65th Meijin Match Game 6
[Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Meijin"]
[White "Goda Masataka, Challenger"]
[Event "65th Meijin-sen, Game 6"]
[Date "June 14th and 15th 2007"]
1.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:00:00
3.S7i-6h 00:02:00 00:00:00
4.P3c-3d 00:02:00 00:00:00
5.P6g-6f 00:02:00 00:00:00
6.S7a-6b 00:02:00 00:00:00
7.P5g-5f 00:02:00 00:00:00
8.P5c-5d 00:02:00 00:01:00
9.S3i-4h 00:02:00 00:01:00
10.S3a-4b 00:02:00 00:01:00
11.G4i-5h 00:03:00 00:01:00
12.G4a-3b 00:03:00 00:01:00
13.G6i-7h 00:08:00 00:01:00
14.K5a-4a 00:08:00 00:02:00
15.K5i-6i 00:10:00 00:02:00
16.G6a-5b 00:10:00 00:02:00
17.S6h-7g 00:10:00 00:02:00
18.S4b-3c 00:10:00 00:02:00
19.B8h-7i 00:10:00 00:02:00
20.B2b-3a 00:10:00 00:02:00
21.P3g-3f 00:12:00 00:02:00
22.P4c-4d 00:12:00 00:02:00
23.G5h-6g 00:12:00 00:02:00
24.P7c-7d 00:12:00 00:02:00
25.B7i-6h 00:12:00 00:02:00
26.G5b-4c 00:12:00 00:31:00
27.K6i-7i 00:12:00 00:31:00
28.P9c-9d 00:12:00 00:47:00
29.K7i-8h 00:35:00 00:47:00
30.P9d-9e 00:35:00 00:58:00
Goda is not the type of player to surprise his opponent early. Against the
Morishita System in the Yagura opening (played by Moriuchi here), he likes
to extend the pawn on the 9th file. Therefore, the opening went as expected,
and no doubt Moriuchi was well prepared.
31.S4h-3g 01:12:00 00:58:00
32.S6b-7c 01:12:00 02:28:00
33.P3f-3e 01:24:00 02:28:00
34.P3dx3e 01:24:00 02:28:00
35.B6hx3e 01:24:00 02:28:00
36.P7d-7e 01:24:00 02:28:00
37.P7fx7e 01:33:00 02:28:00
38.B3ax7e 01:33:00 02:28:00
39.P2g-2f 01:38:00 02:28:00
40.K4a-3a 01:38:00 02:34:00
41.P2f-2e 01:39:00 02:34:00
42.P*3d 01:39:00 02:45:00
43.B3e-4f 01:40:00 02:45:00
44.B7e-6d 01:40:00 02:45:00
45.B4fx6d 01:47:00 02:45:00
46.P6cx6d!? 01:47:00 02:46:00
This is unusual. The move that is almost always played here is 46.Sx6d, which
leaves fewer holes in the white position. Black can then make a promoted bishop
after 47.P*7b Rx7b B*8c R7a P*7b, but because this costs black a pawn, the
position is not bad for white. Instead of 47.P*7b, black has the alternatives
47.S4f or 47.B*6a, which both lead to unclear positions. 46.Px6d may leave the
white position a little exposed, but it also puts a lot of pressure on black.
If white is given time, he will play moves like K2b, P8e and S7d, setting up a
very strong attack. Therefore, black has no time to take it easy here, for example
by extending the edge pawn on the 1st file with P1f and P1e.
47.S3g-4f 02:04:00 02:46:00
48.K3a-2b 02:04:00 02:55:00
49.P5f-5e 02:53:00 02:55:00
Moriuchi starts the fight before white can complete his position. This is the most
natural way of playing here.
50.P5dx5e 02:53:00 02:55:00
51.B*6c 03:13:00 02:55:00
52.P6d-6e 03:13:00 03:52:00
53.P*7b!? 03:23:00 03:52:00
A double edged move that needed some courage. There is actually a game played before
with this position. In January 1994, the position after the 52nd move was also played
in the Oza qualification game between Awaji and Minami. There Awaji played 53.Px6e
and it followed 54.B*3i R5h B7e+ B3f+ P8e Sx5e and even though Awaji tried to use
the high position of his pieces to escape up the board, Minami managed to mate the
king. 53.Px6e is a move Awaji likes, because he favors positions with a strong castle
formation. However, looking at this position with modern eyes, black likes to take
advantage of the fact that white is still in the process of building his position and
attack strongly. Therefore, moves like 53.Sx5e or 53.P*7b are more natural here.
Moriuchi will have considered 53.Sx5e, but after 54.P*5d Sx5d S6b the following
variation is almost forced: Sx4c+ Sx6c +Sx3b Kx3b. The white king is not defended
very well, but the black attack is also far from strong. Moriuchi will have concluded
that white might well be able to stop the black attack given the time available in a
two-day match. Therefore, he decided to play 53.P*7b here. However, it is hard to
foresee the consequences of 53.P*7b. It could be a very good move or a very bad move
depending on what happens next. The ideas behind it are clear. Black stops the sideways
working of the rook and if given time, black can play P7a+ next, followed by attacking
rook, silver and knight, after which white probably never really gets into the game.
Still, P*7b is not a fast move and because black has dropped a pawn here, the 7th file
is now vulnerable, because black cannot drop a pawn in defense on this file anymore.
54.G4c-5c? 03:23:00 06:11:00
Another example of long thinking leading to a bad move. Goda took 2 hours and 19 minutes
for this move, but it is a mistake after which he has to fight for his life in this
game (and in this match). Correct was 54.N9c and after 55.P7a+ R6b B7b+ Rx7b +Px7b S7d
white threatens to attack strongly with N8e and/or P*7f. Goda didn't like to give up a
rook here, but after the game admitted that he regretted playing 54.G5c.
55.B6c-4a+ 04:28:00 06:11:00
56.B*7d 04:28:00 06:11:00
57.+B4a-5a 04:34:00 06:11:00
58.P6ex6f 04:34:00 06:16:00
59.S7gx6f 04:40:00 06:16:00
60.B7dx4g+ 04:40:00 06:16:00
61.P*5d 04:59:00 06:16:00
62.P*7g 04:59:00 06:39:00
63.G6gx7g 05:28:00 06:39:00
64.G5c-4c 05:28:00 06:43:00
65.S6fx5e 05:30:00 06:43:00
66.P*7f 05:30:00 06:58:00
67.G7gx7f 05:44:00 06:58:00
68.S7c-6d 05:44:00 07:00:00
A complicated position where neither player was convinced that his position was better.
White seemed in trouble, but being able to activate this silver is a big improvement
of his position. We are heading for a close endgame here, although black still seems
to have a small lead.
69.P2e-2d 07:05:00 07:00:00
70.S3cx2d 07:05:00 07:00:00
71.S5ex6d 07:37:00 07:00:00
72.+B4gx4f 07:37:00 07:02:00
73.P5d-5c+ 07:37:00 07:02:00
74.G4c-3c 07:37:00 07:33:00
75.R2h-6h 07:37:00 07:33:00
76.+B4fx6h 07:37:00 07:39:00
77.G7hx6h 07:37:00 07:39:00
78.P*6g 07:37:00 07:39:00
79.G6h-7h 07:51:00 07:39:00
80.P*7e 07:51:00 08:14:00
81.G7f-7g 08:09:00 08:14:00
82.R*5i 08:09:00 08:16:00
83.G7gx6g 08:17:00 08:16:00
84.P*6f 08:17:00 08:16:00
85.G6gx6f 08:18:00 08:16:00
86.P8d-8e 08:18:00 08:16:00
87.S*6h 08:25:00 08:16:00
88.R5ix2i+ 08:25:00 08:20:00
89.S6dx7e 08:25:00 08:20:00
90.N*8f 08:25:00 08:27:00
91.+P5c-4b 08:40:00 08:27:00
92.N8fx7h+ 08:40:00 08:27:00
93.K8hx7h 08:40:00 08:27:00
94.+R2ix1i 08:40:00 08:27:00
95.N*4e! 08:47:00 08:27:00
Goda has made a few small mistakes and now the slightly worse position has turned
into a losing position. This should have been the move to go down in history as the
move that clinched Moriuchi's 5th Meijin title, making him 18th Lifetime Meijin
before childhood rivals like Habu and Sato.
96.P4dx4e 08:47:00 08:32:00
97.+P4bx3b 08:50:00 08:32:00
98.G3cx3b 08:50:00 08:32:00
99.B*5e 08:50:00 08:32:00
Game over. Many players would have resigned here, but Goda, being 3-2 down here,
is not ready to say goodbye to his first Meijin challenge yet...
100.S2d-3c 08:50:00 08:32:00
101.B5ex1i 08:50:00 08:32:00
102.L*7c 08:50:00 08:32:00
103.P*2d 08:52:00 08:32:00
104.P8e-8f 08:52:00 08:33:00
105.P2dx2c+ 08:54:00 08:33:00
106.K2bx2c 08:54:00 08:33:00
107.P*2d 08:54:00 08:33:00
108.S3cx2d 08:54:00 08:33:00
109.P*2e 08:54:00 08:33:00
110.S2d-3c 08:54:00 08:33:00
111.B1ix7c+ 08:58:00 08:33:00
112.P8fx8g+ 08:58:00 08:36:00
113.K7h-6g 08:58:00 08:36:00
114.N8ax7c 08:58:00 08:36:00
115.L*2d 08:58:00 08:36:00
116.K2c-1d 08:58:00 08:38:00
117.R*1f 08:58:00 08:38:00
118.K1dx2e 08:58:00 08:38:00
119.G*3f 08:58:00 08:38:00
120.K2ex2d 08:58:00 08:38:00
121.R1f-2f 08:58:00 08:38:00
122.P*2e 08:58:00 08:40:00
123.R2fx2e 08:58:00 08:40:00
124.K2d-1d 08:58:00 08:40:00
125.+B5ax3c 08:58:00 08:40:00
This is a hisshi, so all people in the press room stopped analyzing this game
here and stared at the television monitor to make sure that they would see the
moment that Moriuchi would become the 18th Lifetime Meijin.
126.B*4i 08:58:00 08:48:00
127.P*5h 08:58:00 08:48:00
128.S*7h 08:58:00 08:49:00
129.K6g-5g 08:58:00 08:49:00
130.L*5c 08:58:00 08:49:00
131.K5g-4g?? 08:58:00 08:49:00
Is the pressure of following Kimura, Oyama, Nakahara and Tanigawa as the fifth
player to become Lifetime Meijin after the Meijin title became a real tournament
title too much for Moriuchi? Is there doubt in the back of his mind that it is
really proper to become the next Lifetime Meijin before Habu? Or maybe it is just
one of those rare mistakes at the worst possible moment? Anyway, if black plays
131.G5e or 131.K4h here, Goda has nothing but to resign and Moriuchi would have
completed a full comeback by winning four games in a row after dropping the first two.
132.B4ix5h+ 08:58:00 08:50:00
133.K4g-3h 08:58:00 08:50:00
134.N*4f 08:58:00 08:50:00
Here Moriuchi must have realized his mistake and only he knows what went through
his mind here.
135.K3h-2h 08:59:00 08:50:00
136.P*2g 08:59:00 08:50:00
The move that Moriuchi overlooked. He only saw 136.G*3h and after 137.K1i white has
no way to keep giving check. However, 136.P*2g works perfectly. After 137.Rx2g Nx3c
there is no hisshi anymore and black is without defense.
137.K2hx2g 08:59:00 08:50:00
138.+B5hx3f 08:59:00 08:50:00
139.K2gx3f 08:59:00 08:50:00
140.G*3e 08:59:00 08:50:00
Resigns 08:59:00 08:50:00
After 141.Rx3e Px3e leads to mate and after 140.K2g Nx3c the hisshi is gone again
and because the gold on 3e works in defense, black has no way to continue his attack.
A dramatic loss by Moriuchi who now must win the final game to make sure that he
doesn't become the man closest to becoming Lifetime Meijin without ever making it.
There is only one silver lining, Goda has never won the Meijin title, so there will
a lot of pressure on him as well. As Ariyoshi pointed out, the final game is not
going to be decided by shogi strength, but by strength of character.