55th Osho Match Game 3
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Osho"]
[White "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"]
[Event "55th Osho-sen, Game 3"]
[Date "January 26th and 27th 2006"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
This game was played in the Northern prefecture of Iwate.
Interesting was that Habu had not been there since a skiing
trip when he was in high school. Habu has played more than
200 title match games in his career, but this was the first
time he played one in Iwate...
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:02:00
3.P2g-2f 00:01:00 00:02:00
4.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:02:00
5.G6i-7h 00:09:00 00:02:00
6.P8c-8d 00:09:00 00:02:00
7.P2f-2e 00:19:00 00:02:00
8.P8d-8e 00:19:00 00:02:00
9.P2e-2d 00:25:00 00:02:00
10.P2cx2d 00:25:00 00:02:00
11.R2hx2d 00:25:00 00:02:00
12.P8e-8f 00:25:00 00:02:00
13.P8gx8f 00:27:00 00:02:00
14.R8bx8f 00:27:00 00:02:00
15.R2dx3d 00:35:00 00:02:00
16.B2bx8h+ 00:35:00 00:02:00
17.S7ix8h 00:35:00 00:02:00
18.R8fx7f 00:35:00 00:02:00
19.S8h-7g 02:00:00 00:02:00
20.R7f-7d 02:00:00 00:03:00
21.R3dx7d 02:00:00 00:03:00
22.P7cx7d 02:00:00 00:03:00
23.B*4f 02:00:00 00:03:00
24.P6c-6d 02:00:00 00:15:00
25.R*2h 02:29:00 00:15:00
26.N2a-3c!? 02:29:00 01:36:00
The normal moves here are 26.P*2b (for example played in a Kisei
title match game between Habu and Yashiki, 15 years ago) or 26.S2b.
After 26.N3c, the black rook can promote, but this is an empty
promotion and not very effective. Sato wants to use the knight in
attack in typical positive style.
27.R2h-2a+ 03:44:00 01:36:00
28.P*2h 03:44:00 02:39:00
29.S3ix2h 04:09:00 02:39:00
30.R*2b 04:09:00 03:04:00
31.+R2ax2b 04:09:00 03:04:00
32.S3ax2b 04:09:00 03:05:00
33.P3g-3f 04:09:00 03:05:00
34.P*8f?! 04:09:00 04:57:00
This was the sealed move and Sato took almost two hours for it.
Actually, the move took longer, because there was also the one hour
interval for dinner on the first day. Even though it is a rule that
play is adjourned between 19:00 and 20:00 on the first day, this
rule is almost never applied because the player to seal the move
will do so before seven o'clock. A rare case, but not so strange
in this position, because white has a number of options here. 34.P*8f,
the move that Sato put in the envelope, surprised everyone. Kato
Hifumi (9-dan) didn't like it much, because after 35.P*8h next, white
no longer has the option of attacking with P*8h himself. He expected
34.N7c, to play the double knight attack N4e and N6e. A positive plan
that suits Sato's playing style very well. Habu said after the game
that he planned 35.R*8a after 34.N*7c, but Kato thought that white
doesn't have much to fear from this attack. The reason Sato played
34.P*8f was that he wanted to take away the black attacking options
P*8b or P*8d. This might have been a little too cautious. Habu expected
34.P7e, which seems to be the best move. The threat is P7f Sx7f P*8h
Gx8h R*7i and a move like 35.Bx6d fails to the double attack 36.R*8d.
35.P*8h 04:33:00 04:57:00
36.S7a-7b 04:33:00 05:00:00
37.K5i-5h 04:48:00 05:00:00
38.N8a-7c 04:48:00 05:18:00
39.B4fx6d 05:00:00 05:18:00
40.N3c-4e 05:00:00 06:29:00
41.S7g-6f 05:24:00 06:29:00
42.K5a-4b!? 05:24:00 06:31:00
White is in trouble and Sato decides to put in a little trickery. This
king move looks very dangerous because of a potential knight drop on 3d.
43.P*7e? 06:03:00 06:31:00
Habu takes the bait and goes for the knight right away. Correct was
43.P*2d which threatens N3g next because white no longer has the double
attack R*2d. After N3g, white cannot avoid the exchange of the knights,
so he has to do something about N*3d which is not easy.
44.P*3g! 06:03:00 06:58:00
Threatens R*2d next, also if this pawn is taken by knight or silver.
The game now suddenly becomes a dogfight.
45.B6d-5e 07:00:00 06:58:00
46.N7c-6e 07:00:00 07:43:00
47.N2ix3g 07:06:00 07:43:00
48.N4ex5g+ 07:06:00 07:47:00
49.S6fx5g 07:06:00 07:47:00
50.B*6i 07:06:00 07:48:00
51.K5hx6i 07:22:00 07:48:00
52.N6ex5g= 07:22:00 07:48:00
53.K6i-6h 07:22:00 07:48:00
54.N5gx4i+ 07:22:00 07:48:00
55.P*5d 07:24:00 07:48:00
56.R*5f? 07:24:00 07:58:00
The losing move. It looks tempting, because it attacks the bishop on
5e and also threatens mate (S*7g Gx7g R5i+ K7h G*7i). If Sato would
have had a little more time, he would have seen the problem and played
the correct 56.R*3h. Then 57.K7g and now 58.G*6e is a mating threat and
an attack on the bishop. However, then 59.Px5c+ Kx5c N4e K5b B*6d
threatens mate while defending against the mating threat, so white
loses. Correct is 58.Px7e, which is also threatening mate. Then 59.Px5c+
Kx5c N4e K5d R*5c Kx4e and the white king escapes. It seems that after
58.Px7e, black has to defend with N*6h, but the resulting position is
unclear and very hard to play with either side with the limited time
on the clock. Sato will have been kicking himself for spending so much
time on the sealed move, time he really needed in this position.
57.P5dx5c+ 07:25:00 07:58:00
58.K4bx5c 07:25:00 07:58:00
59.N3g-4e 07:44:00 07:58:00
60.K5c-5b 07:44:00 07:59:00
61.R*5d 07:46:00 07:59:00
Defends the attacked bishop with check...
62.K5b-4a 07:46:00 07:59:00
63.N*5c 07:50:00 07:59:00
64.K4a-4b 07:50:00 07:59:00
65.B*1e 07:50:00 07:59:00
Defends against the mating threat with check...
66.P*2d 07:50:00 07:59:00
67.N5cx6a+ 07:52:00 07:59:00
Resigns 07:52:00 07:59:00
The only move to defend is 68.Sx6a, but then the unfortunate rook on 5f is
lost after 69.B6d. A short game, but a lot of excitement until Sato threw
it all away with one single move. Habu is now 3-0 up, winning his 16th
official game in a row. It is hard to imagine Sato making any type of
run against Habu in this type of groove.