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Meijin Shogi Kifu Collection

Kifu #22

[Name "Reijer Grimbergen"]
[Email ""]
[Country "Japan"]
[Sente "Tanigawa Koji"]
[Gote "Habu Yoshiharu"]
[Black_grade "Chall"]
[White_grade "Meijin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Comment "Comments in the game by Reijer Grimbergen & Shukan Shogi"]
[Source "Reijer Grimbergen , translated from Shukan Shogi"]
[Event "55th Meijin Title Match"]
[Date "19970410"]
[Round "1"]
[Venue ""]
[Proam "Professional"]
{~ Furigoma decided that Tanigawa could start the match with black. A couple of~ years ago there was talk that Habu could even mesmerize the pawns thrown to~ decide black and white, but lately he seemed to have lost that ability :-).~ ~} P7g-7f P3c-3d P2g-2f P4c-4d S3i-4h S3a-4b P5g-5f P5c-5d G4i-5h S7a-6b {~ It was expected that Habu would play ranging rook, but Habu decided to play~ Yagura. It was a year and three months ago that Habu and Tanigawa last played~ the Yagura opening against each other.~ ~} S7i-6h G6a-5b P3g-3f G5b-4c G6i-7h G4a-3b K5i-6i K5a-4a P4g-4f P8c-8d P2f-2e S4b-3c S4h-4g P8d-8e S6h-7g B2b-3a N2i-3g P7c-7d P9g-9f N8a-7c P6g-6f {~ The sealed move. 31.S6f also seems possible, but after P6d P5e P6e the silver~ has to retreat to 5g which is not something one would like to do.~ ~} P6c-6d G5h-6g S6b-6c B8h-7i B3a-4b B7i-6h K4a-3a K6i-7i K3a-2b P4f-4e {~ Tanigawa: 'If I allow white to attack first, I have no faith in the position,~ so! I! pushed on'. Now the fight starts.~ ~} P4dx4e N3gx4e S3c-4d S4g-4f P6d-6e {~ The classic counter pawn push. The whole board will now be the battleground. ~} P6fx6e N7cx6e S7g-6f P8e-8f P8gx8f {~ Interestingly enough, the same position already occured in a game between the~ same two players. In November 1988 Habu had black against (at that time) Meijin~ Tanigawa.~ ~} B4bx8f { ? ~ Almost ten years ago, Tanigawa played 52.P*8e, which is much better. After~ Px8f P2d Bx2d P3e Rx8e P*8h white had a good position and went on to win the~ game from there.~ ~} B6hx8f R8bx8f P2e-2d P2cx2d P'2c {~ A severe attack. If Kx2c then P*2e Px2e P*2d Kx2d B*4a and the attack only~ becomes stronger. Taking with the gold is also not very attractive. In the~ analysing room some people already wondered if the game was over. However,~ even at this level the game is never that simple...~ ~} G3bx2c S6fx6e P'6f G6g-7g R8f-8e N'1e {~ This knight drop is always a problem if the pawn is not pushed to 1d. ! However,~ also good seems 63.P*2e Px2e Rx2e P*2d Sx5d (Sx5d N3c+ and Rx8e). ~ ~} S4dx4e B'4a B'3b {! ~ A great fighting move and the only defense that keeps Habu's position together~ (at least for the time being).~ ~} B4ax6c+ N'6g G7gx6g P6fx6g+ G7hx6g R8ex6e S'4a {?? ~ A horrible mistake. Tanigawa: 'I thought I was threatening an easy mate, but~ after having dropped the silver I realised that it wasn't mate at all'.~ ~} R6ex6c {?? ~ Habu is victim to the same illusion. Both players had plenty of time here~ (Tanigawa 25 minutes and Habu more than 90 minutes). Actually Habu took 15~ minutes to play this move. His shallow analysis: Sx3b+ Kx3b B*4a K3a N*2c~ and a quick mate. However, after N*2c K2b G*3b K1b Nx1a+ Kx1a G2b Kx2b Rx2d~ K3a there is no mate. There are actually quite a few variations that seem to~ lead to mate in this position, but none does. For example, Sx3b+ Kx3b Nx2c+~ Kx2c N*1e K3c B*2b K3b and no mate. Conclusion: if Habu would have played~ 74.Rx6g+ instead of !Rx!6c, he would have won the game!~ ~} S4ax3b+ K2bx3b N1ex2c+ K3b-4a P'6d R6cx6d P'6e R6dx6e P'6f R6e-8e B'6c S'5b B6cx7d+ R8e-8g+ {~ Habu: 'G*6i might have been better.. '. However, even if 88.G*6i then K7h~ B*8g K8h is no mate and black wins.'~ ~} G6g-7g S'8h { ~ Nothing helps. For example 90.G*6i Kx6i +Rx8i G*7i B*4g G*5h and black wins.~ ~} R2hx8h G'6i K7ix6i +R8gx8h S'3b K4a-5a +B7dx5b K5ax5b S3bx4c {~ Resigns~ ~ Not an easy mate. Habu took three minutes before resigning to confirm the variations:~ a) 100.Kx4c N*5e Px5e G*4d Kx4d Sx5e and easy mate~ b) 100.K6a S5b= (S5b+ is also good) Kx5b G*5c Kx5c N*6e and mate~ c) 100.K6b N*7d K6c G*7c Kx7c S*6b and mate~ ~ A hard blow to Habu who not only lost but also had his endgame confidence~ shaken. Let's see how he recovers in the second game on April 26th and 27th.~ ~ }