62nd Osho Match Game 1
[Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Osho"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Challenger"]
[Event "62nd Osho-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "January 13th and 14th 2013"]
1.P2g-2f 00:00:00 00:00:00
After the first attempt at furigoma didn't produce a result because a pawn landed
on its side, the second pawn toss resulted in three pawns, giving Osho title holder
Sato the black pieces in this first game. A little good omen maybe, because he also
won the furigoma last year. He may need these little pieces of fortune, because he
is not having such good results against Watanabe.
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.P2f-2e 00:00:00 00:00:00
4.P8d-8e 00:00:00 00:01:00
5.G6i-7h 00:00:00 00:01:00
6.G4a-3b 00:00:00 00:01:00
7.P2e-2d 00:00:00 00:01:00
8.P2cx2d 00:00:00 00:02:00
9.R2hx2d 00:00:00 00:02:00
10.P*2c 00:00:00 00:02:00
11.R2d-2h 00:00:00 00:02:00
Both players play a variety of openings, but the Aigakari opening was a little bit
of a surprise. It was actually 10 years since the last time this opening was played
in the Osho match.
12.P9c-9d 00:00:00 00:05:00
13.P9g-9f 00:01:00 00:05:00
14.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:08:00
15.S3i-3h 00:01:00 00:08:00
16.S7a-6b 00:01:00 00:13:00
17.S3h-2g 00:05:00 00:13:00
18.P8e-8f 00:05:00 00:14:00
19.P8gx8f 00:05:00 00:14:00
20.R8bx8f 00:05:00 00:14:00
21.P*8g 00:06:00 00:14:00
22.R8f-8d 00:06:00 00:14:00
23.S2g-3f 00:07:00 00:14:00
24.B2b-3c 00:07:00 00:15:00
25.P1g-1f 00:35:00 00:15:00
26.S3a-2b 00:35:00 00:22:00
27.P1f-1e 00:36:00 00:22:00
28.K5a-4a 00:36:00 00:22:00
29.P7g-7f 00:43:00 00:22:00
30.G6a-5a 00:43:00 00:39:00
31.P4g-4f 00:57:00 00:39:00
32.P7c-7d 00:57:00 01:01:00
33.S3f-4e 01:15:00 01:01:00
34.N8a-7c 01:15:00 01:26:00
35.P6g-6f 01:45:00 01:26:00
36.P5c-5d!? 01:45:00 01:35:00
Watanabe has no intention of trying to defend the head of the bishop. Instead, he
throws another pawn at Sato to take. This makes his intentions very clear. He is
not going to wait for the black attack, he will sacrifice a pawn and use the time
to build an attacking formation himself. The pawn push to 5d also takes away Sato's
option to play a slow, strategic game. Sato has to take either pawn and hope that
he can stop the white attack and make the extra material count.
37.S4ex3d 02:29:00 01:35:00
38.B3c-4d 02:29:00 01:38:00
39.S7i-6h 03:01:00 01:38:00
40.P7d-7e 03:01:00 01:48:00
41.S6h-6g 03:12:00 01:48:00
42.P5d-5e 03:12:00 01:50:00
43.S3d-2e 03:32:00 01:50:00
44.B4d-5c 03:32:00 01:55:00
45.P7fx7e 03:33:00 01:55:00
46.B5cx7e 03:33:00 02:02:00
47.K5i-4h 04:01:00 02:02:00
48.B7e-5c 04:01:00 02:15:00
49.N8i-7g 04:09:00 02:15:00
50.N2a-3c 04:09:00 03:24:00
51.S2e-3f 04:09:00 03:24:00
52.R8d-7d 04:09:00 03:24:00
53.N7g-6e 04:20:00 03:24:00
54.N7cx6e 04:20:00 03:37:00
55.P6fx6e 04:20:00 03:37:00
56.P5e-5f 04:20:00 03:37:00
57.P5gx5f 04:31:00 03:37:00
58.P*3e 04:31:00 03:50:00
59.S3f-4g 04:39:00 03:50:00
60.B5c-7e 04:39:00 03:53:00
61.K4h-3h 04:59:00 03:53:00
62.B7e-5g+ 04:59:00 04:09:00
63.P*7f 06:23:00 04:09:00
64.R7d-2d 06:23:00 04:31:00
White has created a promoted bishop, but that bishop is now in a very confined space.
The immediate black threat is S6f, which wins the bishop, so white has no option but
to put all his eggs in one basket. Either his attack will succeed, or he will die
trying.
65.P*2e? 06:34:00 04:31:00
This helps white a lot. Correct was 65.P*2g and after 66.N4e Px4e is not good because
of N*4f and the white attack continues, but after 66.N4e B5e Nx3g+ Kx3g and even if
white plays R3d as in the game, the black bishop is in a much better position while
white has one pawn less in hand, so this is clearly better for black than in the game.
After 65.P*2e, the white attack keeps rolling on.
66.N3cx2e 06:34:00 04:33:00
67.P*2f 06:34:00 04:33:00
68.N2ex3g+ 06:34:00 04:34:00
69.K3hx3g 06:34:00 04:34:00
70.R2d-3d! 06:34:00 04:34:00
This is a very strong move, but it needs a strong follow-up. In the press room,
this follow-up was not found, so 70.R3d was met with surprise.
71.G4i-4h 06:39:00 04:34:00
72.P3e-3f 06:39:00 05:03:00
73.S4gx3f 07:48:00 05:03:00
74.N*2d! 07:48:00 05:09:00
In the press room only 74.Rx3f was analyzed and the conclusion was that the white
attack is not strong enough. However, 74.N*2d is much better and gives the white
attack much more strength.
75.P*3e 07:48:00 05:09:00
76.N2dx3f 07:48:00 05:09:00
77.K3gx3f 07:48:00 05:09:00
78.S*4g 07:48:00 05:11:00
79.G4hx4g 07:48:00 05:11:00
80.R3dx3e 07:48:00 05:11:00
81.K3fx3e 07:48:00 05:11:00
82.+B5gx4g 07:48:00 05:11:00
83.S6g-5h! 07:48:00 05:11:00
A number of people in the press room were already penciling in a win for Watanabe,
but Sato is not ready to give up yet. This silver pull back is a very strong defensive
move. If black tries to put pressure on the promoted bishop by 83.N*5i or R*4i then
84.P*3d K4e P4d K5e +B5g and the black king cannot get back into the own camp through
6f, which means it is doomed in the middle of the board. Watanabe was surprised when
83.S5h was played here, because he didn't think it was possible. He only looked at
83.S*5h, which obviously gives black a full silver less in hand. Sato played 83.S5h
with a huge sigh, indicating that he still thought his position was losing, but that
it was the only move that could delay the end.
84.G*3f 07:48:00 05:33:00
85.K3e-2e 07:48:00 05:33:00
86.+B4gx4f 07:48:00 05:33:00
87.P*3g 07:48:00 05:33:00
88.P1c-1d 07:48:00 05:33:00
89.P1ex1d 07:48:00 05:33:00
90.P*1h 07:48:00 05:33:00
91.P3gx3f 07:52:00 05:33:00
92.+B4fx2h 07:52:00 05:35:00
93.N*4e? 07:57:00 05:35:00
Sato has been trying hard with his exposed king, but when the time comes to set up
an attack of his own, he misses the right move. If he would have played 93.N*3d here,
the position would still have been quite difficult. Sato didn't like 94.P*3c after
that, but black has 95.R*2a G3a Rx3a+ Sx3a Bx3c+ which is a mating threat with black
still having a lot of pieces in hand. Therefore, Watanabe planned to answer 93.N*3d
with 94.Px1i+, but then also 95.R*2a and 96.L*3a Nx2b+ R*2d K3e Gx2b N*3c Gx3c
Bx3c=! (very rare non-promotion of a major piece) P*3d K4e N*5c K5d N*4b K4c G5b
and now P*4c is mate with a pawn drop, so black wins. Maybe no surprise that Sato
missed this variation when he was getting into time trouble.
94.P1hx1i+ 07:57:00 05:52:00
95.N*3g 07:57:00 05:52:00
96.L*3c 07:57:00 06:09:00
97.R*2a 07:58:00 06:09:00
98.P*3a 07:58:00 06:09:00
99.N*3d 07:59:00 06:09:00
100.+B2hx2i 07:59:00 06:35:00
101.N4ex3c+ 07:59:00 06:35:00
102.S2bx3c 07:59:00 06:35:00
103.B8hx3c+ 07:59:00 06:35:00
104.G3bx3c 07:59:00 06:35:00
105.R2ax3a+ 07:59:00 06:35:00
106.K4ax3a 07:59:00 06:35:00
107.S*2b 07:59:00 06:35:00
108.K3a-4a 07:59:00 06:35:00
109.S2bx3c= 07:59:00 06:35:00
110.R*2d 07:59:00 06:35:00
111.K2e-3e 07:59:00 06:35:00
112.R2dx3d 07:59:00 06:35:00
113.K3ex3d 07:59:00 06:35:00
114.+B2ix5f 07:59:00 06:35:00
115.P*4e 07:59:00 06:35:00
116.N*2b 07:59:00 06:38:00
117.K3dx2c 07:59:00 06:38:00
118.B*1b 07:59:00 06:38:00
119.K2c-2d 07:59:00 06:38:00
120.R*3d 07:59:00 06:42:00
121.K2d-2e 07:59:00 06:42:00
122.R3dx3c 07:59:00 06:42:00
123.G*2d 07:59:00 06:42:00
124.R3c-3d 07:59:00 06:45:00
125.S*3b 07:59:00 06:45:00
126.R3dx3b 07:59:00 06:45:00
127.L*3c 07:59:00 06:45:00
128.S*3d 07:59:00 06:45:00
129.K2e-1e 07:59:00 06:45:00
130.N*2c 07:59:00 06:46:00
Resigns 07:59:00 06:46:00
Black has been trying hard to get back in the game, but it has not been enough.
Here 131.Gx2c is answered by the mating threat Sx2c. Also, Lx3b+ is not a mate.
Finally, the early escape 131.K1f fails to 132.P*1e and mate. Left without any
options to play on, Sato resigned here. On the surface this was a very convincing
win by Watanabe, but the game was actually quite complicated, giving Sato hope
for the rest of the match. Still, he is 1-0 down and has a difficult game with
the white pieces coming up.