Maybe it's not really killing two birds with one stone. It seems that there are more and more players in Japan Club Kuala Lumpur that are interested in playing Shogi (although they're not considering being an active player). I'm quite happy that there are players (non-Japanese) that I can actually teach and play Shogi. There are a few players who wanted to play against me so I decided to play two games of Shogi at the same time, with a handicapped of two lances, bishop and rook! I've played a total of 4 games against them and I achieved total victory! Unfortunately I lost the last two games because I was playing two games (at the same time) against a beginner (with handicapped of two lances, bishop and rook) and a 2-dan Japanese player (with no handicap). I should have just focus on my game against the Japanese player so that I wouldn't have faced a very humiliating defeat, which he immediately broke into my territory and checkmated me in less than 50 moves.
I have been playing a lot of Shogi games against the Japanese player (I forgot his name) for the past few weeks. Two weeks ago we were playing games of 'best out of three'. The first game is a normal Yagura game with Bishop exchange, which I aim for a right edge attack and emerge a total victory over him. In our second game he decided to use his favourite Joseki (opening) against me: Central Rook Opening. I was very unfamiliar with this Joseki so he immediately attack my weak left base with a silver, getting a total victory over me this time. In our last game, he played Central Rook Opening again. After trading off our bishops, I made a weird bishop drop at 2a square, which he got greedy and decides to come after my bishop. Fortunately I made a right edge attack again, sacrificing my bishop for a gold, and finally checkmated him. The last game was really a tough fight because he broke into my base first but fortunately I made an entering king which have secure my solid win over him.
After having a win of 2 out of 3 over him, he decides to have a game with me again yesterday. As I have mention earlier, I lost my first game because I was concentrating two games at the same time. In our second game (which I am only focusing on this game), he once again used his favourite Joseki: the Central Rook Opening. I'm actually a little annoyed about him always playing this Joseki so I have decided to irritate him a little, by playing his favourite Joseki against him: a Double Central Rook opening game! He was quite surprised when my silver was a move earlier to participate the battle in the 5e square. Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with this Joseki so he actually have a pawn advantage over me after we have traded our Silvers and Bishops. Worst, my King's castle is a mess because I wanted to protect the 5g square, while he has already made an incomplete Mino Castle. I couldn't really remember the positions but I think it look something like this...
This is not the exact position. I do know is that I made a brilliant (to me it's brilliant) bishop drop at 3d, trying to attack his weak 2c and 4c square, then he drop his silver at 3b and I promote my pawn, trying to capture his rook. I was really lacking a pawn material and also a risk of the silver drop at 4e so I decided to just take my chances and break into his base, which is a success. I keep on mating him until I've made a cool move to checkmate him. Can anyone guess what it is? It's a mate in 3 moves without a silver drop. (The rest of the pieces have been remove because I couldn't remember the position)
Anyways back to the topic. Yesterday was my first time playing two games at the same time so I am quite happy that I can still concentrate well during those games. It was a little exciting and fun for me and I really enjoy the thrill. I hope I will be able to play handicapped Shogi games against 9 players at the same time one day!!!Regards,
Ryou Takehito
PS: Do you think the Japanese man will use Central Rook Opening against me again after he has taste his own medicine?
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