71st Kisei Match Game 5
Black: Tanigawa Koji, Kisei
White: Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger
71st Kisei-sen, Game 5, July 31st 2000
1.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0
This is a big game and not only because the Kisei title holder will be
decided. For Tanigawa it means the difference between becoming Honorary
Kisei (five Kisei titles) and being without any title at all. For Habu it
would be the first time in three years to hold five of the seven major
titles. The furigoma gave Habu white and recently this is no longer
considered to be a disadvantage. Especially in this title match Habu will
not have been unhappy with the outcome of the pawn toss, as all four
previous games have been won by the player with the white pieces...
2.P3c-3d 0/0 1/1
3.P2g-2f 2/2 0/1
4.P8c-8d 0/2 1/2
5.P2f-2e 1/3 0/2
6.P8d-8e 0/3 1/3
7.G6i-7h 0/3 0/3
8.G4a-3b 0/3 1/4
9.P2e-2d 2/5 0/4
10.P2cx2d 0/5 1/5
11.R2hx2d 0/5 0/5
12.P8e-8f 0/5 3/8
13.P8gx8f 1/6 0/8
14.R8bx8f 0/6 0/8
15.R2dx3d 2/8 0/8
16.B2b-3c 0/8 0/8
17.R3d-3f 18/26 0/8
18.S3a-2b 0/26 2/10
19.P*8g 7/33 0/10
20.R8f-8e 0/33 4/14
21.R3f-2f 1/34 0/14
22.K5a-4a 0/34 5/19
23.K5i-6h 1/35 0/19
24.P7c-7d 0/35 15/34
25.S3i-3h 6/41 0/34
26.N8a-7c 0/41 3/37
27.P4g-4f 4/45 0/37
28.S7a-6b 0/45 2/39
29.P3g-3f 4/49 0/39
30.G6a-5a 0/49 1/40
31.N2i-3g 3/52 0/40
32.R8e-5e 0/52 77/117
This is a plan by Matsuo (4-dan). There are a number of alternatives here.
Meijin Maruyama preferred 32.P5d, but Sato showed in the second game of
the Meijin match that Bx3c+ Nx3c P6f effectively takes the sting out of
the white center attack. Other moves that have been tried here are 32.P7e
and 32.P*8f. 32.R5e is a new idea, showing the richness of the R8e Yokofudori.
Normally, one would think twice before putting the rook in the diagonal of
the bishop, but in this position it is alright: 33.Bx5e Bx5e P6f (if S8h
then B*4d and white wins) Bx6f N7g P7e G6g B4d R2e P3e and white has a
strong attack on the head of the knight.
33.P3f-3e?! 53/105 0/117
White's plan is to play P7e followed by N6e next to aim at the weak points
5g and 7g. Therefore, black usually defends 5g with 33.G4h or 33.G5h.
However, Tanigawa has prepared a very sharp new move to counter R5e. Because
this pawn blocks the line to the rook, black now threatens to take the
white rook on 5e as a bishop move to 4d is not effective anymore.
34.R5ex3e 0/105 34/151
35.B8hx3c+ 1/106 0/151
36.N2ax3c 0/106 1/152
37.P*3d 49/155 0/152
38.R3ex3d 0/155 3/155
39.B*5f 0/155 0/155
40.R3d-6d! 0/155 20/175
Bad luck for Tanigawa that his new move fails because of this deeply
calculated rook move. This is a very hard move to play, as every player
of the R8e Yokofudori wants to put this rook on 5d, attacking the head
of the black king with N6e next. Also, with a knight in hand, a future
N*6d is very nasty. Why R6d is good will become clear later.
41.P*3d 46/201 0/175
42.B*4d 0/201 2/177
43.P3dx3c+ 2/203 0/177
44.B4dx2f 0/203 0/177
45.+P3cx3b 0/203 0/177
46.K4ax3b 0/203 0/177
47.B5f-4e 11/214 0/177
Here is the point of 40.R6d. White threatened to play 47.P*3f and black has
to defend against this. If the white rook would have been on 5d, this defence
would have attacked the white rook at the same time.
48.B2f-3e! 0/214 27/204
Habu is a master of the shogi zugzwang. Here black has no good moves. 48.N*5f
does not work because of R6e and 48.N*3d is pointless after S3c. "Having no
pawns in hand was a problem until the end" (Tanigawa).
49.S7i-8h 9/223 0/204
Here Habu had worried about 49.N*8c Bx4f Nx9a+ R4d L*4h, which still seems
good for white, but would give black more chances than the game.
50.B3ex4f 0/223 3/207
51.S8h-7g 1/224 0/207
52.R6d-4d 0/224 31/238
Probably 52.R2d is a little better, but Habu advantage does not change.
53.G*3f 23/247 0/238
54.B4fx3g+ 0/247 2/240
55.S3hx3g 0/247 0/240
56.R*2i 0/247 0/240
57.B*1f 1/248 0/240
58.N*3c 0/248 9/249
59.G3f-3e 6/254 0/249
60.N3cx4e 0/254 2/251
61.G3ex4d 13/267 0/251
62.P4cx4d 0/267 0/251
63.S3g-4f 0/267 0/251
64.P*3d 0/267 7/258
65.S7g-6f 1/268 0/258
66.G*3c 0/268 9/267
Habu calmly has rebuilt his castle, shutting out the black bishop on 1f. White
now has a winning advantage.
67.S6f-5e 3/271 0/267
68.P*2g 0/271 1/268
69.R*3i 2/273 0/268
70.R2i-2h+ 0/273 3/271
71.G4i-3h 1/274 0/271
72.B*4h 0/274 1/272
73.G3hx2h 2/276 0/272
74.B4hx3i+ 0/276 0/272
75.G2hx2g 0/276 0/272
76.R*4i 0/276 4/276
77.N*2e 2/278 0/276
78.N7c-6e 0/278 1/277
Elementary attack, but strong.
79.S5e-6f 0/278 0/277
80.R4ix4f+ 0/278 1/278
81.S6fx6e 0/278 0/278
82.+B3ix5g 0/278 0/278
83.K6h-7g 2/280 0/278
84.S*6i 0/280 0/278
85.N2ex3c+ 1/281 0/278
86.S2bx3c 0/281 0/278
87.G*6h 0/281 0/278
88.S6ix7h+ 0/281 1/279
89.G6hx7h 0/281 0/279
90.N*6f 0/281 0/279
Resigns 0/281 0/279
Time: 04:41:00 04:39:00
After 90.Px6f +Bx6f K8f P*8e K9f +Bx6e black can not defend anymore. In this
game Tanigawa's opening preparation was superior, but Habu found a subtle
counter over that board that Tanigawa had overlooked. So, Habu adds another
title to his four crowns and Tanigawa sees all of his great shogi this
season come to nothing as he loses his only title. Is Habu on his way to
another seven crown dominance?