Joe Peterson versus Colin Adams

This game was played on Saturday, 1st July, 2000. The time limits were 2 hours for each player, but any move played in less than 60 seconds uses no time at all.

Joe Peterson took Black. Colin Adams took White.

Joe's comments look like this.

Colin's comments look like this.

This is my first complete game that was not played against Colin's version 1 player in his Chu Shogi program, Steve Evan's Shogi variants program or Zillions of Games Chu Shogi as implemented by Steve Evans. I have also started two e-mail games, both are pretty early in the game.

I prefer to remove the left-hand silver, and move up the right-hand Ferocious Leopard. This emphasises speed of attack, relying on good shape for defence. Thus no time is wasted developing a defensive Silver. The danger is that there might not be enough material to defend, but so far (this was my fourth game at this handicap) this has not proved to be the case. This particular game is a spectacular vindication of my choice.

Already a less than optimal move.

In all handicaps of Two Lions or greater, Black's first move should be Ln - 7h, so as to defend against an attack on the eighth file, and to provide a decent seperation between the two Lions (the second should go to 3g via 5i). As a result, Black loses at least two tempi.

I was expecting to put my Lions on 6h and 4g, but that was based on no information other than what I had gathered from playing against the Java player in Colin's program.

Never trust a computer!

I had planned to move +Ky-4g to set up for an attack, but after 10. GB-9f, I realized that I would need to defend and that 7h was a better place for my Lion

Moving to 4g will just lose another tempo to DH - 2e (I had been holding back this move for that very purpose), so +Ky - 3g should be played. Later, Ln - 7h can be played.

Once again, I had thoughts of launching an attack, and wanted to be able to use my Lion in it. Immediately after moving, I realized it was not the optimal move.

There's nothing wrong with it, as it has to move to 3g eventually. A more subtle plan is to wait for White to play Ky - 6d before playing this move. But there are problems with this approach ‐ White may not play the move, or if he does, it may prove to be too strong an attack.

There is a question over the timing of the edge Pawn pushes. I think pushing the generals is more urgent. Certainly P - 1h is not needed at present.

Now I know Black is not going to attempt a sudden attack, I can safely reinforce the centre. I think Black should hold back the Silver for a while, leaving open the threat of a quick attack up the third file, and play moves like C - 10k and FK - 5j - 10l. This keeps Black guessing for longer, which makes life harder.

White's attack comes first (of course ‐ he has a four-move start over Black, who has also wasted tempi with his Lions). Black should certainly have played C - 9k long ago in order to meet it.

Black's defensive technique has been poor. He should have played R - 9j instead of P x 9h. Having captured the Go-Between, he must now also capture the Pawn, instead of R - 9j (Ln x 9g, R 4j - 9j, Ln x 10h - 11g follows).

There's a lot of possibilities for White on this and the next move, so I spend some time thinking about them. I can chase away either Black Lion (R - 9g or DH - 10e), or I can play Ln - 9g chasing Pawn profit. I elect to defend first (as is my normal style). If Black isn't careful, then keeping these moves in reserve could prove devastating. Already I am confident I shall win this game.

Now I know which move to play ‐ Ln - 7g is no longer possible for Black. VM - 3j was better than Ln - 3h.

The game is effectively already over (I exaggerate only a little). Black's Lions are helpless.

Two Lions are no better in defence than one Lion. To use one Lion in defence and one in attack, Black must play with great skill. Good shape is everything. This is why the stronger player can give such an apparently huge handicap. Tactical ability just doesn't come into it.

This looks to be a heavy way to conduct the attack. Ln - 4g is better.

I thought I was giving him a pretty good deal here ‐ a Phoenix and a Lion for his Lion.

I now have enough material to consider playing an endgame without a Lion. I will have a Phoenix, a Kylin, a Side Mover, a Copper General and a Flying Ox for the Lion and Vertical Mover. I would prefer to be Black in such a situation. Since I have a good move available, I have no need to resort to the exchange.

This changes the trade by quite a bit.

I think Black could have done somewhat better by sacrificing something somewhere (perhaps not re-capturing at move 56 with the Silver, then giving it up, for instance, or DH x 10i at move 55). But now he manufactures an attack of sorts. If I play Ln - 6f, the Phoenix can go back and I can't repeat. But maybe I should do this and then play S - 8g or Ln - 5f.

I had thought he would save the Vertical Mover, but of course, attack is his only chance now.

At this point, I realized how stupidly placed my Lionn was, so I moved it to a worse place(?)

Ln - 1g looks perfectly good to me. But I should have played R - 9c, not the Vertical Mover.

This is not good. Whatever happens, Black must play FL x 3d=. Then VM x 10k+, +Ky x 10k, VM x 2h, P x 2h, R - 10c, Ln - 2e, SM - 1c, Ln - 2d, SM - 9c might follow. But withdrawing the Dragon Horse to 10l looks better. Now I can get my Rook out of the firing line, making up for my previous inaccuracy.

Here is where my plan fell apart ‐ the rook was no longer there.

Now Black must extract the Phoenix from it's predicament. Note that White has FK - 10g, so P - 4f is doubtful in all lines. Ph - 3f looks best. Instead, Black playes a series of poor moves, to seal his fate.

At this point, I was mostly playing to see how Colin destroyed my castle.

+Ky - 5g is not much better. DK x 4h, then +DK - 3d, and Black has no way through.