The 76th NHK Cup Female Professional Player Qualifier as seen by a 'Watching Shogi Fan'

On March 14, the game between Kana Fukuma, Female Five Crowns, and Tomoka Nishiyama, Female Three Crowns, for the NHK Cup TV Shogi Tournament Female Professional Qualifier was broadcast. There is one spot for a female professional player in the NHK Cup main tournament, and the winner of this game advances to the main draw.
Like the main tournament, this game is a fast-paced match with 10 minutes of main time, followed by less than 30 seconds per move (with ten additional 1-minute thinking time allotments).

Nishiyama Female Three Crowns plays the Opposing Rook

Nishiyama, who became the second player to move after the piece toss, played the Opposing Rook. When Fukuma pushed the 3rd-file pawn, Nishiyama switched to the Third File Rook. After Fukuma moved her King to the 7th file and pushed the 2nd-file pawn to declare a Static Rook strategy, Nishiyama carefully took her time, moved her King to the 8th file, and switched back to the Opposing Rook. Fukuma spent about 5 minutes in deep thought before advancing her Silver to 66, and once Nishiyama completed her Hon-Mino enclosure, Fukuma initiated an attack by pushing the 4th-file pawn.

Nishiyama Female Three Crowns counters Fukuma's attack

Nishiyama pushed the 6th-file pawn, and when Fukuma also pushed the 5th-file pawn, Nishiyama moved her Gold to 63 to reorganize into a High Mino enclosure. Fukuma advanced her Silver to 57, and when Nishiyama pushed the 3rd-file pawn, Fukuma used up her main time and responded by capturing it. Nishiyama extended the 6th-file pawn to threaten the Silver, and after Fukuma used two of her thinking time allotments to capture it, Nishiyama took the 5th-file pawn to target the head of the Knight on the 3rd file. After Fukuma sacrificed the 2nd-file pawn, she used two more thinking time allotments to capture the 4th-file pawn and threaten the Silver, prompting Nishiyama to capture the pawn with her Bishop.

Nishiyama Female Three Crowns sacrifices her Bishop to capture the Silver

Fukuma advanced her Silver to 46, and after Nishiyama, having used up her main time, played 66 Pawn, Fukuma jumped her Knight to 45 to protect the Knight that was under threat. Nishiyama countered with 33 Knight, and when Fukuma pushed the 9th-file pawn, Nishiyama used three thinking time allotments to promote the 6th-file pawn, then played 66 Pawn to force the Gold upward, followed by a Knight exchange with 45 Knight. Fukuma captured the Knight with her Silver to threaten the Bishop, but Nishiyama ignored it and played 64 Pawn to capture the Silver.

Fukuma's edge attack

After the Bishop-Silver exchange, Fukuma used two thinking time allotments to advance her Gold to 55, and Nishiyama responded by capturing it with her Silver. Fukuma recaptured the Silver with her Bishop while threatening the Rook, and when Nishiyama moved her Rook to the 4th file, Fukuma captured the 94 pawn. Nishiyama used two thinking time allotments to create a Dragon with 47 Rook-promotion, and when Fukuma chased the Dragon with 56 Silver-drop, Nishiyama moved it to 57. The AI evaluation, which had been fluctuating within a nearly equal range until this point, shifted to 78% in favor of Fukuma.

Nishiyama Female Three Crowns sacrifices her Silver to take the Bishop and pursues aggressively

Fukuma used her final thinking time allotment to play 75 Bishop, threatening the Dragon while eyeing the 9th file. Nishiyama sacrificed her Silver with 67 Silver-check, forcing Fukuma to capture it, and then captured the Bishop with 55 Dragon. Fukuma played 62 Pawn to force the Gold upward, and when Nishiyama responded by moving the Gold up, Fukuma jumped in with 93 Pawn-promotion for a check. Nishiyama captured it with her Knight, and after Fukuma played 92 Pawn to draw out the Lance and then moved her Rook to 58 to challenge the Dragon, Nishiyama played 57 Pawn to refuse the exchange. Although Nishiyama sacrificed her Silver to take the Bishop, the AI evaluation still favored Fukuma at 67%.

A sudden conclusion

Fukuma responded by capturing the Rook to exchange pieces, and when Nishiyama captured the Silver with 65 Pawn, Fukuma played 64 Pawn to force the Gold upward, followed by 94 Pawn to strike the head of the Knight. It seems that playing a Knight instead of a Pawn for a check would have been a strong move for the first player, and the AI evaluation returned to nearly equal. Nishiyama played 66 Knight for a check, blocking the path of the first player's Bishop, and when Fukuma moved her King to the 8th file to escape, Nishiyama jumped her Knight to 85 to threaten a forced mate. Fukuma played 41 Rook-drop to create a shape, and when Nishiyama played 77 Silver-check, Fukuma acknowledged the mate of her own King and resigned.

Summary

In this game, Nishiyama changed the position of her Rook frequently without worrying about losing tempo, while Fukuma initiated a quick attack to seize the initiative. Nishiyama countered strongly, and when Fukuma closed in on the second player's King with an edge attack, they engaged in a mutual attack by creating Dragons. In the end, Fukuma, pressed for time, uncharacteristically lacked tenacity, and Nishiyama secured a forced mate.
Nishiyama, who secured her spot in the main tournament, said after the game, 'I am happy to be able to play one more game in the NHK Cup. I want to prepare thoroughly and give it my best.' It has been announced that she will face Ninth Dan Namekata in the first round of the main tournament, and I look forward to seeing the free-spirited Shogi that is characteristic of Nishiyama.