69th Meijin Match Game 6
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Meijin"]
[White "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"]
[Event "69th Meijin-sen, Game 6"]
[Date "June 7th and 8th 2011"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.S7i-6h 00:02:00 00:00:00
4.P3c-3d 00:02:00 00:00:00
5.P6g-6f 00:03:00 00:00:00
6.S7a-6b 00:03:00 00:00:00
7.P5g-5f 00:10:00 00:00:00
8.P5c-5d 00:10:00 00:01:00
9.S3i-4h 00:13:00 00:01:00
10.S3a-4b 00:13:00 00:02:00
11.G4i-5h 00:16:00 00:02:00
12.G4a-3b 00:16:00 00:03:00
13.G6i-7h 00:19:00 00:03:00
14.K5a-4a 00:19:00 00:10:00
15.K5i-6i 00:21:00 00:10:00
16.G6a-5b 00:21:00 00:11:00
17.S6h-7g 00:24:00 00:11:00
18.S4b-3c 00:24:00 00:13:00
19.B8h-7i 00:26:00 00:13:00
20.B2b-3a 00:26:00 00:13:00
21.P3g-3f 00:38:00 00:13:00
22.P4c-4d 00:38:00 00:13:00
23.G5h-6g 00:48:00 00:13:00
24.P7c-7d 00:48:00 00:13:00
25.S4h-3g 00:59:00 00:13:00
26.B3a-6d 00:59:00 00:14:00
27.B7i-6h 01:08:00 00:14:00
28.G5b-4c 01:08:00 00:14:00
29.K6i-7i 01:09:00 00:14:00
30.K4a-3a 01:09:00 00:15:00
31.K7i-8h 01:10:00 00:15:00
32.K3a-2b 01:10:00 00:16:00
33.S3g-4f 01:14:00 00:16:00
34.S6b-5c 01:14:00 00:16:00
35.N2i-3g 01:15:00 00:16:00
36.P9c-9d 01:15:00 00:16:00
37.P1g-1f 01:18:00 00:16:00
38.P1c-1d 01:18:00 00:16:00
39.P2g-2f 01:19:00 00:16:00
40.S3c-2d 01:19:00 00:21:00
41.R2h-3h 01:20:00 00:21:00
42.B6d-7c 01:20:00 00:23:00
43.L1i-1h 01:24:00 00:23:00
44.P8d-8e 01:24:00 00:24:00
45.L9i-9h 01:54:00 00:24:00
46.S5c-4b 01:54:00 00:24:00
47.K8h-9i 01:56:00 00:24:00
48.B7c-6d 01:56:00 00:24:00
49.P6f-6e 02:45:00 00:24:00
50.B6d-7c 02:45:00 00:26:00
51.N3g-2e 02:45:00 00:26:00
52.N2a-3c 02:45:00 00:28:00
53.P1f-1e 02:49:00 00:28:00
54.P1dx1e 02:49:00 00:29:00
55.P3f-3e 02:50:00 00:29:00
56.P3dx3e 02:50:00 00:29:00
57.P5f-5e 02:51:00 00:29:00
58.P5dx5e 02:51:00 00:30:00
59.S4fx3e 02:51:00 00:30:00
60.S2dx3e 02:51:00 00:30:00
61.B6hx3e 02:51:00 00:30:00
62.P*3d 02:51:00 00:30:00
63.B3e-7i 02:51:00 00:30:00
64.N3cx2e 02:51:00 00:30:00
65.P2fx2e 02:52:00 00:30:00
66.P5e-5f 02:52:00 00:30:00
This sixth game of the Meijin match will decide whether Moriuchi will become Meijin
again or if Habu can take this match to the final game. Despite its importance, both
layers play at a blistering speed, especially for a game that is supposed to be
played over two days. It is still early in the afternoon of the first day and already
66 moves have been played. Even more interesting is that even though the move order
has been slightly different, the position here is exactly the same as game 4. There
Moriuchi played 66.N*3e and after 67.P*1d Nx4g+ R3f S*3e R6f B8d Moriuchi lost the
game but most people believed that his plan of chasing the rook and then moving out
the bishop was very good. Despite this, Moriuchi is the one who changes the moves with
66.P5f. His explanation: "In game 4 I had a hard time deciding between N*3e and P5f,
so I decided to play P5f if I would have been led to the same position again."
67.L1hx1e 04:15:00 00:30:00
68.L1ax1e 04:15:00 00:31:00
69.N*1d 04:15:00 00:31:00
70.K2b-1b 04:15:00 00:32:00
71.P*1c 04:22:00 00:32:00
72.K1b-2a 04:22:00 00:32:00
73.P2e-2d 04:26:00 00:32:00
74.P2cx2d 04:26:00 01:05:00
75.B7ix2d 04:28:00 01:05:00
76.S*2c 04:28:00 03:22:00
The sealed move and the first time Moriuchi took a long hard think in this game. He
took more than two hours to seal this move. In the press room 76.P8f was analyzed.
If black has to take this pawn, then the hole on 8g becomes a target for all the
pieces that white has in hand, but it looks like black can ignore the pawn push with
77.Bx1e. For example, 78.Px8g+ Gx8g and because Rx8g+ fails to L*8h, white has to
try something like N*9e, but then P*8c Nx8g= K8h Rx8c P*2c is good for black. The
black king looks to be in a dangerous spot, but with the opponent knight on its head,
it is actually quite hard to get to.
77.P1c-1b+ 04:33:00 03:22:00
78.S2cx1b 04:33:00 03:23:00
This is forced because 78.Kx1b is too dangerous after 79.S*1c K2a Bx4b+ Rx4b S*2b
Gx2b Nx2b+ Rx2b Sx2b+ Kx2b R*4a and there is no good defense.
79.B2dx1e 04:38:00 03:23:00
80.P8e-8f 04:38:00 04:36:00
81.P8gx8f 05:16:00 04:36:00
82.P*1c 05:16:00 04:42:00
83.L*2f 06:28:00 04:42:00
84.P*2d 06:28:00 05:28:00
85.P*2c 06:39:00 05:28:00
86.S1bx2c 06:39:00 05:42:00
87.L2fx2d 06:39:00 05:42:00
88.P1cx1d 06:39:00 05:43:00
89.L2dx2c+ 06:39:00 05:43:00
90.P1dx1e 06:39:00 05:45:00
91.S*1b 06:41:00 05:45:00
92.K2a-3a 06:41:00 05:45:00
93.P6e-6d! 06:41:00 05:45:00
An interesting plan to bring the defending gold into an attacking position.
94.B7cx6d 06:41:00 05:50:00
95.G6gx5f 06:41:00 05:50:00
96.N*9e 06:41:00 06:19:00
97.G5f-6e! 07:04:00 06:19:00
Habu is very consistent here and ignores the double knight attack. He could have
turned to defense here with 97.P9f, but after 98.N*8g K8h B*9i K9g N7c P7e the
position is not so clear.
98.N*8g 07:04:00 07:00:00
99.G7hx8g 07:04:00 07:00:00
100.N9ex8g= 07:04:00 07:00:00
101.K9i-8h 07:04:00 07:00:00
102.G*6g 07:04:00 07:09:00
The start of some fireworks. This is mating threat after B*9i Kx8g Bx7g+ Nx7g Rx8f etc.
103.G6ex6d! 07:17:00 07:09:00
This defends against the mating threat and creates a mating threat after +Lx3b followed
by B*1d.
104.G3bx2c! 07:17:00 07:11:00
And again defending against the mating threat with a mating threat because white wins
after 105.Sx2c+ B*9i K8g Bx7g+ Nx7g Rx8f etc.
105.S*6h 07:33:00 07:11:00
Habu is the first player to be forced to play a defense only move, which usually is
not a good sign...
106.B*9i 07:33:00 07:55:00
107.K8hx8g 07:34:00 07:55:00
108.B9ix7g+ 07:34:00 07:55:00
109.S6hx7g 07:34:00 07:55:00
110.L*8c? 07:34:00 07:55:00
Moriuchi was so close to the Meijin title here. If only he would have dropped the
lance on 8d instead of 8c. The reason why this is important will become clear soon.
111.N*7h! 08:03:00 07:55:00
Strong defensive move. The devilish move 111.N*9e was an alternative here (112.Px9e
is answered by Sx2c+).
112.S*6i 08:03:00 08:23:00
113.G6dx7d 08:05:00 08:23:00
114.G2c-2b 08:05:00 08:33:00
Black no longer has a mating threat, so is forced back to defense.
115.G7dx8c 08:13:00 08:33:00
116.R8bx8c 08:13:00 08:34:00
117.B*5f 08:13:00 08:34:00
This bishop fork in the difference between dropping a silver on 8c and 8d. If the gold
on 7d takes the lance on 8d instead of 8c, this bishop drop on 5f is no longer possible.
For example, 115.Gx8d Gx1b L*8c R5b seems bad for black.
118.S6ix7h= 08:13:00 08:47:00
119.R3hx7h 08:13:00 08:47:00
120.N*9e 08:13:00 08:47:00
121.K8g-9f 08:13:00 08:47:00
122.R8c-8b 08:13:00 08:47:00
123.B5fx6g 08:21:00 08:47:00
124.G2bx1b 08:21:00 08:47:00
125.L*8h 08:21:00 08:47:00
126.P*2d 08:21:00 08:51:00
127.P*1c 08:24:00 08:51:00
128.G1bx1c 08:24:00 08:51:00
129.P*1d 08:24:00 08:51:00
130.G1c-2c 08:24:00 08:51:00
131.P*3b 08:32:00 08:51:00
132.K3ax3b 08:32:00 08:51:00
133.S*1b 08:32:00 08:51:00
134.G2c-2b 08:32:00 08:52:00
135.G*2c 08:33:00 08:52:00
136.G2bx2c 08:33:00 08:52:00
137.S1bx2c+ 08:33:00 08:52:00
138.K3bx2c 08:33:00 08:56:00
139.B*4a 08:33:00 08:56:00
Resigns 08:33:00 08:56:00
Now 140.L*3b is answered by 141.N*3e Kx1d Bx3b+ K2e L*2h and mate. If the king moves
back then black can make a hisshi after 141.G*2c. White has no mate, so Moriuchi
resigned here. Habu has managed to draw the match even at 3-3 after being 3-0 down.
He now has a chance to become the first player in Meijin history to make a comeback
after losing the first three game. Still, Moriuchi still has one more chance to take
the Meijin title from him. An exciting final game awaits.