Takodori's Entrance to Shogi World

Boardlive today - Habu vs Watanabe, 3d game of 59th Ouza-sen

Today is the day for the third game of 59th Ouza-sen best of five match between Ouza Habu Yoshiharu and Challenger Ryuo Watanabe Akira. The game started at 9:00 at Shouhakutei-AZUMASOU in Tendo City, Yamagata prefecture. Before the game, Watanabe took two games in a row. Habu cannot lose any more game to defend the title and to achieve 20 consecutive holding the title in Ouza-sen. Watanabe is Sente for this game. The opening they chose is Yokofutori. Habu retrieved his Rook to 8d instead of 8e. And it got certain Watanabe would be able to make Tokin at the 37th move even though the move was made in the morning yet. It is highly likely that the fierce battle will start soon after lunch time is over at 1:00pm. The allotted thinking time per player is five hours so I think it will end after 9:00pm(Japan time). You can watch and replay the game at

• Watanabe(Sente) vs Habu

Here is the official site of the 59th Ouza-sen. And a chat environment with a slightly-dererred-liveboard is ready at 81Dojo.

Shogi Boardlive Today - Habu vs Watanabe, 2nd game of 59th Ouza-sen

Today is the day for the second game of the 59th Ouza-sen between Ouza Habu Yoshiharu  and Ryuo Watanabe Akira. The game started at 9:00am with Habu's Sente at The Westin Miyako in Kyoto City. Before the game, Watanabe took the first game. So Habu would like to tie the score to win this game. The opening went to Aigakari. Habu's bold way of allowing Watanabe to gain a kNight surprised us a lot. You can watch and replay the game on the virtual liveboard through the following link.

• Habu vs Watanabe

Since the allotted thinking time per player is five hours, I think the game will end after 9:00pm today. Here  is the official Ouza-sen site(in Japanese). If you a member of NICO NICO DOUGA and can listen to Japanese, Meijin Moriuchi's live commentary is available to watch here.

A chat environment with watching a slightly-deferred-liveboard is ready at 81Dojo.

Shogi Boardlive Today and Tomorrow - Hirose vs Habu, 7th game of 52nd Oui-sen

Today and tomorrow are the days for the seventh(final) game of the 52nd Oui-sen best-of-five match between Oui Hirose Akihito and Challenger two crown Habu Yoshiharu. Before the game, the score is tied in 3-3. So the winner of this game will be the next Oui-holder.  As a result of Furigoma, Hirose became Sente. Day 1 of the game started at 9:00am at Jinya in Kanagawa prefecture. Hirose blocked his Bishop diagonal at the thrid move and Habu advanced hir Rook pawn to 8d at the 4th move, which showed that he had no intention to choose double ranging Rook in this game. In this way, the opening of this game become Hirose's Shikenbisha with Anaguma vs Habu's static Rook with Anaguma. Since Hirose is considerd what I call a real genius in games with double Anaguma, Habu's tempting  Hirose to this opening is very impressive in the final game of the match. You can watch and replay the game through the official liveboard through the link below;

• Hirose vs Habu

Here is the official website of the 52nd Oui-sen. Day 1 will end at around 6:00pm. The player who has turn to play at that time will seal his next move to close the day. Day 2 will start at 9:00am tomorrow(Japan time). The allotted thinking time per plahyer is eight hours, so it will end in the evening of Day 2 tomorrow.

Shogi Boardlive today - Habu vs Watanabe, 1st game of 59th Ouza-sen best-of-five match

Today is the day for the game between Ouza Habu Yoshiharu and Ryuo Watanabe Akira. It's the first game of the 59th Ouza-sen best-of-five match at Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo. Habu's twenty consecutive wins are at stake in this series. Watanabe's challenge to take the Ouza title  is the second time since he did last time in 2003. As a result of Furigoma, Watanabe became Sente. To my little surprise, Habu advanced his Rook pawn to 8d at the second move which offered Watanabe to choose Yagura of Kakugawari(Bishop Exchange) opening, since recently the identical position of Bishop Exchange Reclining Silver is conside.red Sente's favor among professionoal players. Naturally Watanabe chose Bishop Exchange, but he did not let it go to the identical position. Intersting! In spite that the allotted thinking time per player is five hours, they play very quickly in the opening and fifty moves were already made withing one hour from the start of the game.

You can watch and replay the game through the following link. I think the game will end after 8:00pm(Japan time).

• Watanabe(Sente) vs Habu

Here is the official site of the 59th Ouza-sen(in Japanese). And you can see lots of photos of this game to be updloaded frequently in the official blog. A chat environment with watching a slightly-deferred-liveboard is ready at 81dojo.

Shogi Boardlive Today - Hirose vs Habu, 6th game of 52nd Oui-sen

Today and tomorrow are the days for the 6th game of the 52nd Oui-sen best-of-seven match between Oui Hirose Akihito and two crown Habu Yoshiharu. Before the game, Hirose leads the match in 3-2. Habu cannot lose any more game to take the title. The game started at 9:00am at Jinya in Kanagawa prefecture. Hirose moved his Rook to the 6th file without blocking his Bishop diagonal. Habu did not choose Ibisha but moved his Rook to the 3rd file. Hirose traded Bishops at the 5th move. There is no precident only at the 8th move. So the both player deliberately takes certain time to make their moves from the opening. You can watch and replay the game at

• Hirose vs Habu

Here is the official site of the 52nd Oui-sen. Frequently-updating-photos of the both players are available to watch.

A chat environment with watching a slightl-deferred-liveboard is ready at 81Dojo.

Shogi Boardlive today & tomorrow - Hirose vs Habu, 5th game of 52nd Oui-sen

Today and tomorrow are the days for the fifth game of the 52nd Oui-sen between Oui HIrose and two crown Habu. Before the game, the score is tied in 2-2. The game started at 9:00am. The venue is Isuien in Tokushima prefecture. Habu is Sente for this game.

Hirose moved his Rook to the 4th file for the first time of this best-of-seven match. Wheather he will choose Anaguma or not draws people's attention.

You may watch and replay the game through the following link.

• Habu(Sente) vs Hirose

Day 1 will close at 6:00pm today. The player who has turn to play then will make his next move sealed for Day 2. Day 2 will start at 9:00am tomorrow. The allotted thinking time per player is eight hours, so I think the game will end tomorrow's evening.

Here is the official site of the 52nd Oui-sen.  The photos of the both players which updates 2approximately every one minute is here(The upper is Hirose). A chat environemnt with watching a slightly-deferred-board is ready at 81Dojo.

Shogi Boardlive Today & Tomorrow - Hirose vs Habu, 4th game of 52nd Oui-sen

Today and tomorrow are the days for the fourth game of the 52nd Oui-sen best-of-seven match between Oui Hirose Akihito and two crown Habu Yoshiharu. Before the game, Hirose leads the score in 2-1. Hirose is Sente in this game. It started at 9:00am at Mojiko Hotel in Fukuoka prefecture. The player who has turn to play at 6:00pm today will make the sealed move. I think it will end in the  evening tomorrow. The allotted thinking time per player is eight hours.

Hirose did not choose Shikenbisha with Anaguma. The opening of this game is Yokofutori.

• Hirose vs Habu

Here is the official site of the 52nd Oui-sen. You can see the frequently-updating photos of the both players.

A chat environment is ready with watching a slightly-deferred-liveboard is ready at 81dojo.

Shogi Boardlive today & Tomorrow - Habu vs Hirose, 3rd game of 52nd Oui-sen

Today and tomorrow are days for the third game of the 52nd Oui-sen best of seven match between Oui Hirose Akihito and Challenger two crown Habu Yoshiharu. Before the game, Hirose leads the score in 2-0. Habu would like to win this game to reduce Hirose's lead. Habu is Sente. The game started at 9:00 am at Grand Park Otaru in Hokkaido. Today is Day 1 which will ends at 6:00pm(JST). The player who has turn to play at the closing time will make his next move sealed.

Hirose is showing his Anama castle in this series for the first time with Gokigen Nakabisha. Some say this is because Ouchi(9-dan) who is famous for Anaguma as well is the official watchman for this game. You can replay and watch it through the following link;

• Habu vs Hirose

Here is the official site of 52nd Oui-sen. The frequently-updating photos of the players are available to watch here (Hirose is the upper).

A chat environment with watching a slightly-deferred-liveboard is ready at 81dojo.

Shogi Boardlive Today & tomorrow - Hirose vs Habu, 2nd game of 52nd Oui-sen

Today and tomorrow are the days for the second game of the 52nd Oui-sen between Oui Hirose Akihiro and Challenger double crown Habu Yoshiharu. The game started at 9:00am at Nakanobo Zui-en in Hyogo prefecture. Hirose is Sente for this game. Though Hirose is famouse for Anaguma with Shikenbisha, he seems to trying to be an all-rounder in the choice of Openings these days. So this game went to Habu's Itteson Kakugawari(Bishop exchange losing a turn).  Since the allotted thinking time per player is eight hours per player, I think it will end around 7:00pm(JST) on Day2 tomorrow. Day 1 will end soon at 6:00pm(JST) today.

• Hirose vs Habu

Here is the official site of the 52nd Oui-sen(in Japanese). And here is the official blog with lots of diagrams and photos being uploated related to this game.

A chat environment with watching a slightly-deferred-liveboard is ready at 81Dojo.

Shogi Boardlive today & tomorrow, Hirose vs Habu, 1st game of 52nd Oui-sen best of seven match

Today and tomorrow are the days for the 1st game of the 52nd Oui-sen between Oui Hirose Akihito and two crown Habu Yoshiyaru. As a result of Furigoma, Habu became Sente. The game started at Kashikojima Hojoen Japanese Inn in Mie prefecture at 9:00am(JST). The allotted thinking time per player is eight hours. Today is Day 1 and the player who has turn to play at 6:00pm will make his move sealed for Day 2. Day 2 will start at 9:00am(JST) tomorrow.

• Habu vs Hirose

Here is the official site of the 52nd Oui-sen. And here is the official blog. You can see the photos of the two players which are to be updated approximately every one minute.

A chat environment watching a slightly-deferred liveboard is ready at 81Dojo.