# Shogi Game 24 (professional, full comment by amateur).
# 
# Below is the first contribution from Mike Sandeman. Mike used to wander
# barefoot around Europe, going to Shogi tournaments or somewhere else. One
# day he went on a holiday trip to India and Japan, which ended with making
# a living as English teacher in Kanazawa, Japan. And he does not seem to
# come back soon. For European Shogi this is rather a big loss, because in
# my opinion he was the strongest and most creative player by far. Here he
# reports on a professional game that he watched, writing the article a few
# days later from memory in a coffee bar. I am not sure whether I got the
# names of his companions right, but this is basically what he wrote.
# 
#    Pieter Stouten <stouten@embl.bitnet>
#    Archived 1-st November 1990.
# 
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 
# On Sunday 14 October the Nihon Series semi-final game between Nakahara,
# Meijin and Aono, 8-dan was fought out in Kanazawa Burka Hall. I went to
# watch the game with two friends Hanzawa san and Yanatori san. Between the
# various speeches and the Nihon Series game a game was played between
# Nishimura Hokuriku, Ama Osho and Takojima, ladies 5-dan Pro with
# explanations by Takahashi, 9-dan. We were happy that Nishimura san won
# this game, despite an apparently poor opening, with a smooth ease aided
# by some clever manoevers. Then we had the main event Nakahara (black)
# versus Aono with comments from Takojima and Takahashi.
   1.P2f P3d  2.P7f P8d  3.P2e P8e  4.G7h G3b  5.P2d Px2d  6.Rx2d P8f
   7.Px8f Rx8f  8.Rx3d N3c
[ Tanigawa's style 8. ... Bx8h+ 9.Sx8h P'2h  10.Sx2h B'4e seems to be quite
  out of fashion. In the latest Shogi Nenkan I can find only one example.
  This was a game by Habu which he lost. 8. ... B3c is by far the most
  popular move for professionals in this fashionable opening. Several games
  with 8. ... Bx8h+  9.Sx8h Rx7f also appear in the new Shogi Nenkan. Only
  three games with 8. ... N3c appear, all of which were played in
  tournaments with 10 minute time allowance. ]
   9.R3f R8d  10.R2f N4e
[ This move caused a stir amongst the audience. I have only seen one
  previous example of it, from Nakahara-Mori in last seasons quick play
  tournament. ]
   11.R5f Rx8h+
[ Mori played here 11. ... P'2h  12.Sx2h Bx8h+  13.Sx8h B'9b and got quite
  a reasonable position if that is your taste. ]
   12.Sx8h B'6e  13.R2f Nx5g+  14.G5h
[ Nakahara spent a lot of time on this move. We considered 14.N7g to be the
  natural move. Takahashi also suggested 14.S7g and 14.R'8e. Hanzawa san
  said N7g is the move he would choose but Nakahara will always choose
  something a little bit unusual in such a situation. Why ? In favour of
  Nakahara's choice we can say it attempts to eliminate immediately any
  upcoming threats at the kings head and it avoids any slight weaknesses
  created by 14.N7g. ]
   14. ... P'2e
[ I was surprised at this choice as after 15.R2h Nakahara is defending the
  second rank. After some thought Nakahara announced that he would seal the
  next move and take the adjournment at this point. We were a little
  shocked. Among the presents we received on arrival at the playing hall
  was a card on which to predict the sealed move. Here 15.R2h is so obvious
  we thought that as Nakahara chose to seal here he must have found
  something a little special. On our cards Yanatori san chose R2h, Hanzawa
  san R3f and I chose Rx2e with the expectation 15. ... Bx8h+  16.Gx8h
  Bx4g+ 17.B'2d K6b  18.Bx5g +Bx2e  19.R'8e and my bishop protects 7i.
  After the game Nakahara only mentioned this line upto 16. ... Bx4g+. I
  guess it is unnecessarily loose in any event. After the resumption the
  envelope turned out to contain R2h. ]
   15.R2h +Nx5h
[ I think, in my humble amateur way, that this gives up the fight, I hope I
  would not play it myself. ]
   16.Kx5h P'3f  17.Rx2e B5d  18.S4h P6d
[ Hanzawa san said: "Oh professional Shogi". Aono had now run out of time.
  In this tournament there is 10 minutes thinking time, then 30 seconds per
  move. However, the 30 seconds can be exceeded five times before incurring
  a loss. While considering this move Aono used the last of his five
  chances. ]
   19.P'8b Sx8b  20.N'4f B6c
[ After the game the players said this move has good and bad points. On 7b
  the bishop would weaken the right side attack. I felt B7b was natural but
  then I thought B6c prevents R8e. Further reflection leaves me perplexed. ]
   21.P'5d Px5d  22.P'2d G'1d  23.P2c+ Gx2e  24.+Px3b Sx3b  25.G'5c B7b
[ The players give 25. ... G5b  26.Gx6c Gx6c  27.B'7b ]
   26.R'4b Resigns
[ Aono admitted defeat. One of the shortest games I have seen, it
  illustrates some professional approaches particularly the combination of
  patience, resolve and aggression. ]
# 
#    Mike Sandeman, 17-th October 1990.
# 
