51st Oza Match Game 1
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Oza"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[Event "51st Oza-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "September 2nd 2003"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
Even though Habu is only 32 at the start of this game, he has been at
the top of the shogi world for so long that he can almost be considered
a veteran. In contrast, his challenger Watanabe is only 19 years old and
appears in his first title match ever. Many reporters saw this match as
a fight between the Habu generation and the front runner of a new generation
of teenage prodigies, many of which are still playing in the 3-dan league.
How would Watanabe respond to the pressure of being the representative
of a new generation in his first title match encounter with the magical
Habu?
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00
3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:01:00
4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:02:00
5.P2f-2e 00:03:00 00:02:00
6.P8d-8e 00:03:00 00:03:00
7.G6i-7h 00:05:00 00:03:00
8.G4a-3b 00:05:00 00:05:00
9.P2e-2d 00:08:00 00:05:00
10.P2cx2d 00:08:00 00:07:00
11.R2hx2d 00:08:00 00:07:00
12.P8e-8f 00:08:00 00:09:00
13.P8gx8f 00:11:00 00:09:00
14.R8bx8f 00:11:00 00:10:00
15.R2dx3d 00:12:00 00:10:00
16.B2b-3c 00:12:00 00:12:00
17.R3d-3f 00:20:00 00:12:00
18.S3a-2b 00:20:00 00:14:00
19.P*8g 00:36:00 00:14:00
20.R8f-8e 00:36:00 00:19:00
Habu likes to meet his opponents head-on. He played Watanabe only once
before and then avoided his opponent's specialty and played Furibisha
instead. Even though he won this game fairly easily, a title match is
a completely different ball game. Beating your opponent in the opening
he likes best carries over to the rest of the match, so Habu allows
Watanabe to play his favorite opening: the R8e Yokofudori.
21.R3f-2f 00:36:00 00:19:00
22.K5a-4a 00:36:00 00:25:00
23.K5i-5h 00:43:00 00:25:00
24.P7c-7d 00:43:00 01:15:00
25.B8hx3c+ 01:45:00 01:15:00
26.N2ax3c 01:45:00 01:15:00
27.N8i-7g 01:45:00 01:15:00
28.R8e-8d 01:45:00 01:23:00
29.B*5e 01:45:00 01:23:00
30.P*8b 01:45:00 01:44:00
31.N7g-6e 01:51:00 01:44:00
32.G6a-6b! 01:51:00 02:09:00
A new move by Watanabe. Even though he is a proclaimed hater of studying
opening theory, he will have had this position on the board at home as
it occurred in the game between Sato and Tanigawa in the final of the
preliminary group 1 of the Ryu-O tournament this year. Tanigawa played
32.S6b there, but Watanabe's 32.G6b is an improvement. The king now
has an escape route through 6a and 7b, which can be an important
difference in the endgame.
33.P*2c 02:18:00 02:09:00
The pawn on 7d is blocking the important side-ways working of the rook
and that is why Habu decided to attack at this point. It is very hard
to say if this is the right decision...
34.S2bx2c 02:18:00 02:15:00
35.R2fx2c+ 02:19:00 02:15:00
36.G3bx2c 02:19:00 02:15:00
37.P*2d 02:19:00 02:15:00
38.G2c-2b 02:19:00 02:24:00
39.S*2c 02:19:00 02:24:00
40.K4a-5b 02:19:00 02:43:00
41.S2cx2b= 02:49:00 02:43:00
42.N3c-4e 02:49:00 02:44:00
43.S2bx1a= 02:49:00 02:44:00
44.P*2h?! 02:49:00 03:58:00
"Unexpected" was the euphemism Habu used concerning this move. In the
press room, 44.P6d was considered much better. For example, 44.P6d
Bx6d P7e Bx7e R2d G*6d B*3e and white has good fighting chances. Even
44.P7e was generally regarded as superior to 44.P*2h. However, when
asked after the game, Watanabe had no comments about this move. That
was telling in itself, as he was by far the more lively talker during
the post-mortem analysis. He might have simply overlooked the fact
that black doesn¡Çt have to take this pawn.
45.S3i-4h! 03:01:00 03:58:00
Now black gets an important material advantage and a strong looking attack.
46.P6c-6d 03:01:00 03:58:00
47.L*8f 03:12:00 03:58:00
48.R8d-9d 03:12:00 04:00:00
49.G*8e 03:15:00 04:00:00
50.P2hx2i+ 03:15:00 04:07:00
51.G8ex9d 03:33:00 04:07:00
52.P9cx9d 03:33:00 04:09:00
53.B5e-3c+ 03:33:00 04:09:00
54.K5b-6c 03:33:00 04:17:00
55.R*5a 03:37:00 04:17:00
56.G*7b 03:37:00 04:17:00
57.+B3c-3d 03:39:00 04:17:00
58.B*5d 03:39:00 04:28:00
59.P4g-4f 03:41:00 04:28:00
60.P6dx6e 03:41:00 04:28:00
61.P4fx4e 03:42:00 04:28:00
62.P6e-6f 03:42:00 04:29:00
63.+B3d-3c 03:46:00 04:29:00
64.B5dx4e 03:46:00 04:45:00
65.P6gx6f 04:14:00 04:45:00
66.B4e-2g+ 04:14:00 04:47:00
67.+B3c-5e 04:16:00 04:47:00
68.P5c-5d? 04:16:00 04:50:00
Watanabe has managed to keep the position very close, but this is a
mistake. Better was 68.R5d! and after 69.+Bx5d +Bx5d G7g +P2h K6h N7c
things are far from clear. The white king looks quite vulnerable, but
the promoted bishop makes it very hard for black to find a good attack.
On the other hand, white threatens to set up a good attack by himself
with N*8e next.
69.G4i-3h! 04:21:00 04:50:00
Overlooked by Watanabe? 70.+Bx3h is mate in one after 71.Rx5d+, so this
important promoted bishop will now disappear from its critical position.
70.P5dx5e 04:21:00 04:55:00
71.G3hx2g 04:21:00 04:55:00
72.N*4f 04:21:00 04:55:00
73.K5h-6h 04:24:00 04:55:00
74.N*5b 04:24:00 04:57:00
75.B*3f 04:29:00 04:57:00
76.K6c-5c 04:29:00 04:58:00
77.P*4i 04:40:00 04:58:00
78.P*3e 04:40:00 04:58:00
79.B3f-2e 04:40:00 04:58:00
80.B*3h 04:40:00 04:59:00
81.R5a-4a+ 04:42:00 04:59:00
82.K5c-6c? 04:42:00 04:59:00
Although Watanabe seemed to have resigned himself to losing this game
after 69.G3h, Habu still thought that the position was difficult. Only
here he felt that Watanabe made the final mistake. He was worried about
82.Bx2g+. This looks very dangerous after 83.+Rx4c K6d P*6e Kx6e B4g
K6d, but black has to be quick with his attack and can only mate with
a pawn drop in this position. Allowing +Rx4c usually means game over,
but this might have been an exception. One minute of byoyomi was not
enough for Watanabe to see his final chance.
83.+R4ax4c 04:43:00 04:59:00
84.G6b-5c 04:43:00 04:59:00
85.+R4cx4f 04:43:00 04:59:00
86.B3hx2g+ 04:43:00 04:59:00
87.N*6e 04:43:00 04:59:00
88.G5c-5d 04:43:00 04:59:00
89.+R4f-4c 04:44:00 04:59:00
90.K6c-6d 04:44:00 04:59:00
91.N*4f 04:44:00 04:59:00
92.G*5c 04:44:00 04:59:00
93.N6ex5c+ 04:46:00 04:59:00
94.G5dx5c 04:46:00 04:59:00
95.G*6e 04:46:00 04:59:00
Resigns 04:46:00 04:59:00
And black wins after 96.K6c Gx7d Kx7d (K6b +Rx5c followed by G*4c leads
to mate) +Rx5c which leaves white without defense. A game that seems to
show Watanabe's of experience at this level. The question is if he will
be able to learn quickly enough to get back in such a short match. The
next game is already one that he must win.