48th Oi Match Game 6

[Black "Fukaura Koichi, Challenger"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Oi"]
[Event "48th Oi-sen, Game 6"]
[Date "September 10th and 11th 2007"]
1.P7g-7f     00:03:00  00:00:00
2.P3c-3d     00:03:00  00:02:00
3.P2g-2f     00:05:00  00:02:00
4.P5c-5d     00:05:00  00:06:00
5.P2f-2e     00:18:00  00:06:00
6.R8b-5b     00:18:00  00:10:00
7.B8hx2b+    00:18:00  00:10:00
8.S3ax2b     00:18:00  00:10:00
9.P9g-9f     00:18:00  00:10:00
10.P9c-9d    00:18:00  00:14:00
11.S7i-7h    00:19:00  00:14:00
12.K5a-6b    00:19:00  00:31:00
13.S3i-4h    00:24:00  00:31:00
14.K6b-7b    00:24:00  00:34:00
15.P4g-4f    00:24:00  00:34:00
16.S2b-3c    00:24:00  00:37:00
17.K5i-6h    00:27:00  00:37:00
18.R5b-2b    00:27:00  00:38:00
19.S4h-4g    00:37:00  00:38:00
20.S3c-4d    00:37:00  00:42:00
21.K6h-7i    00:43:00  00:42:00
22.K7b-8b    00:43:00  00:43:00
23.S4g-5f    01:24:00  00:43:00
24.N2a-3c    01:24:00  00:46:00
25.G4i-5h    01:24:00  00:46:00
26.S7a-7b    01:24:00  00:49:00
27.K7i-8h    01:25:00  00:49:00
28.R2b-2a    01:25:00  00:58:00
29.S5f-6e    01:41:00  00:58:00
30.S4d-5c    01:41:00  01:20:00
31.P7f-7e    01:43:00  01:20:00
32.G4a-4b    01:43:00  01:41:00
33.P6g-6f    01:51:00  01:41:00
34.P8c-8d    01:51:00  02:12:00
35.S7h-7g    02:20:00  02:12:00
36.S7b-8c    02:20:00  02:29:00
37.G6i-7h    02:23:00  02:29:00
38.G6a-7b    02:23:00  02:29:00
39.P8g-8f    02:30:00  02:29:00

Diagram 1

40.N3cx2e    02:30:00  02:50:00

This was not a move that Habu really wanted to play, but he saw no other 
option. This is a well-known tactic, the point being that this knight cannot 
be taken immediately because after 41.Rx2e P2d followed by P2e, black has 
no pawns in hand, so there is no defence on the second file. The reason Habu 
didn't like this move was that black doesn't have to take this knight right 
away. It will be lost eventually and it is unclear if white can get enough 
compensation for it.

41.S6e-7f    02:38:00  02:50:00
42.P2c-2d    02:38:00  02:54:00
43.P8f-8e    02:46:00  02:54:00
44.P8dx8e    02:46:00  02:58:00
45.S7fx8e    02:46:00  02:58:00
46.P*8d      02:46:00  02:58:00
47.S8e-7f    02:46:00  02:58:00

Fukaura now has a pawn in hand and he will go for the knight on 2e next.

48.P3d-3e    02:46:00  03:00:00
49.G5h-4g    03:10:00  03:00:00
50.P4c-4d    03:10:00  03:25:00
51.P*2f      03:44:00  03:25:00

Diagram 2

52.N2ex3g+   03:44:00  03:51:00

The sealed move and a surprise. For the same reasons as above, black cannot 
take the knight on 2e immediately (Px2e Px2e followed by P2f and black still 
has no pawns to defend on the second file). However, Habu decides to go in 
immediately.

53.G4gx3g    03:46:00  03:51:00
54.P3e-3f    03:46:00  03:51:00
55.G3g-4g    04:06:00  03:51:00
56.P2d-2e    04:06:00  04:04:00
57.P2fx2e    04:06:00  04:04:00
58.P*2g      04:06:00  04:05:00
59.R2h-3h    05:49:00  04:05:00
60.R2ax2e    05:49:00  04:08:00
61.R3hx3f    05:54:00  04:08:00
62.P*3e      05:54:00  04:13:00
63.N2i-3g    05:54:00  04:13:00
64.P3ex3f    05:54:00  04:13:00
65.N3gx2e    05:54:00  04:13:00
66.B*6i      05:54:00  04:13:00

Diagram 3

The black attacking plan is clear: first drop a rook on the back rank, get 
the lance on 1a, drop this lance on 8g and finally attack the head of the 
king with P*8e. There is not much white can do about that, so it is a question 
of whether white can find a faster attack.

67.R*3a?     06:12:00  04:13:00

Fukauara is counting on the next move, but overlooks a strong attacking move 
by Habu later on. Correct was 67.G5f and then after 68.R*2h black has the surprising 
defence 69.G6h!. This looks dangerous after 70.Rx6h+ Sx6h G*7h, but after K9h Gx6h 
R*3a the black attack with two rooks is much stronger.

68.R*2h      06:12:00  05:03:00
69.B*3d?     06:15:00  05:03:00

Looks like a good move, because this bishop is working both in attack and defence, 
but 69.B*2c would have been better. Then 70.Bx4g+ N3c+ +B6i (or G5b Rx1a+ +B6i L*7i 
is good for black) +Nx4b G*7h G*6h and in the worst case this game will end in 
sennichite.

70.B6ix4g+   06:15:00  05:04:00
71.R3ax1a+   06:16:00  05:04:00
72.+B4g-6i   06:16:00  05:09:00
73.N*6h      06:38:00  05:09:00
74.R2h-2i+   06:38:00  06:52:00
75.P*8e      06:41:00  06:52:00
76.P8dx8e    06:41:00  06:55:00
77.B3d-5f    06:43:00  06:55:00

Diagram 4

And after 78.+Rx1i P*8d Sx8d L*8c Gx8c Bx8c+ Kx8c Rx8a+ black wins. This was the 
variation that Fukaura had counted on when he player 67.R*3a. The next move by Habu 
must have hit him like a hammer.

78.G*7i!     06:43:00  07:11:00

Suddenly the game is over with white winning. 79.Gx7i +Bx7i or 79.Bx2i +Bx7h is 
clearly winning for black.

79.S7f-6g    07:26:00  07:11:00

Fukaura spent a painful 43 minutes on this move. It prolongs the game a little, but 
there is no doubt anymore about the outcome.

80.+R2ix1i   07:26:00  07:19:00
81.L*2i      07:28:00  07:19:00
82.+R1i-1h   07:28:00  07:22:00
83.+R1a-6a   07:29:00  07:22:00
84.G7ix7h    07:29:00  07:31:00
85.S6gx7h    07:29:00  07:31:00
86.+R1hx6h   07:29:00  07:31:00
87.S7gx6h    07:44:00  07:31:00
88.N*7f      07:44:00  07:31:00
89.K8h-8g    07:44:00  07:31:00
90.+B6ix6h   07:44:00  07:31:00
91.B5fx8c+   07:44:00  07:31:00
92.G7bx8c    07:44:00  07:33:00
93.R*7b      07:44:00  07:33:00
94.K8b-9c    07:44:00  07:33:00
Resigns      07:44:00  07:33:00

Final Diagram

No mate after 95.S*8b K8d and the black king cannot be defended, so Fukaura resigned 
here. Habu wins his second game in a row to level the match at 3-3 and suddenly has a 
chance to defend his Oi title. Fukuara will get one final chance to make good on his 
promise to take a title back to Kyushu.