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Source: Reijer Grimbergen's translated highlights of the week from
the magazine Shukan Shogi, posted to the
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HABU'S MAGIC TOO STRONG FOR SATO
This week in Shukan the third game of the Osho title match between Habu and
challenger Sato. In this match, Habu has turned on his magical endgame powers
to full force. Sato is not playing badly, but in every game he is being
outplayed in the endgame. A frustrating experience for the Meijin, but
when you are only human there is nothing that can help you against sorcery.
Here is game 3 with comments:
To play through the game in a Java viewer, click here.
Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Challenger
White: Habu Yoshiharu, Osho
49th Osho-sen, Game 3, January 26th and 27th, 2000
1. P7g-7f
2. P3c-3d
3. P2g-2f
4. P4c-4d
5. P2f-2e
6. B2b-3c
7. S3i-4h
8. P9c-9d
9. G4i-5h
10. P9d-9e
11. K5i-6h
12. R8b-4b
13. K6h-7h
14. S3a-3b
15. P5g-5f
16. S7a-7b
17. S4h-5g
18. S3b-4c
19. P3g-3f
20. K5a-6b
21. B8h-7g
22. K6b-7a
23. K7h-8h
24. K7a-8b
25. L9i-9h
Habu shows his confidence by playing the Shikenbisha against Sato (or maybe
he is just bluffing). Sato is an expert in the Ibisha Anaguma and he has
had some very good results recently, for example against Shikenbisha
specialist Fujii. Commentators speculated that from this opening, Sato's
chances of beating Habu would be higher than in any other opening.
26. R4b-3b
27. S5g-6f
28. P4d-4e
29. R2h-3h
The best move here. If black moves his king in the anaguma immediately, white
can get a good position after 29. K9i P3e Px3e B4d.
30. P6c-6d
31. N2i-3g
This move looks unnatural because this knight is blocking the rook. However,
this knight will not stay here very long. Another possibility is 31. B8f
S5d (P6e S7g does not give white much) Bx6d S6e Bx5c+ Sx6f Px6f S*4i R3g,
which is unclear. Sato chooses the sharpest way to play this position.
32. P6d-6e
33. S6f-5e
34. P5c-5d
35. N3gx4e
36. P5dx5e
37. N4ex3c+
38. N2ax3c
39. P5fx5e
A difficult decision for the sealed move. Most people in the press room
expected 39. Bx5e. After 40. S5d B4d G4b B*2a S4c Bx3b+ Sx3b K9i the position
is very hard to judge and both players did not seem sure what to think of
it. "I did not really want to take the rook on 3b" (Sato). "I also do not
have a good way to continue, but the game variation is also difficult" (Habu).
40. P6e-6f
41. B7gx6f
42. S*6e
43. B6f-7e
44. R3b-5b
White has managed to activate most of his pieces, so the Furibisha side
does not have a bad position here. However, it is impossible to say if
this means that white has the advantage here.
45. P3f-3e
46. P3dx3e
47. R3hx3e
48. P*3d
49. R3e-3f
50. G4a-3b
51. N8i-7g
52. S6e-7d
53. B7e-6f
54. S4c-4d!
55. R3fx3d?!
This might have been the wrong response to Habu's activation of the silver.
The expected move was 55. B*4a R4b Bx3b+ Rx3b Rx3d S4e R4d and even though
black looks to have the advantage because of the rook promotion, the future
white counterattack N*8d is very nasty. "I did not spend a second thinking
about B*4a" (Sato).
56. G3b-4c
57. R3d-3f
58. S4dx5e
59. B6f-4h
60. P*5f
61. G5h-6h
62. N*6d
63. P*5h
64. N6dx7f
65. K8h-8i
66. N7fx6h+
67. G6ix6h
68. R5b-5d
Now white clearly seems to have the advantage. The exchange of knight for
gold and the activation of this rook are often enough. "I did not expect
that I would have to work that hard" (Habu).
69. P*3d!
Long thought, but well spent. Sato finds the best way to complicate the
position. Things are still far from clear.
70. R5dx3d
If 70. R4d then the rook sacrifice 71. Px3c+ Rx4g+ +Px4c +Rx3f N*8f is
good for black.
71. R3fx3d
72. G4cx3d
73. R*3a
74. R*4i
75. B4h-2f
With black's major pieces fully participating in the attack, it seems Sato
has managed to get out of trouble. A tight endgame race is the result.
76. G3d-4d
77. R3ax1a+
78. P*6f
79. L*6b?
The only real mistake by Sato and unfortunately for him the game is so
close that it is also the deciding one. Correct was 79. L*6d G*6i N*5i
Gx7i Kx7i Sx6d Bx4d S*5c and it is still very much in doubt who will win.
Sato thought long and hard about both L*6d and L*6b, but in the end could
not reach a conclusion and picked the wrong one.
80. G*9i!
Again Habu shows why he is the guy holding all the records. The simple
80. G7a loses to B*5c and +Rx7a followed by L6a+ next is a standard combination against which defence is impossible. The point of 80. G*9i will become clear soon.
81. K8i-7h
82. P6fx6g+!
83. G6hx6g
84. G6a-7a
And now 85. B*5c fails to 86. P*6a! and black has no continuation.
85. P*6f
86. G9ix9h
87. N*6d
88. R4ix4g+!
Another Habu special. This move is not threatening mate, and white's king
looks quite dangerous. However, black does not have enough pieces to give
his attack enough power.
89. P*4h
90. +R4gx5h
91. G6g-6h
92. +R5h-5i
93. G6h-6i
94. +R5i-2i
95. +R1ax7a
96. K8bx7a
97. B*5c
98. K7a-8b
99. N6dx7b+
100. K8bx7b
101. L6b-6a+
102. R*8h
Sato Resigns,
Time: 07:59:00 07:49:00
Mate after 103. Sx8h Gx8h Kx8h N*7f. So, after three games a surprising 3-0
lead for Osho Habu. Sato must feel very bad about the development in this
match. It is tough to be 3-0 behind, but worse must be the feeling that he
is playing close to the peak of his ability, but that Habu's endgame skills
are just too much for him.
*****
In other shogi news:
In the Kisei leagues, Habu had already qualified for the knock-out
challenger finals, but he topped off a fine performance in a tough group
by beating Matsumoto to get a perfect 3-0 record. Meijin Sato should be
very grateful for Habu's sportsmanship, since Habu's victory gave him
the opportunity to sneak into the quarterfinals through the back door.
A win over Maruyama gave him a 1-2 record, just like Maruyama and Matsumoto. His better seeding because of his good results last year made him advance over the other two.
In group D Namekata also advanced to the quarterfinals with a win over
Nakahara. A 2-0 score is already enough to secure his place in the final
eight with Habu, Sato, Goda and Yonenaga. There are still three positions
left, one of which will be filled by the winner of the game between Kimura
and Sugimoto. It is a big surprise that Ryu-O Fujii will not qualify from
that group.
*****
A big surprise is developing in the Ladies Meijin match between Shimizu
and Nakai. Nakai managed to win the second game as well to go up 2-0 with
three to play. Nakai has won the Ladies Meijin six times, but the last
time was six years ago. With all the strong teenagers in women's shogi,
it is surprising that 30-year old Nakai is so close to taking the Meijin
title from Shimizu.
- Reijer Grimbergen
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