This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 1437, January 18th 2012)
Reijer Grimbergen
matches around New Year, it has already been more than a month since the
last Shukan Shogi report. However, 2012 has started with the Osho match
between Kubo and Sato and here is the first game with comments.
[Black "Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger"]
[White "Kubo Toshiaki, Osho"]
[Event "61st Osho-sen, Game 1"]
[Date "January 8th and 9th 2012"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
The furigoma for this first title match game of 2012 resulted in three
tokins, giving challenger Sato the black pieces.
2.P3c-3d 00:00:00 00:01:00
3.P2g-2f 00:02:00 00:01:00
4.P5c-5d 00:02:00 00:03:00
5.P2f-2e 00:03:00 00:03:00
6.R8b-5b 00:03:00 00:04:00
The Nakabisha is no surprise.
7.S3i-4h 00:05:00 00:04:00
8.P5d-5e 00:05:00 00:09:00
9.K5i-6h 00:05:00 00:09:00
10.B2b-3c 00:05:00 00:10:00
11.P3g-3f 00:05:00 00:10:00
12.K5a-6b 00:05:00 00:20:00
13.S4h-3g 00:06:00 00:20:00
14.P4c-4d 00:06:00 00:20:00
15.S3g-4f 01:14:00 00:20:00
Moving the right silver up while the king is still on 6h is a hugely
popular way of playing these days.
16.P4d-4e 01:14:00 00:26:00
17.S4fx4e 01:14:00 00:26:00
18.G4a-3b 01:14:00 00:26:00
Of course Kubo doesn't shy away from the early fight. This was first
played by Sugai (5-dan) and is one of the latest variations in this
ultra sharp opening.
19.S4ex3d 02:29:00 00:26:00
20.P5e-5f 02:29:00 00:48:00
21.P5gx5f 02:30:00 00:48:00
22.B3cx8h+ 02:30:00 00:50:00
23.S7ix8h 02:30:00 00:50:00
24.K6b-7b 02:30:00 00:51:00
25.K6h-5g!? 02:33:00 00:51:00
On his blog, Ryu-O Watanabe said that this move was actually discussed
over a beer with friends a little while ago, but nobody believed it
could be good to move the king out in the open, only protected by three
little pawns. True, the king defends the pawn on 5f against Rx5f, but it
takes a lot of courage to put the king in an awkward spot like that.
However, Sato commented dryly: "In this position it can't be helped".
When given time, black can strengthen the position with P4f followed by
putting a piece on 4g, but at the moment the black position is unstable.
In contrast, Kubo is three pawns down, so he has to do something to try
and take advantage of the black king position.
26.B*6e 02:33:00 01:43:00
27.B*4e 02:44:00 01:43:00
28.B6ex7f 02:44:00 02:33:00
29.P3f-3e 03:08:00 02:33:00
30.G6a-6b? 03:08:00 03:03:00
Sato was seriously worried about this position, but he must have let out
a quiet sigh of relief when he saw that Kubo moved up this gold. The
critical variation is 30.P*3c Sx2c+ R4b B3f Gx2c P*2d which seems
unclear. Kubo thought that +Sx3b instead of B3f would be better and he
didn't like that after Rx4e +Sx3a Bx6g+ Kx6g Rx4g+ he had to give up so
much material to get to the king. However, in the press room arbiter
Kamiya suggested that white could play 30.P*3c Sx3c G4c!. For example,
R7h G5d B1h G6e and white has managed to bring the passive gold into
play. Sato didn't have much confidence in the black position here and
Kubo also admitted that he should have played it this way.
31.G6i-7h 04:11:00 03:03:00
After seeing Kubo strengthening his position, Sato also takes time to
improve his defense.
32.P*4d? 04:11:00 03:35:00
The sealed move, but Kubo said after the game that this was a mistake.
He has calculated correctly that he can win the black silver on 3d, but
surprisingly there is a way for black to neutralize this material
deficit. Kubo said after the game that if winning the silver doesn't
amount to much, there is no need to attack the bishop with 32.P*4d here.
Sato was also surprised by 32.P*4d, because he didn't expect white to
come for the silver on 3d anymore. In the post-mortem analysis the move
32.B5d was analyzed here. For example, 33.Bx5d Rx5d S4e R5a P4f P*5e
Px5e Rx5e and if black defends with P*5f then Rx4e Px4e N3c is a strong
attack. Analyzing all the wild variations with the king on the third or
even the fourth rank made both players forget the importance of this
match. They seemed to thoroughly enjoy just digging out all kinds of
interesting moves.
33.B4e-1h 04:13:00 03:35:00
34.B7f-6e 04:13:00 03:36:00
35.S8h-7g 04:23:00 03:36:00
36.R5bx5f 04:23:00 03:56:00
37.K5g-6h 04:23:00 03:56:00
38.P*3c 04:23:00 03:58:00
39.S3dx2c+ 04:41:00 03:58:00
40.G3bx2c 04:41:00 03:58:00
41.P2e-2d 04:41:00 03:58:00
42.G2c-1d 04:41:00 04:00:00
43.P*5g! 05:25:00 04:00:00
Black is a silver down and wants to promote the pawn on 2c quickly to
even the material balance, but Sato is patient here. The gold on 1d
looks completely out of play, but white has the nasty plan of playing
G1e followed by R2f. Therefore, Sato first takes this plan out of the
position and then strengthens his defense before finally promoting the pawn.
44.R5f-5b 05:25:00 04:54:00
45.G4i-3h 05:27:00 04:54:00
Now the white gold on 1d is doomed to be passive for the rest of the
game, as are most of the other white pieces on that side of the board.
White may be a silver up at this point, but there is no way to use it
anywhere in this position.
46.B6e-5d 05:27:00 05:39:00
47.B1hx5d 05:28:00 05:39:00
48.R5bx5d 05:28:00 05:39:00
49.P2d-2c+ 05:33:00 05:39:00
50.B*6d 05:33:00 05:55:00
51.B*3g 05:40:00 05:55:00
52.B6dx3g+ 05:40:00 05:59:00
53.N2ix3g 05:40:00 05:59:00
54.S*3f 05:40:00 06:06:00
This is Kubo's last hope. He threatens Sx3g+ Gx3g and N*4e or B*3i next.
55.S7g-6f! 05:44:00 06:06:00
This strengthens the important square 5g and also creates an escape
route for the king on 7g.
56.B*6d 05:44:00 06:22:00
57.B*4f 05:58:00 06:22:00
58.B6d-5c 05:58:00 06:45:00
Or 58.Bx4f Px4f Px4e P4e which looks dangerous, but after Nx4e B*6d S6e
Bx4f Sx5d Bx2h+ black doesn't take the promoted bishop on 2h, but plays
N5c+ instead, winning the attacking race.
59.S6f-6e 06:25:00 06:45:00
Now black has a clear advantage. Both players lost interest in the
position after this and ended the post-mortem analysis here.
60.R5d-9d 06:25:00 06:45:00
61.R2h-2f 06:41:00 06:45:00
62.S3f-4e 06:41:00 06:55:00
63.N3gx4e 06:48:00 06:55:00
64.P4dx4e 06:48:00 06:55:00
65.B4f-3g 06:49:00 06:55:00
66.B5cx3e 06:49:00 07:07:00
67.R2f-5f 06:49:00 07:07:00
68.S3a-4b 06:49:00 07:07:00
69.P*3f 06:56:00 07:07:00
70.B3e-4d 06:56:00 07:08:00
71.S*5e 06:56:00 07:08:00
72.P4e-4f 06:56:00 07:10:00
73.B3gx4f 07:06:00 07:10:00
74.B4dx5e 07:06:00 07:16:00
75.B4fx5e 07:06:00 07:16:00
76.N*5c 07:06:00 07:18:00
77.S6e-7f 07:10:00 07:18:00
78.S*4e 07:10:00 07:19:00
79.R5f-6f 07:10:00 07:19:00
80.S4b-4c 07:10:00 07:21:00
81.P*2b 07:15:00 07:21:00
82.R9d-5d 07:15:00 07:22:00
83.B5e-2h 07:20:00 07:22:00
84.S4c-4d 07:20:00 07:22:00
85.P2bx2a+ 07:20:00 07:22:00
86.P*5f 07:20:00 07:25:00
87.P5gx5f 07:20:00 07:25:00
88.S4ex5f 07:20:00 07:25:00
89.G3h-4h 07:22:00 07:25:00
90.N5c-4e 07:22:00 07:30:00
91.P*5h 07:29:00 07:30:00
92.P*5g 07:29:00 07:32:00
93.B*3b 07:31:00 07:32:00
94.P5gx5h+ 07:31:00 07:34:00
95.K6h-7g 07:31:00 07:34:00
After the game Sato said that he may have been a little too careful in
the endgame, but he makes no mistake in defense and wins quickly in the
counter attack from here.
96.R5d-5e 07:31:00 07:41:00
97.B3b-4c+ 07:32:00 07:41:00
98.S5f-5g= 07:32:00 07:48:00
99.G4hx5g 07:39:00 07:48:00
100.R5ex5g+ 07:39:00 07:48:00
101.+B4cx4d 07:39:00 07:48:00
102.G*5d 07:39:00 07:48:00
103.+B4d-3e 07:41:00 07:48:00
104.+R5g-4h 07:41:00 07:51:00
105.N*7d 07:45:00 07:51:00
106.+R4hx2h 07:45:00 07:56:00
107.+B3ex6b 07:48:00 07:56:00
108.S7ax6b 07:48:00 07:56:00
109.G*8b 07:48:00 07:56:00
110.K7b-6a 07:48:00 07:56:00
111.S*4c 07:48:00 07:56:00
Resigns 07:48:00 07:58:00
A slight variation to a well-known hisshi position. Even after 112.G5c
black has mate with 113.Nx6b+ Kx6b S*7a etc. so Kubo resigned here. A
complete victory for Sato, who couldn't have wished for a better start
of the year and of this match. Will Kubo strike back with the black
pieces in the second game or can Sato take an unexpected 2-0 lead?
--
Reijer Grimbergen
School of Computer Science, Tokyo University of Technology
1404-1 Katakura, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0982 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)42-637-2591 FAX: +81-(0)42-637-2112
http://www.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/