:00 00:32:00
35.S7i-6h 00:35:00 00:32:00
36.P7c-7d 00:35:00 00:33:00
37.S3i-2h 00:45:00 00:33:00
38.G6b-7b 00:45:00 00:36:00
39.P3g-3f 00:47:00 00:36:00
40.S7a-6b 00:47:00 00:40:00
41.N2i-3g 00:55:00 00:40:00
42.S6b-7c?! 00:55:00 01:05:00
This is Habu's new idea, but probably not good. The plan is to use the silver
to put pressure on the black rook on 6f, but this never materializes. After the
game Habu suggested 42.B*5e R5f B4d, which is a rather complicated plan based on
the assumption that exchanging the rooks will help white because the central pawn
is helped along to advance after Rx5d Px5d.
43.P3f-3e! 01:06:00 01:05:00
The perfect reply. The rook moves away from the silver attack before the silver
is even there and at the same time the black attack on the 3rd file becomes
very strong.
44.S7c-6d 01:06:00 01:08:00
45.R6f-3f 01:10:00 01:08:00
The silver on 6d has no place to go and white has actually weakened his castle
formation by moving the silver out. White was looking to dictate the pace, but
the opposite has happened: it is black who is attacking naturally and white has
to defend carefully. Still, the difference is very small and it is even hard to
say that black has the better position here.
46.S2b-2c 01:10:00 01:17:00
47.P2f-2e 01:11:00 01:17:00
48.P*2d 01:11:00 01:35:00
Tries to ride the black attack and relieve the pressure after 49.Px2d Rx2d P*2e
Nx2e Nx2e Rx2e B*1f R2d P3d B*4e which is not easy for black.
49.B*5f! 01:52:00 01:35:00
Akutsu makes no mistake. Now P3d next is a big problem for white.
50.N3cx2e 01:52:00 01:46:00
51.P3e-3d 01:53:00 01:46:00
52.N2ex3g+ 01:53:00 01:58:00
53.S2hx3g 01:54:00 01:58:00
54.N*4d 01:54:00 01:59:00
55.P3d-3c+ 01:54:00 01:59:00
56.N4dx3f 01:54:00 02:00:00
57.+P3cx2c 01:54:00 02:00:00
58.R*2i 01:54:00 02:06:00
59.P*3i 01:54:00 02:06:00
60.G3b-4b? 01:54:00 02:27:00
A rare endgame blunder by Habu based on an even rarer calculation mistake.
The right move here is 60.B*1e, which Habu of course considered, but he thought
that after 61.N*8d Bx3g+ Nx7b+ +Bx3h the white king would be mated. However,
after either S*6b K4b +Px3b (or G*5b K3a which is similar) Kx3b G*2c K4b or
G*6b K4b +Px3b Kx3b S*2c K3c G*3b K4d S3d+ K5e there is no mate. Akutsu had
planned to answer 60.B*1e with 61.N*2f and if then 62.Bx2f Sx2f N2h+ +Px3b
+Nx3h Px3h there is no mate against the black king and black wins. However,
if white answers 61.N*2f with 62.G3a B4e R5e Bx3f R3e N*2f Rx3f Sx3f P*3g it
seems like white may be winning. A long analysis during the post-mortem seemed
to reach the conclusion that black has to play 61.S*4f instead of N*2f. Then
62.G3a B4e or P1f and neither player can place the final punch and it seems
that the game will last a long time. After 60.G4b, the game is over in an instant.
61.B5f-4e 01:56:00 02:27:00
62.B*1e 01:56:00 02:30:00
63.B4ex5d 02:09:00 02:30:00
64.B1ex3g+ 02:09:00 02:30:00
65.R*3a 02:10:00 02:30:00
This is a mating threat, so white has no time to attack.
66.P5cx5d 02:10:00 02:53:00
67.S*6a 02:10:00 02:53:00
68.K5b-5c 02:10:00 02:59:00
69.G3hx3g 02:11:00 02:59:00
70.R2ix3i+ 02:11:00 02:59:00
71.N*4e 02:11:00 02:59:00
Resigns 02:11:00 02:59:00
Mate after 72.K4d B*3e Kx4e G4f or 72.K6b Sx7b+ Kx7b B*6a K7c G*8c K6b G7b. In
the first game Akutsu seemed to be overwhelmed by playing on the big stage, but
the 24-year old showed in this game that he has learned fast. He was very relaxed
during the whole game, even making some small-talk with the professionals in the
press room in the opening phase of the game. Most important is of course that he
also won the game, which will do his confidence a lot of good, especially since
it has been the first time he has ever beaten Habu. We suddenly seem to have a
match on our hands.