75th Kisei Match Game 1
[Black "Moiruchi Toshiyuki, Challenger"]
[White "Sato Yasumitsu, Kisei"]
[Event "75th Kisei-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "June 17th 2004"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:00:00
3.S7i-6h 00:01:00 00:00:00
4.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:00:00
5.P6g-6f 00:01:00 00:00:00
6.S7a-6b 00:01:00 00:00:00
7.P5g-5f 00:01:00 00:00:00
8.P5c-5d 00:01:00 00:00:00
9.S3i-4h 00:01:00 00:00:00
10.S3a-4b 00:01:00 00:00:00
11.G4i-5h 00:01:00 00:00:00
12.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:00:00
13.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:00:00
14.K5a-4a 00:01:00 00:00:00
15.K5i-6i 00:01:00 00:00:00
16.G6a-5b 00:01:00 00:00:00
17.S6h-7g 00:02:00 00:00:00
18.S4b-3c 00:02:00 00:00:00
19.B8h-7i 00:02:00 00:00:00
20.B2b-3a 00:02:00 00:00:00
21.P3g-3f 00:02:00 00:00:00
22.P4c-4d 00:02:00 00:00:00
23.G5h-6g 00:03:00 00:00:00
24.G5b-4c 00:03:00 00:02:00
25.B7i-6h 00:03:00 00:02:00
26.P7c-7d 00:03:00 00:07:00
27.K6i-7i 00:03:00 00:07:00
28.P9c-9d 00:03:00 00:11:00
29.K7i-8h 00:05:00 00:11:00
30.N8a-7c 00:05:00 00:21:00
31.P2g-2f 00:12:00 00:21:00
32.P9d-9e 00:12:00 00:27:00
33.P2f-2e 00:18:00 00:27:00
34.P1c-1d!? 00:18:00 01:16:00
Sato has chosen a variation of the Yagura that was popular more than
10 years ago. However, the move 34.P1d was never popular as it goes
straight against one of the most well-known rules of the Yagura opening:
do not play the edge pawn, because the bogin attack by the opponent is
too strong. Sato has prepared a special counter strategy against the
climbing silver, but this counter plan is probably only effective in one
game with short time limits (four hours in the Kisei match).
35.S4h-3g 00:24:00 01:16:00
Of course, Moriuchi does not shy away from the theoretical answer to
34.P1d. After all, he is the top player in the game at the moment and
almost unbeatable with black.
36.B3a-6d 00:24:00 01:16:00
37.P1g-1f 00:53:00 01:16:00
38.R8b-8a 00:53:00 01:17:00
39.B6h-4f 00:56:00 01:17:00
40.B6d-5c 00:56:00 01:18:00
41.S3g-2f 00:57:00 01:18:00
42.P4d-4e 00:57:00 01:20:00
43.B4f-6h 00:57:00 01:20:00
44.S3c-4d 00:57:00 01:21:00
45.S2f-3g 00:58:00 01:21:00
46.K4a-5b 00:58:00 01:30:00
This is the plan that Sato had prepared. Having the king on 5b combined
with a strong central position behind the vanguard pawn on 4e gives the
white position good balance. Furthermore, the attack on the edge by black
is quite far away, giving white plenty of time to go for his own attack.
The downside of the white strategy is that the king is not very well
defended. If black manages to force a breakthrough, the game will be over
almost immediately.
47.P4g-4f 01:01:00 01:30:00
48.P4ex4f 01:01:00 01:41:00
49.S3gx4f 01:01:00 01:41:00
50.N2a-3c 01:01:00 01:47:00
51.P6f-6e!? 01:17:00 01:47:00
Inviting the knight to 6e, from which it wants to attack anyhow. Therefore,
this is a very hard move to play. The reason behind it is that black wants
to activate the silver on the right without being bothered by B6d all the time.
If white keeps the pawn on 6e, the bishop can not go to 6d. If white takes
the pawn with the knight, after S6f P6d (the game sequence), the bishop is
also blocked.
52.P*4e 01:17:00 01:55:00
53.S4f-3g 01:17:00 01:55:00
54.N7cx6e 01:17:00 01:55:00
55.S7g-6f 01:18:00 01:55:00
56.P6c-6d 01:18:00 01:55:00
57.P2e-2d 01:50:00 01:55:00
58.P2cx2d 01:50:00 01:55:00
59.R2hx2d 01:50:00 01:55:00
60.S6b-6c 01:50:00 02:42:00
61.R2d-2h 01:57:00 02:42:00
62.P8d-8e 01:57:00 02:43:00
63.P1f-1e 02:14:00 02:43:00
The simple plan is to win the lance after 63.Px1e P*1b Lx1b P*1c.
64.P5d-5e! 02:14:00 02:51:00
Sato just allows the capture at 1d. One of the advantages of having the
king on 5b is that even a tokin on 1c is still far away.
65.P*2d 02:41:00 02:51:00
Hoping to force 66.P*2b, which would give black a huge advantage.
66.P5ex5f! 02:41:00 03:22:00
Of course. 67.P2c+ is answered by 68.P*2g Rx2g P*2f Rx2f P*2e R2h Gx2c.
67.G6gx5f 03:00:00 03:22:00
A tough decision. The black king was well-defended, but moving out this gold
makes the difference between the black and white king suddenly very small.
68.P*2g 03:00:00 03:22:00
69.R2hx2g 03:02:00 03:22:00
70.P*2f 03:02:00 03:22:00
71.R2gx2f 03:09:00 03:22:00
72.P*2e 03:09:00 03:23:00
73.R2f-2g 03:17:00 03:23:00
74.P1dx1e 03:17:00 03:23:00
75.S3g-4h 03:17:00 03:23:00
76.P1e-1f 03:17:00 03:25:00
77.P*5e 03:20:00 03:25:00
78.P7d-7e 03:20:00 03:36:00
79.P*1d 03:32:00 03:36:00
No choice. 79.Px7e leaves a hole on 7f for a future knight drop and Sx7e
allows P*7g.
80.L1ax1d 03:32:00 03:40:00
81.P*1e 03:32:00 03:40:00
82.L1dx1e 03:32:00 03:40:00
83.P*1d 03:32:00 03:40:00
84.P1f-1g+ 03:32:00 03:53:00
85.L1ix1g 03:33:00 03:53:00
86.P*5g 03:33:00 03:53:00
87.S4hx5g 03:46:00 03:53:00
88.P*1f 03:46:00 03:53:00
89.P1d-1c+ 03:46:00 03:53:00
90.P1fx1g+ 03:46:00 03:53:00
91.R2g-4g 03:46:00 03:53:00
92.L*8c 03:46:00 03:56:00
93.P2d-2c+ 03:46:00 03:56:00
94.G3b-4b 03:46:00 03:56:00
95.S6fx7e 03:52:00 03:56:00
96.P*7d 03:52:00 03:57:00
97.S7e-6f 03:52:00 03:57:00
98.+P1g-2h 03:52:00 03:57:00
99.+P2cx3c 03:52:00 03:57:00
100.G4bx3c 03:52:00 03:57:00
101.N2i-3g 03:52:00 03:57:00
102.+P2h-3h 03:52:00 03:58:00
103.N3gx4e 03:52:00 03:58:00
104.S4dx4e 03:52:00 03:58:00
105.R4gx4e 03:52:00 03:58:00
106.N*8f 03:52:00 03:58:00
107.S*7c? 03:57:00 03:58:00
An important mistake under time pressure. Much better was the simple 107.G7i,
riding the white attacking wave. For example, 108.P9f Px9f P*9h Lx9h Nx9h+ Kx9h
P8f Px8f Lx8f Bx8f Rx8f S*8g R8a P*8f L*8c N*7h and the white attack seems to be
over, while black is threatening L*5d strongly.
108.B5c-6b! 03:57:00 03:59:00
Even though Sato said after the game that he still thought the position was
difficult after this move, the general opinion was that white is winning from
here. By moving the king closer to the lance and rook, black suddenly has no
good way of attacking anymore. On the other hand, white has an unstoppable attack
on the 8th and 9th files.
109.S7cx6b+ 03:59:00 03:59:00
110.K5bx6b 03:59:00 03:59:00
111.S6fx6e 03:59:00 03:59:00
112.P6dx6e 03:59:00 03:59:00
113.G5fx6e 03:59:00 03:59:00
114.P*6d 03:59:00 03:59:00
115.N*7e 03:59:00 03:59:00
116.P6dx6e 03:59:00 03:59:00
117.N7ex6c+ 03:59:00 03:59:00
118.K6bx6c 03:59:00 03:59:00
119.P*6d 03:59:00 03:59:00
120.K6c-7c 03:59:00 03:59:00
121.B*5b 03:59:00 03:59:00
122.N8fx7h+ 03:59:00 03:59:00
123.K8hx7h 03:59:00 03:59:00
124.S*5h 03:59:00 03:59:00
125.K7h-8h 03:59:00 03:59:00
126.S5h-6g+ 03:59:00 03:59:00
127.S*7h 03:59:00 03:59:00
128.+S6gx7h 03:59:00 03:59:00
129.K8hx7h 03:59:00 03:59:00
130.S*5h 03:59:00 03:59:00
131.B5b-6c+ 03:59:00 03:59:00
132.K7c-8d 03:59:00 03:59:00
133.S*6g 03:59:00 03:59:00
134.N*6f 03:59:00 03:59:00
135.S5gx6f 03:59:00 03:59:00
136.S*6i 03:59:00 03:59:00
137.K7h-7g 03:59:00 03:59:00
138.P6ex6f 03:59:00 03:59:00
139.S6gx5h 03:59:00 03:59:00
140.S6ix5h= 03:59:00 03:59:00
141.S*7c 03:59:00 03:59:00
142.K8d-9d 03:59:00 03:59:00
143.K7gx6f 03:59:00 03:59:00
144.G*6g 03:59:00 03:59:00
Resigns 03:59:00 03:59:00
Mate after 145.K6e S*5f Kx7d S*6e K7e G*7d +Bx7d S6f or 145.K5f G*6f K4f S*3g.
Both are quite unusual mating patterns. Sato wins an important game with white
to take the lead in this match. In a short match like this, it is important
to win the games with the black pieces. If Sato can do this in game 2, he will
already be two up with three to play. After the game Moriuchi hinted at failing
to make the transition from two-day title match games he played recently to the
one-day format of the Kisei match. He better adapt soon or his four crown dream
will end prematurely.