44th Oi Match Game 1
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[White "Tanigawa Koji, Oi"]
[Event "44th Oi-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "July 15th and 16th 2003"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00
3.P6g-6f 00:01:00 00:02:00
4.B2b-3c 00:01:00 00:40:00
5.S7i-7h 00:13:00 00:40:00
6.R8b-2b 00:13:00 00:44:00
In the interview series in Shukan Shogi, Habu expressed an interest in
the Ai-Furibisha opening. Not in the least worried about Tanigawa's
opening preparation, Habu sticks to his word and plays it at the first
opportunity. However, this is not the first time Habu and Tanigawa have
played this opening. In their previous 132 encounters (Habu won 79 of
those), they played the double ranging rook opening two times.
Interestingly, these two games also were Oi title match games: the
4th game of the 40th Oi match in 1999 and the 1st game of the 41st
Oi match in 2000. Both games started with P7f P3d P6f R3b and Habu
won both of these games with black. In this game Tanigawa moves up
the bishop to 3c and plays an opposing rook opening. This is a popular
way of playing the Ai-furibisha these days. Both the A class Junisen
games Fujii-Suzuki and Kubo-Suzuki were played in this way and both
games were won by white. There is still a lot of unexplored territory
in the Ai-Furibisha opening, but it looks like white also has good chances.
7.S3i-4h 00:18:00 00:44:00
8.S3a-4b 00:18:00 00:49:00
9.S7h-6g 00:31:00 00:49:00
10.K5a-6b 00:31:00 00:53:00
11.P3g-3f 00:39:00 00:53:00
12.S7a-7b 00:39:00 01:11:00
13.S4h-3g 00:49:00 01:11:00
14.K6b-7a 00:49:00 01:14:00
15.P8g-8f 01:39:00 01:14:00
16.G4a-5b 01:39:00 01:28:00
17.P8f-8e 01:42:00 01:28:00
18.P4c-4d 01:42:00 02:23:00
19.P6f-6e 02:02:00 02:23:00
20.S4b-4c 02:02:00 02:37:00
21.B8h-7g 02:31:00 02:37:00
22.P4d-4e 02:31:00 03:16:00
23.R2h-8h 02:40:00 03:16:00
24.R2b-3b 02:40:00 04:10:00
25.B7gx3c+ 03:34:00 04:10:00
The sealed move. Both players are taking their time to find the right
places for their pieces.
26.N2ax3c 03:34:00 04:10:00
27.B*7g 03:47:00 04:10:00
28.S4c-5d 03:47:00 04:51:00
29.S6g-5f 03:47:00 04:51:00
30.G5b-4c 03:47:00 04:51:00
31.P8e-8d 03:54:00 04:51:00
32.P8cx8d 03:54:00 04:53:00
33.R8hx8d 03:54:00 04:53:00
34.P*8c 03:54:00 04:53:00
35.R8d-8h 03:54:00 04:53:00
36.R3b-6b 03:54:00 04:59:00
37.R8h-6h 03:57:00 04:59:00
38.P8c-8d 03:57:00 05:02:00
39.G6i-5h 04:07:00 05:02:00
40.S7b-8c 04:07:00 05:02:00
41.K5i-4h 04:07:00 05:02:00
42.G6a-7b 04:07:00 05:02:00
43.K4h-3h 04:27:00 05:02:00
44.P9c-9d 04:27:00 05:03:00
45.P9g-9f 04:27:00 05:03:00
46.P2c-2d 04:27:00 05:04:00
47.G4i-4h 04:45:00 05:04:00
48.P1c-1d 04:45:00 05:10:00
49.P1g-1f 04:57:00 05:10:00
50.L1a-1c 04:57:00 05:10:00
51.B7g-6f 04:58:00 05:10:00
52.R6b-1b 04:58:00 05:40:00
53.S3g-2h 05:15:00 05:40:00
54.R1b-4b 05:15:00 05:46:00
55.N8i-7g 05:17:00 05:46:00
56.P7c-7d 05:17:00 05:49:00
57.R6h-8h 05:20:00 05:49:00
58.B*8b 05:20:00 05:53:00
59.P7f-7e 05:47:00 05:53:00
60.P7dx7e 05:47:00 05:55:00
61.G5h-6g 05:47:00 05:55:00
62.G4c-4d 05:47:00 06:30:00
63.B6fx7e 05:48:00 06:30:00
64.K7a-6b 05:48:00 06:30:00
65.P6e-6d 05:59:00 06:30:00
66.P6cx6d 05:59:00 06:33:00
67.B7e-6f 05:59:00 06:33:00
68.P4e-4f 05:59:00 06:59:00
69.P4gx4f 06:00:00 06:59:00
70.P6d-6e 06:00:00 07:00:00
71.N7gx6e 06:09:00 07:00:00
72.P*6d 06:09:00 07:01:00
73.P*7c 06:10:00 07:01:00
74.N8ax7c 06:10:00 07:01:00
75.N6ex7c+ 06:10:00 07:01:00
76.B8bx7c 06:10:00 07:01:00
77.P*6c 06:18:00 07:01:00
78.S5dx6c 06:18:00 07:01:00
79.N*7e 06:18:00 07:01:00
80.N*5d 06:18:00 07:02:00
81.B6f-7g 06:19:00 07:02:00
82.P6d-6e 06:19:00 07:15:00
83.S2h-3g 06:21:00 07:15:00
84.P3d-3e 06:21:00 07:19:00
85.P3fx3e? 06:51:00 07:19:00
A long build-up has resulted in a very difficult endgame position. Habu
is the first one to make a mistake. Correct was 85.P6d Sx6d P*6c K5b
Nx8c+ Gx8c S*2b. Now Rx2b fails to Bx4d, so white has to play N*4a
after which Sx1c= is winning material. Tanigawa had little faith in
this position, but things are actually quite complicated if white
answers Sx1c= with P6f. For example, Gx6f Nx6f Bx6f P*6e Bx4d Rx4d G*7b
is far from clear.
86.P*3f 06:51:00 07:22:00
87.S3gx3f 06:51:00 07:22:00
88.S8c-7d 06:51:00 07:23:00
This gives white thickness in the center. The advantage is small, but
white now has the upper hand.
89.N7ex6c+ 07:02:00 07:23:00
90.G7bx6c 07:02:00 07:23:00
91.P*6d 07:14:00 07:23:00
In the press room, 91.P*7e was also analyzed, but after 92.Sx7e P*7d
Bx4f S*3g P6f black is in trouble.
92.G6cx6d 07:14:00 07:29:00
93.P3e-3d 07:20:00 07:29:00
94.G4dx3d 07:20:00 07:30:00
95.S*2c 07:20:00 07:30:00
Because of the strong bishop on 7g, this seems hard to defend against...
96.N*8e! 07:20:00 07:31:00
But this is the perfect answer. Black now has to give up the bishop as
97.B8f G2e makes the silver on 2c a worthless chunk of wood.
97.S2cx3d+ 07:24:00 07:31:00
98.N8ex7g+ 07:24:00 07:31:00
99.G6gx7g 07:24:00 07:31:00
100.N3c-2e 07:24:00 07:31:00
Taking out the strong bishop on 7g followed by this activation of the
knight is more than enough compensation for the lost material. Both
players thought that white was clearly better here, but actually the
difference is still marginal.
101.N*4e 07:33:00 07:31:00
102.N5dx4f 07:33:00 07:37:00
103.K3h-2h 07:33:00 07:37:00
104.B*5i 07:33:00 07:41:00
105.G7g-7f 07:45:00 07:41:00
106.G6d-5e 07:45:00 07:45:00
107.P*3g 07:52:00 07:45:00
108.G5ex5f 07:52:00 07:49:00
109.P5gx5f 07:52:00 07:49:00
110.B5ix4h+ 07:52:00 07:49:00
111.R8hx4h 07:52:00 07:49:00
112.G*3h 07:52:00 07:49:00
113.R4hx3h 07:52:00 07:49:00
114.N4fx3h+ 07:52:00 07:49:00
115.K2hx3h 07:52:00 07:49:00
116.R*7h 07:52:00 07:49:00
117.P*6h 07:53:00 07:49:00
118.R7hx6h+ 07:53:00 07:50:00
119.P*4h 07:53:00 07:50:00
120.P*4g 07:53:00 07:52:00
121.N4ex5c+ 07:53:00 07:52:00
122.K6b-7a 07:53:00 07:52:00
123.G*6b? 07:56:00 07:52:00
Looks like a strong attack, but after the game Habu said that this was
the decisive mistake. Better was 123.Sx4g and after 124.S*5g G*6b Bx6b
+Nx6b Rx6b P*7b Kx7b B*3f P*5d G*4i black still has chances to turn
the tables.
124.B7cx6b! 07:56:00 07:55:00
A change of plan. Tanigawa wanted to play 124.K8b here, but realized
just in time that he would be mated after 125.B*7a K8c N*9e! Px9e G*9d!
Kx9d G*9c! Lx9c Px9e K8c Bx9c+ Kx9c P9d etc. A beautiful mate with
three sacrifices in a row that shocked Tanigawa. For a moment he thought
that the game had slipped away from him.
125.+N5cx6b 07:56:00 07:55:00
126.K7ax6b! 07:56:00 07:56:00
A second change of plan. Here Tanigawa intended 126.Rx6b, but again he
saw in time that black has the beautiful reply 127.G*8b!. Then white
loses the promoted rook after both 128.Rx8b B*3e or 128.Kx8b B*4f.
Tanigawa is a little bit lucky that for the second time there is a
winning alternative to the losing move he originally wanted to play.
127.N*5d 07:56:00 07:56:00
128.K6b-7c 07:56:00 07:57:00
129.B*4f 07:59:00 07:57:00
130.R4bx4f 07:59:00 07:59:00
131.B*6b 07:59:00 07:59:00
132.K7c-6d 07:59:00 07:59:00
133.G*5e 07:59:00 07:59:00
134.K6d-6c 07:59:00 07:59:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:59:00
No mate and no defense, so Habu has nothing but to resign. A very
exciting game with a lot of drama in the endgame. Also a big win for
Tanigawa with white in the opening game of this match. Let's hope we
will see seven games of this type of shogi!