2015年3月24日火曜日

How to Play against Mino Castle on the Left Side

If you love swinging Rook and offensive ideas, It would suit you to play Ishida-style opening.
The kernel Ishida idea is to place your Rook on 76 and make it easy to activate your left Knight. In fact nothing is as important as Activating the Knight wherever you swing your Rook on the left!
You play the opening like thus:


▲P-76 △P-34 ▲P-75


... △S-62 ▲P-66 △P-64 ▲R-78 △S-63 ▲K-48 △P-84 ▲G69-58 △K-42 ▲S-38 △P-85 ▲R-76

* No need too afraid of △P-65~△B*28 here because after there is counter attack ▲B*55! △N-33 ▲P-74! The line well appears on the board.


... △S-32 ▲K-39 △K-31 ▲S-68 △G61-52 ▲S-67 △B-33 ▲B-77 △K-22 ▲P-16 △P-14 ▲S-56 △P-24




This position, including similar instances, has been played again and again between masters, and for a long time this Left-Mino castle defense regarded as nemesis of Ishida-style.
They find a very natural move such as ▲K-28, ▲S-45, ▲P-65, ▲P-96, and ▲P-46... leads them a little bit disadvantaged finally. Therefore Ishida-style was once on the edge of extinction.

However, the surprising idea for which we all had been fall occurred recently.
Activate your full imagination and show next more than 5 Moves to put White on crisis!

2014年10月2日木曜日

Why did he lose a tempo by himself? No.1

Abstract

Do you remember the 2nd game of Habu vs. Itodani? In the opening of this game Itodani lose a tempo exceedingly thus:
We look over the idea of this exchange and inquire measures surrounding it.

Background

You know you will lose a tempo if you exchange same pieces on default squares by yourself. So a normal Bishop-Exchange opening progress like thus:
Black has forced Black to move B-77 to prevent pawn exchange on 8th line. Therefore Black doesn't lose a tempo.
After this position next is a development which you must imagine when you play this opening:
(Black's turn)
This position is so traditional that have been played for one hundred years. But present masters made a temporal conclusion that Black has a advantage. See comments of  this article as cf..

The Kernel Idea

Way back to the game of Itodani. Probably one of what he aimed is a position below:
(White's turn)
He will move G52-43 or N-73 here. 
Compare this and previous position carefully. White become able to move the rook-side knight for 85 smoothly as the result of withholding P-85 here.
Now White is almost hopeless to attack voluntarily because lost a tempo, but from the start Bishop Exchange is the opening that Black inclines to get a hegemony over first attack due to this symmetrical position. Then, why don't White make a position specializing in counter attack? That's the kernel of sacrificing a tempo.
In fact the winning percentage of White is not so bad in spite of losing a tempo.

In the next article, we look over specific developments after the position and other Black's measures.

2014年9月13日土曜日

The final game of 3 to qualify for the RYU'OU(竜王) title match in 2014

You can see the game with board HERE.

The game score

ITODANI TetsuroHABU Yoshiharu
1P-762P-34
3P-264P-84
5P-256P-85
7G-788G-32
9P-2410Px24
11Rx2412P-86
13Px8614Rx86
15Rx3416B-33
17R-3618R-84
19R-2620S-22
21P*8722K-52
23S-4824S-72
25K-5826S-23
27G-3828R-24
29Rx2430Sx24
31R*8432P-74
33R-82+34Bx88+
35Sx8836B*55
37B*4638Bx46
39Px4640B*14
41B*3642S-25
43B-4744P*36
45P-1646Px37+
47Sx3748S-26
49Bx1450Px14
51P*3352N*33
53B*8354B*94
55Bx94+56Px94
57B*8358B*93
59+Rx7260Gx72
61Bx72+62Sx37+
63Nx3764R*29
65P*3966P*36
67S*6168K-42
69+Bx6370K-31
71+Bx3672Rx19+
73P*2374+Rx16
75+B-3576R*54
77G-6878L*55
79S*6680P*65
81Sx5582Rx55
83L*2484P*21
85S-52+86S*41
87+B-3488+R-36
89G*2290Px22
91Px22+92Gx22
93Lx22+94Kx22
95P*231-0

Comments


  • 16.B-33
The most popular move. 
11.N-33.. or 11.Bx88+ 12.SxB+ 13.Rx76... have been also played much. Another minor but playable line is thus: 11.Bx88+ 12.SxB+ 13.B*45 14.R-24 15.P*23 16.B*77 (if you had moved rook somewhere, then 17.Bx67+!! would make you serious)...
  • 32.P-74
32.P*83 looks natural, but 33.Rx24 34.BxR 35.Bx11+ 36.B-33 37.+Bx21 38.G-42 39.+B-31 40.Bx99+ 41.N*34 then Sente is winning.
  • 37.B*46
If you let +R escape onto 85 here, then 38.Bx88+ 39.Gx+B 40.R*79 41.S-59 42.S*78. Attacks by only 2 pieces tend to fail or not so harsh often, but this is exceptional.
  • 40.B*14
40.B*55 had once been played, but now concluded as dubious because when it proceeds like the line above, Sente's king has a hatchway of 47.
  • 48.S-26
Very impressive move. If you take this silver, then 50.Bx47+ 51.Gx+B 52.R*28 (or 51.Kx+B 52.R*49).
  • 52.Nx33
According to a study after the game, better was 52.B*25 of which Itodani had been afraid.
Then an imaginable progress is thus:
53.K-68 54.Nx33 55.B*83 56.Rx78+ 57.Kx+R 58.G*71 59.+Rx91 60.SxB 61.SxS 62.B-58+ 63.S*69 64.+BxS 65.Kx+B 66.B*55 67.P*34 68.Bx+R 69.PxN+ 70.R*49 71.R*59 72.Rx46+ 73.S-37 74.+Rx76 75.L*79 76.+Rx67 77.P*68 78.+R-65 79.+Px32 80.K-62...


Habu disliked such like the position above and just took the pawn on 33. However, he could not get a chance no more as a result.
  • 74.+Rx16
In postgame analysis they have dug deep into 74.L*54 75.P-75 76.+Rx16 77.+Bx54 78.Px+B 79.L*24 instead, which is more preserving but...


80.S*47 81.K-68... (If you take silver by gold, R*28 forking. And taking by king, then 82.B*36 83.K-56 84.R*62 85.S*53 86.P-55 87.KxP 88.+R-15 89.N-45 90.B-82 allows Gote to equalize)
80.S*51 81.S*53 82.B*36 83.K-68 84.P*21 85.S61-52+ 86.Sx+S 87.SxS+ 88.R*58 89.K-77 90.S*76 91.K-66 92.P*65 93.KxS 94.RxG+ 95.S-77 96.Px75 97.Kx65 98.+Rx67 99.P*66...
80.S*63 81.S*53 82.B*36 83.K-68 84.N-45 85.S61-52+ 86.Nx57+ 87.K-77 88.Sx+S 89.SxS+ 90.S*76 91.KxS 92.Px75 93.K-65 94.+R-15 95.N-45...
Sente has some advantage each line above and others.

Solution to the last problem

(on the way to edit)

2014年9月7日日曜日

The 2nd game of 3 to qualify for the RYU'OU(竜王) title match in 2014

You can see the game with board HERE.

The game score

HABU YoshiharuITODANI Tetsuro
1P-762P-34
3P-264G-32
5P-256Bx88+
7Sx888S-22
9S-3810S-33
11K-6812S-72
13S-7714P-64
15S-2716S-63
17S-2618P-14
19P-3620P-44
21P-3522R-42
23Px3424Sx34
25G49-5826P-74
27K-7828G-72
29S-3730G-33
31K-8832N-73
33P-6634P-45
35G-7836K-62
37G58-6738P-94
39P-9640S-35
41S-2642S-44
43P-5644B*49
45G78-6846P*38
47B*5748P-65
49S-3750S-54
51P-2452Px24
53S-4854P-46
55Bx4656S44-45
57B-3558P-39+
59Sx3960G-34
61B-5762N-85
63S-8664P*46
65S-4866P-84
67Px6568Sx65
69Px4670Sx46
71Bx8472G-73
73Bx73+74Kx73
75Sx8576P*66
77G67-7778Sx56
79Gx6680B*33
81P*4482Bx44
83G*7784P*67
85G-6986S-55
87P*4588B-33
89Gx5690Sx56
91P*3592Gx45
93P-3494B-55
95R-2496R-82
97Sx7498Kx74
99P-33+100K-83
101N*75102K-92
103S*83104Rx83
105Nx83+106Kx83
107R*85108K-72
109Rx21+110P-68+
111+R-81112K-63
113Rx55114+Px69
115N*75116K-64
117B*731-0

Comments


  • 6.Bx88+
You must feel strange at first glance! Why does he lose another tempo by himself?
Actually the reason is too complicated to explain instantly so I 'll make it as an article later.
I just note a thing here: if you move the right silver on 56 like the previous game, which idea looks natural and in fact has once been played again and again among pros, the position is not bad for Gote! That's why HABU moved on the way of 27~26.
  • 22.R-42
Itodani tries to castle on the rook side because the 3rd file tends to be a field of battle.
22.G-52 23.Px34 24.Sx34 25.S-37 26.G52-43... is another playable line, almost equal.
  • 25.G49-58
You find 25.B*56? You must be keen but that's a trap! See Today's Problem.
  • 42.S-44
Suppose 42.Sx26 43.Rx26 44.B*58 45.G67-68...
46.Bx47+ 47.P-24 48.Px24 49.P*43, if he takes by gold then Rx24, and if takes by rook then B*22...
46.B-49+ 47.N-37, threatening P-24 PxP P*22 RxP Nx45...
 Each reply leads Sente to not bad position, I think.
  • 45.G78-68
Surely 45.B*16 46.Bx16+ 47.Px16 is imaginable. It's subtle to regard which is better, the pawn on 17 or 16.


  • 78.Sx56
According to study after the game, 78.R-82 is better.


(Still on the way to edit...)

Today's problem


Your turn. Show over 3 moves and leads to a good position.

Solution to the last problem


After G*41!...
i)KxG, R-61+ G*51, B*52 RxB, +RxR Gx+R, R*31 KxR, G*32#
ii)K-22, B*31 K-12, G*22 RxG, BxR+ Kx+B, R*32 K-13, N*25#
Check all struggles lead to checkmate finally:)

The 1st game of 3 to qualify for the RYU'OU(竜王) title match in 2014


This is the 1st game of the three game match to qualify for the RYUOH(竜王) title match in 2014 between HABU and ITODANI.
This cliffhanging game was played on 2014-08-14 and won by ITODANI.

I translate the score into non-Japanese notation and add some comments. You can see the original score HERE.

The game score

ITODANI TetsuroHABU Yoshiharu
1P-762P-84
3P-264G-32
5G-786P-85
7B-778P-34
9S-8810Bx77+
11Sx7712S-42
13S-3814S-72
15P-1616P-14
17P-9618P-94
19P-3620P-64
21K-6822S-63
23K-7924S-54
25G-5826P-44
27P-4628G-52
29S-4730K-41
31S-5632K-31
33P-6634P-74
35N-3736N-73
37P-2538P-65
39Px6540S-33
41S-6642P-75
43P-4544Px45
45P-2446Px24
47Nx4548S-44
49B*4650B*51
51P*2552Px25
53P*2354Px23
55Sx7556S44x45
57Sx4558Sx45
59P*2460Gx24
61Bx2462Bx24
63Rx2564P*23
65Rx4566B*54
67R-4868Nx45
69S-6670P-86
71Px8672N*74
73Sx6574Bx65
75R-4576B-54
77N*4478S*43
79R-7580P*73
81S*5582Sx44
83Sx5484N*66
85S*4386Gx43
87Sx43+88Nx78+
89Kx7890N-66
91K-7792Nx58+
93R-6594S-32
95P*4296Bx42
97B*6198Sx43
99Bx43+100S*32
101R-61+102G*51
103+Bx44104B-33
105+Rx51106G*41
107+Bx33108Nx33
109+Rx53110B*68
111K-66112Bx57+
113K-77114P*66
115B*64116P-67+
117K-87118K-21
119P*22120K-12
121+Rx57122S*78
123K-98124+Px57
125B*46126Kx22
127N*261-0

Comments

  • 20.P-64 
Habu aims to put his silver on 54. Other ways to move S-73~64 or S-83~84 are also playable.
  • 21.K-68
If you move this before Gote's P-64, Gote will move S-73 or S-83 and you be disadvantaged because your king is near a battle of field.
  • 40.S-33
Habu have selected neither traditional moves, 38.S-33 nor 40.P-75.
In fact, nowadays they are supposed as good for Sente among pros like thus:
38.S-33 39.P-45 40.PxP 41.P-24 42.PxP 43.P-15 44.PxP 45.P-75 46.PxP 47.P-35 48.S-44 49. Rx24 50.G-63 51.P*12 52.Lx12 53.Px34 54.B*38 55.R-39 56.B-27+ 57.B*11 58.+B-28 59.Bx44+ 60.+Bx39 61.P*22...
40.P-75 41.P-24 42.Px24 43.P*25 44.Px25 45.Px75 46.P-86 47.Px86 48.Nx65 49.SxN 50.SxS 51.Rx25...
  • 42.P-75
You can't take this pawn. That's Because 43.Px75 44.P-86... or 43. Sx75 44.Sx65... each situation is not good for Sente.
However, Gote can't also take pawn on 76 next due to Sente's P*74.

Note
Suppose that it's Gote's turn here, and then P-86 Px86 Rx86 P*87 R-82... the position had been appeared in many games of pros with Sente and Gote inversed.
Nowadays they incline to regard Sente as with bright prospect in this position, but you know it's Itodani's turn in this game! 
  • 46.Px24 
If he makes 46.Sx24, you 47.Nx45 threatening B*44 and B*71.
  • 47.Nx45
47.P-35 was also possible. After that, for example 48.S-44 49.P-15 50.Px15 51.P*13 52.Lx13 53.Rx24 54.B*49 55.G58-67 56.P*23... almost equal.

  • 59.P*24
If you move 59.Rx25(forking!), then 60.P*24 61.Rx45 62.S*54 and miss your rook. Sente has a weakness for an attack by a captured rook.
The situation have became complicated more and more.

  • 63.Rx25
63.S*23 is imaginable. Then 64.G-43 65.Rx25 66.G-33 67.G*32 68.Gx32 69.Rx24 70.G-33 71.B*22... Sente has an advantage. It may be better for Gote to take G*32 by rook.
After the game Itodani said that 63.Rx25 was attempt to preserving move. So to say, he has wanted to leave some room of the silver for guard.

  • 77.N*44
A strong 77.S*22!? had occurred to Itodani, but then after 78.Kx22 79.R-41+ 80.G-51 81.S*31 82.K-12 83.P*42(threatmate!), 84.B-33 become a very fitting move and he should be losing.
So he kept a balance by this knight, but the position is for Habu now.
  • 88.Nx78+
It seems very natural but in fact is automatic. Habu would be almost winning if he had dropped 88.S*32.
  • 93.R-65
Itodani threatens mating by next G*41! and it appears to go back almost equal.
  • 97.B*61
Itodani made a bit mistake. He had regarded Gote's king as captured by 98.Sx43 99.Bx43+ 100.S*32 101.R-61+ 102.P*41 103.G*52.
In fact, this is his misunderstanding. By after that 104.Sx43 105.+Rx41 106.K-22 107.+Rx42 108.K-13, the king will get clear away and Itodani's king is now on jeopardy!
Perhaps he should have made a move 97.+Sx44 instead, but he was afraid of losing tempo.
  • 102.G*51
The cause of defeat as a result. As written above, If Habu had put a pawn on 41, he could keep the balance.
  • 125.B*46
Apart from this, you would be forked of your king and the bishop on 64 by rook.

Next 127.N*26 is the winning move. Now Gote is entangled in the mating net.

Other Comments

The 2nd game has already been played on 2014-09-02, won by Habu.
The final is on 2014-09-08.

You can see the game in real time from HERE:)

Today's Problem


Your turn. Make a strong move G*41!! and mate the king.

Note: you should calculate both patterns after black replaying i) Kx41 and ii)K-22.