Takodori's Entrance to Shogi World

16th permanent Meijin Nakahara will retire from professional tournament at the end of this month

According to Nihon Shogi Renmei's announcement, 16th permanent Meijin Nakahara Makoto will retire from the professional tournaments on March 31. The link below is the announcement in Japanese.

http://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2008/main.html#0311

Boardlive today and tomorrow - 6th game of 58th Osho-sen 4-win match

Today is the day for the 6th game of 58th Osho-sen 4-win match betwen Osho Habu Yoshiharu and Oui Fukaura Koichi at Imaiso in Kawadu town, Shizuoka prefecture.  It started at 9:00 am. Habu is Sente Player. The opening strategy is Fukaura's B-3c at the 4th move.. Before the game, the score was in 3-2 led by Fukaura.

Kifu for Flash

Official Blog(in Japanese)

The allotted thinking time per player is 8 hours and less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it. The game is expected to end in the evening of tomorrow(based on Japan Time).

I'm writing my impressions, comments etc.., about this game in my twitter page from time to time. If you are interested, please follow it.

Sato took one game - 3rd game of 34th Kio-sen

The 3rd game of 34th Kio-sen between Kio Sato Yasumitsu and Kubo Toshiaki(8 dan) was held at Niigata Grand Hotel in Niigata City, Nigata prefecture on March 8, 2009. Sato was Sente player. Kubo chose Gokigen Nakabisha and Sato adopted G-7h at the 7th move which seems popular against Gokigen Nakabisha recently. Sato beat Kubo in 121 moves. The score is 1-2 still led by Kubo after the game.

Here is the resignation diagram when Sato's King escaped to 9h responding to Kubo's +Sx7h. After the diagram, there will be no mate for Sente's King while Gote has no defense. Here are some possible variations after that.

• G*8h K-9g Gx8g Kx8g R*8h K-9g +Sx7g B*7a K-9b G*9c Nx9c G*8b(mate)
• G*8h K-9g Gx8g Kx8g R*8i Kx7h Rx9i+  B*7a K-9b G*9c Nx9c G*8b(mate)
• G*7a +Px7a R*8h K-9g +Sx7g +Px7b Kx7b N*8d Px8d B*6a K-8b G*8c K-7a B-7b+(mate)
• G*7a +Px7a R*8h K-9g +Sx7g Nx9d(!) Lx9d +Px7b K-9b G*8b K-9c Gx8c Kx8c R*8b K-9c G*8c(mate)
• G*7a +Px7a R*8h K-9g +Sx7g Nx9d(!) Lx9d +Px7b K-9c B*7a K-8d S*8e Kx8e R*8f(mate, Replayable by clicking the arrow in the right direction under the diagram)
• G*7a +Px7a R*8h K-9g +Sx7g Nx9d K-9b G*9c Kx9c B*7a Kx9d G*9e(mate)
• G*7a +Px7a R*8h K-9g +Sx7g Nx9d K-9b G*9c Kx9c B*7a K-9b B-8b+(mate)

In any case, Gote has no defense.

Board & Photo live today - Nakamura Marika vs Iwane Shinobu, 2nd Mynavi Joshi Open, Final

Today is the day for a game of the final of 2nd Mynavi Joshi Open(Challenger deciding knockout tournament) between Nakamura Marika(Joryu 2 dan) and Iwane Shinobu(Joryu sho dan) at Tokyo Shogi Kaikan of JSA. It started at 10:00 am. As a result of Furigoma, Nakamura became Sente player.

Kifu for Flash | Kifu for Java

Frequently updated Photos of both players and board(Left = Nakamura)

Official Blog(in Japanese) | Mynavi Joshi Open Toppage(in Japanese)

The thinking time per player is 3 hours and less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it. The game is expected to end around 5:00pm today.

I will be putting my comments on this game at my twitter page.

Boardlive today - 3rd game of 34th Kio-sen

Today is the day for the 3rd game of 34th Kio-sen between Kio Sato Yasumitsu and Kubo Toshiaki(8 dan) at Niigata Grand Hotel in Niigata City, Niigata prefecture. Sato is Sente player and Kubo chose Gokigen Nakabisha. The allotted thinking time per player is 4 hours and less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it. I think it will end around 5:00 - 6:00pm since it started at 9:00am(Japan Time). You can watch the boardlive through below;

Kifu for Flash board

Kifu for Java board

Frannsis is the winner - PlayOK tournament #3034682

Frannsis is the winner of the captioned on-line shogi tournament held on March 7, 2009. PlayOK.com holds official shogi tournaments at 20:15 on every Wednesday and 14:15(CET) on every Saturday. Here is the link to the result. You can replay the games by clicking each point in the table on the linked page. Since the page will disappear in 6 months from the tournament date, I'm uploading the screenshot of the result below;

PlayOK.com - tournament #3034682 (shogi)

Shimizu has come back to Joryu Meijin - 5th game of 35th Joryu Meijini-sen three-win match

On March 5, the 5th game of 35th Joryu-Meijini-sen 3-win match between Joryu Meijin Yauchi and Challenger Joryu Osho Shimizu was held at Tokyo Shogi Kaikan of JSA in Tokyo. Yauchi was Sente player as a result of Furigoma. Shimizu won the game in 106 moves to take the Joryu Meijin title. Congratulation on Shimizu.

The diagram below is the resignation one where Sente dropped the Gold on 6h. After the position in the diagram, there will be mate for Sente's King. Here are some variations..

Rx6h Sx6h+ Kx6h R*5h K-7i G*7h(mate, replayable by clicking the arrow in the right direction)

Rx6h Sx6h+ Kx6h R*5h K-6i G*6h(mate)

In any cases, Gote's King will be forced to be mated.

 

Boardlive today - 5th(Final) Game of 35th Joryu Meijini-sen 3-win match

Today is the day for 5th game of 35th Joryu Meijini-sen 3-win match between Joryu Meijin Yauchi Rieko vs Challenger Joryu Osho Shimizu Ichiyo. It started at 10:00am at Tokyo Shogi Kaikan of JSA, Tokyo, Japan. As a result of Furigoma(5 pawn toss), Yauchi became Sente in this game. The allotted thinking time per player is 3 hours and less than 60seconds per move after consuming it. You can watch and replay the game through the linked Kifu for Java board below. The opening strategy is Shimizu's Migi(right) Shikenbisha. Shimizu is very agressive as if she does not feel any pressure of the final game.

Yauchi vs Shimizu

Frannsis is the winner - PlayOK tournament #3034656

Frannsis is the winner of the captioned on-line shogi tournament held on March 4, 2009. PlayOK.com holds official shogi tournaments at 20:15(CET) on every Wendnesday and at 14:15(CET) on every Saturday. Here is the link to the result. You can replay the games by clicking each point in the table on the linked page. Since the page will disappear in 6 months from the tournament date, I'm uploading the screenshot of the result below;

PlayOK.com - tournament #3034656 (shogi)

Final standings of 67th A Juni-sen(Top 10 league to decide Challenger against Meijin)

Yesterday the final(9th) round of 67th A Juni-sen was held. Here is the final standing after that.

1. Goda Masataka (7-2) --- Challenger against Meijin Habu
2. Sato Yasumitsu(6-3)
3. Moriuchi Toshiyuki (5-4)
4. Maruyama Tadahisa(5-4)
5. Kimura Kazuki(5-4)
6. Fujii Takeshi(4-5)
7. Tanigawa Koji(4-5)
8. Miura Hiroyuki (3-6)
9. Suzuki Daisuke (3-6) --- to downgrade to B1
10. Fukaura Koichi (3-6) --- to downgrade to B1

Here are the results of yesterday.

1. Tanigawa beat Suzuki --- Tanigawa managed to survive in A class with this victory. Suzuki to downgrade to B1 with this defeat.
2. Moriuchi beat Miura --- Miura would have downgraded to B1 if Fukaura beat Maruyama.
3. Sato beat Fujii --- Sato would have a chance to challenger-deciding play-off but Goda's victory defeated his hope.
4. Goda beat Kimura --- Goda became the challenger against Meijin Habu. Kimura failed to have a chance of challenger-dciding play-off with this defeat.
5. Maruyama beat Fukaura --- Fukaura could not survive in A1 again to downgrade to B1.