70th Meijin Match Game 1
[Black "Moriuchi Toshiyuki, Meijin"]
[White "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[Event "70th Meijin-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "April 10th and 11th 2012"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
Childhood rivals Moriuchi and Habu meet at the biggest stage again, just like last
year. This time the roles are reversed with Moriuch being the Meijin and Habu being
the challenger. This is their seventh Meijin match with each winning three of the
previous six. The furigoma resulted in three pawns, giving Moriuchi the black pieces.
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.S7i-6h 00:01:00 00:00:00
4.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:07:00
5.P6g-6f 00:01:00 00:07:00
6.S7a-6b 00:01:00 00:08:00
7.P5g-5f 00:05:00 00:08:00
8.P5c-5d 00:05:00 00:09:00
9.S3i-4h 00:06:00 00:09:00
10.S3a-4b 00:06:00 00:14:00
11.G4i-5h 00:12:00 00:14:00
12.G4a-3b 00:12:00 00:22:00
13.G6i-7h 00:20:00 00:22:00
14.K5a-4a 00:20:00 00:29:00
15.K5i-6i 00:20:00 00:29:00
The Yagura opening is not a surprise, but it is a surprise how long this game stays
in known territory.
16.P7c-7d 00:20:00 00:30:00
17.G5h-6g 00:23:00 00:30:00
18.G6a-5b 00:23:00 00:41:00
19.S6h-7g 00:24:00 00:41:00
20.S4b-3c 00:24:00 00:41:00
21.B8h-7i 00:24:00 00:41:00
22.B2b-3a 00:24:00 00:41:00
23.P3g-3f 00:24:00 00:41:00
24.P4c-4d 00:24:00 00:41:00
25.S4h-3g 00:27:00 00:41:00
26.B3a-6d 00:27:00 00:47:00
27.B7i-6h 00:27:00 00:47:00
28.G5b-4c 00:27:00 00:48:00
29.K6i-7i 00:28:00 00:48:00
30.K4a-3a 00:28:00 00:48:00
31.K7i-8h 00:28:00 00:48:00
32.K3a-2b 00:28:00 00:48:00
33.S3g-4f 00:30:00 00:48:00
34.S6b-5c 00:30:00 00:48:00
35.N2i-3g 00:30:00 00:48:00
36.B6d-7c 00:30:00 00:57:00
37.P1g-1f 00:37:00 00:57:00
38.P1c-1d 00:37:00 00:57:00
39.P2g-2f 00:37:00 00:57:00
40.S3c-2d 00:37:00 00:57:00
41.R2h-3h 01:03:00 00:57:00
42.P9c-9d 01:03:00 01:03:00
43.L1i-1h 01:03:00 01:03:00
44.P8d-8e 01:03:00 01:05:00
45.L9i-9h 01:06:00 01:05:00
46.S5c-4b 01:06:00 01:06:00
47.K8h-9i 01:23:00 01:06:00
48.B7c-6d 01:23:00 01:10:00
49.P6f-6e 01:32:00 01:10:00
50.B6d-7c 01:32:00 01:14:00
51.N3g-2e 01:32:00 01:14:00
52.N2a-3c 01:32:00 01:42:00
53.P1f-1e 01:46:00 01:42:00
54.P1dx1e 01:46:00 01:44:00
55.P3f-3e 01:47:00 01:44:00
56.P3dx3e 01:47:00 01:45:00
57.P5f-5e 01:52:00 01:45:00
58.P5dx5e 01:52:00 01:49:00
59.S4fx3e 02:15:00 01:49:00
60.S2dx3e 02:15:00 01:54:00
61.B6hx3e 02:17:00 01:54:00
62.P*3d 02:17:00 01:56:00
63.B3e-7i 02:19:00 01:56:00
64.N3cx2e 02:19:00 02:56:00
65.P2fx2e 02:20:00 02:56:00
66.N*3e 02:20:00 02:56:00
67.P*1d 03:28:00 02:56:00
68.N3ex4g+ 03:28:00 03:23:00
69.R3h-3f 03:48:00 03:23:00
70.S*3e 03:48:00 03:25:00
71.R3f-6f 03:49:00 03:25:00
72.B7c-8d 03:49:00 03:26:00
73.P7f-7e 03:58:00 03:26:00
74.B8dx7e 03:58:00 03:28:00
75.R6f-7f 03:59:00 03:28:00
76.B7e-4h+ 03:59:00 03:47:00
The sealed move. The game is still following the fourth game of last year's Meijin
match, with colors reversed (Habu won with the black pieces last year).
77.R7fx7d 04:00:00 03:47:00
78.P*7c 04:00:00 04:00:00
79.R7d-7f 04:01:00 04:00:00
80.S4b-5c 04:01:00 04:01:00
81.N*2g 04:32:00 04:01:00
82.S3e-4f 04:32:00 04:48:00
Finally, Habu decides to change the moves. After the game, Habu said that he believed
that this position had something for white, because of the strength of the promoted
bishop and the promoted knight. However, it still seems hard to stop the black attack.
Last year, Moriuchi played 82.S2f here and after 83.Nx1e P*1g S*1c K3a Nx2c+ Gx2c S2d+
the black attack continues. In the post-mortem analysis of this game, after 82.S2f Nx1e
the move P3e was suggested. This opens an escape route for the white king, but black
also has a number of ways to play this position like for example P*7d, so the position
is not clear. After the game, Habu said that he didn't like 82.S2f much and wanted to
see what happened if he moved the silver closer to the black king instead.
83.N2gx1e 05:34:00 04:48:00
84.P4d-4e?! 05:34:00 05:00:00
This defends the silver on 4f, so the promoted knight can move freely now, but it
also opens up the square 4d. Correct was 84.Lx1d here and the position seems unclear.
85.P*4d 05:44:00 05:00:00
86.S5cx4d 05:44:00 05:30:00
The alternative is 86.Gx4d, but after 87.P*7d Px7d Rx7d P*7c black sacrifices the
rook with Rx4d and after Sx4d G*5d white is in trouble. For example, after K3c next,
black sacrifices another major pieces with Bx4f and +Nx4f S*4a is very hard to
defend for white because he holds only major pieces (also, G4b is answered by Nx2c+
followed by S*2d. The point of this position is that the black king is safely tucked
away at 9i, so black can attack without having to worry about a counter.
87.P6e-6d! 05:45:00 05:30:00
Strong move. After 88.Px6d P*7d the black rook will promote.
88.L1ax1d 05:45:00 05:36:00
89.P6dx6c+ 06:39:00 05:36:00
90.L1dx1e 06:39:00 05:36:00
91.P*4i! 06:39:00 05:36:00
Another good move to chase the promoted bishop away from its optimal square.
92.+B4h-5i 06:39:00 05:45:00
This keeps black from playing Lx1e, but gives up control of the 7th file.
93.+P6cx7c 06:40:00 05:45:00
Because the bishop has moved, this can no longer be answered with P*7e.
94.R8b-4b 06:40:00 05:48:00
95.P*1f 07:08:00 05:48:00
This was a surprise, because the natural 95.+P6c looks better. However, it can also
be said that 95.P*1f is a sign that Moriuchi is rounding himself into shape after
having problems with his form recently. To drop a pawn on 1f needs courage, because
it is far from clear that this attack will be in time. That Moriuchi plays this at
such an important moment shows his confidence as a Meijin.
96.P5e-5f 07:08:00 06:41:00
Here 96.P*7e R6f P*6e Rx6e P5f may have been better.
97.R7fx5f 07:15:00 06:41:00
98.+B5i-6i 07:15:00 06:41:00
99.G6g-6h 07:23:00 06:41:00
100.+B6ix7i 07:23:00 06:41:00
101.G7hx7i 07:25:00 06:41:00
102.S4d-5e 07:25:00 06:58:00
103.R5f-7f 07:33:00 06:58:00
104.P*7e 07:33:00 07:01:00
105.R7fx7e 07:33:00 07:01:00
106.P8e-8f 07:33:00 07:02:00
107.R7e-8e 07:41:00 07:02:00
108.B*5d 07:41:00 07:04:00
109.R8ex8f 07:43:00 07:04:00
110.N8ax7c 07:43:00 07:13:00
111.R8f-8c+ 07:56:00 07:13:00
112.P*8f 07:56:00 07:49:00
113.S7gx8f! 08:02:00 07:49:00
Again, the natural move here seems to be 113.+Rx8f and it seems that black has a
slight advantage after 114.P*7f S8h S6f P*6e P*6g G6h-7h S5g= P*5e P6h+ G7h-6h
Sx6h+ Gx6h G*8e. However, Moriuchi has an ingenious plan to have the promoted
rook work both in attack and defense.
114.P*8h 08:02:00 08:36:00
115.G7ix8h 08:03:00 08:36:00
116.N*7f 08:03:00 08:36:00
117.+R8cx7c 08:13:00 08:36:00
The point of Moriuchi's plan. This promoted work works so well in defense that
white is stuck for moves.
118.N7fx8h+ 08:13:00 08:40:00
119.K9ix8h 08:13:00 08:40:00
120.+N4g-5g 08:13:00 08:40:00
121.G6h-7h 08:15:00 08:40:00
122.G*6g 08:15:00 08:41:00
123.N*1d 08:46:00 08:41:00
124.K2b-1c 08:46:00 08:44:00
125.P1fx1e 08:50:00 08:44:00
Finally, the pawn dropped on 1f at move 95 comes into play. The white king now
has no escape route left.
126.P*7g 08:50:00 08:53:00
127.G7hx7g 08:50:00 08:53:00
128.P*7f 08:50:00 08:53:00
129.G7gx6g 08:50:00 08:53:00
130.+N5gx6g 08:50:00 08:53:00
131.L*7i 08:55:00 08:53:00
132.P7f-7g+ 08:55:00 08:56:00
133.N8ix7g 08:55:00 08:56:00
134.P*7h 08:55:00 08:58:00
135.L7ix7h 08:56:00 08:58:00
136.S4f-5g+ 08:56:00 08:58:00
137.+R7c-7a 08:57:00 08:58:00
This rook has played an important role in this game and is now used to place the
final blow. It is only here that Moriuchi felt confident that he would win this
game.
138.+S5g-6h 08:57:00 08:58:00
139.+R7a-1a 08:57:00 08:58:00
Resigns 08:57:00 08:59:00
The only way to avoid mate is 140.G*1b, but this removes the white mating threat
so that black can play 141.+R2a which threatens mate after G*2d. Again, white can
defend against this with G4c-3c, but this is answered with N2b+ and hisshi. A great
start for Moriuchi at a time where it seemed that Habu was in great form and Moriuchi
had been struggling a little. This win shows that Moriuchi seems to find a little
extra inspiration in the Meijin tournament.