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 Tetsuro		HABU Yoshiharu
1	P-76	2	P-34
3	P-26	4	P-84
5	P-25	6	P-85
7	G-78	8	G-32
9	P-24	10	Px24
11	Rx24	12	P-86
13	Px86	14	Rx86
15	Rx34	16	B-33
17	R-36	18	R-84
19	R-26	20	S-22
21	P*87	22	K-52
23	S-48	24	S-72
25	K-58	26	S-23
27	G-38	28	R-24
29	Rx24	30	Sx24
31	R*84	32	P-74
33	R-82+	34	Bx88+
35	Sx88	36	B*55
37	B*46	38	Bx46
39	Px46	40	B*14
41	B*36	42	S-25
43	B-47	44	P*36
45	P-16	46	Px37+
47	Sx37	48	S-26
49	Bx14	50	Px14
51	P*33	52	N*33
53	B*83	54	B*94
55	Bx94+	56	Px94
57	B*83	58	B*93
59	+Rx72	60	Gx72
61	Bx72+	62	Sx37+
63	Nx37	64	R*29
65	P*39	66	P*36
67	S*61	68	K-42
69	+Bx63	70	K-31
71	+Bx36	72	Rx19+
73	P*23	74	+Rx16
75	+B-35	76	R*54
77	G-68	78	L*55
79	S*66	80	P*65
81	Sx55	82	Rx55
83	L*24	84	P*21
85	S-52+	86	S*41
87	+B-34	88	+R-36
89	G*22	90	Px22
91	Px22+	92	Gx22
93	Lx22+	94	Kx22
95	P*23	1-0

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)

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 Yoshiharu		ITODANI Tetsuro
1	P-76	2	P-34
3	P-26	4	G-32
5	P-25	6	Bx88+
7	Sx88	8	S-22
9	S-38	10	S-33
11	K-68	12	S-72
13	S-77	14	P-64
15	S-27	16	S-63
17	S-26	18	P-14
19	P-36	20	P-44
21	P-35	22	R-42
23	Px34	24	Sx34
25	G49-58	26	P-74
27	K-78	28	G-72
29	S-37	30	G-33
31	K-88	32	N-73
33	P-66	34	P-45
35	G-78	36	K-62
37	G58-67	38	P-94
39	P-96	40	S-35
41	S-26	42	S-44
43	P-56	44	B*49
45	G78-68	46	P*38
47	B*57	48	P-65
49	S-37	50	S-54
51	P-24	52	Px24
53	S-48	54	P-46
55	Bx46	56	S44-45
57	B-35	58	P-39+
59	Sx39	60	G-34
61	B-57	62	N-85
63	S-86	64	P*46
65	S-48	66	P-84
67	Px65	68	Sx65
69	Px46	70	Sx46
71	Bx84	72	G-73
73	Bx73+	74	Kx73
75	Sx85	76	P*66
77	G67-77	78	Sx56
79	Gx66	80	B*33
81	P*44	82	Bx44
83	G*77	84	P*67
85	G-69	86	S-55
87	P*45	88	B-33
89	Gx56	90	Sx56
91	P*35	92	Gx45
93	P-34	94	B-55
95	R-24	96	R-82
97	Sx74	98	Kx74
99	P-33+	100	K-83
101	N*75	102	K-92
103	S*83	104	Rx83
105	Nx83+	106	Kx83
107	R*85	108	K-72
109	Rx21+	110	P-68+
111	+R-81	112	K-63
113	Rx55	114	+Px69
115	N*75	116	K-64
117	B*73	1-0

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 Tetsuro		HABU Yoshiharu
1	P-76	2	P-84
3	P-26	4	G-32
5	G-78	6	P-85
7	B-77	8	P-34
9	S-88	10	Bx77+
11	Sx77	12	S-42
13	S-38	14	S-72
15	P-16	16	P-14
17	P-96	18	P-94
19	P-36	20	P-64
21	K-68	22	S-63
23	K-79	24	S-54
25	G-58	26	P-44
27	P-46	28	G-52
29	S-47	30	K-41
31	S-56	32	K-31
33	P-66	34	P-74
35	N-37	36	N-73
37	P-25	38	P-65
39	Px65	40	S-33
41	S-66	42	P-75
43	P-45	44	Px45
45	P-24	46	Px24
47	Nx45	48	S-44
49	B*46	50	B*51
51	P*25	52	Px25
53	P*23	54	Px23
55	Sx75	56	S44x45
57	Sx45	58	Sx45
59	P*24	60	Gx24
61	Bx24	62	Bx24
63	Rx25	64	P*23
65	Rx45	66	B*54
67	R-48	68	Nx45
69	S-66	70	P-86
71	Px86	72	N*74
73	Sx65	74	Bx65
75	R-45	76	B-54
77	N*44	78	S*43
79	R-75	80	P*73
81	S*55	82	Sx44
83	Sx54	84	N*66
85	S*43	86	Gx43
87	Sx43+	88	Nx78+
89	Kx78	90	N-66
91	K-77	92	Nx58+
93	R-65	94	S-32
95	P*42	96	Bx42
97	B*61	98	Sx43
99	Bx43+	100	S*32
101	R-61+	102	G*51
103	+Bx44	104	B-33
105	+Rx51	106	G*41
107	+Bx33	108	Nx33
109	+Rx53	110	B*68
111	K-66	112	Bx57+
113	K-77	114	P*66
115	B*64	116	P-67+
117	K-87	118	K-21
119	P*22	120	K-12
121	+Rx57	122	S*78
123	K-98	124	+Px57
125	B*46	126	Kx22
127	N*26	1-0

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.