Saturday, July 21, 1990. Once again Ami was in the New Conference Room, wearing a blue vest over a white dress shirt. Now it seemed that nobody was wearing their school uniform anymore, but she was able to pick out faces like Shima's and Yevgeniy's; Máté was back as well, playing another blitz game with Nogami.

"Three rounds today, three opportunities to get out of my slump," Miura sighed from his spot on one of the couches.

"Cheer up, one win and one loss isn't bad."

"They just had to pair me with Nogami in the second round... he's a beast, and he's such a nice guy, too."

Kusonoki sat cross-legged on the couch, letting his shoes fall. "Maybe that's more annoying than being stuck-up. Like that Shima guy. He's not even good." He noticed Ami standing by the door and waved to her. "Mizuno!"

"Oh!" Ami blushed a little and approached the two. "Miura, Kusonoki, how are you?"

"Could be better," Miura sighed. "Hopefully they give me Shima. I heard you smoked him yesterday."

"Well... he thought he was trying to checkmate me... but it didn't work and he lost a Bishop. There wasn't much he could do from there," Ami offered.

"Typical Shima, not thinking enough about how his opponent will reply to his moves..." Kusonoki put his feet back on the ground and sat up straight. "By the way, I lost to the Russian."

"Klein?"

"Yeah. He's really good. Managed to checkmate me. (I resigned once I saw it, though.) It really just came out of nowhere. Guy sacked a Knight, and then a Bishop, everything. Man." He shook his head and shrugged. "So it goes. Hopefully they don't put you up against him or Nogami any time soon. Obviously Nogami is the favorite to win the whole thing, being the highest-rated and all..."

"Oi, Nogami beat the Hungarian again!"

"No way!" and the crowd clamored once more.

"It's just blitz, but still... man. Nogami is really performing this weekend." Kusonoki whistled.

"Yeah. I felt like I played like a kid against him." Miura sighed.

"They're going again!"

"Come on, Kirai, get him!"

"Oh, Miura, you're sure you don't want to play a game with me?" Ami wondered.

"Maybe I'll play you in a later round. Assuming I can start winning again. You know?"

"Well, all right..." Ami once again saw that everyone else was playing or watching the skittles games. Nogami and Király attracted a large group of spectators.

9:55 AM came with the typical announcement: "The third round pairings are up! Third round games will begin in five minutes. Please report to your assigned tables."

Akikawa rushed over to Ami once he caught sight of the pairings. "Ooh, Mizuno, you're up against Morioka! Good luck, he's tough!"

"Is that so..." Sure enough, Ami was playing Black against Morioka on table 8, said the pairing sheet on the wall. Once at said table, she spotted the familiar black-haired boy, now wearing a business suit, walking towards the table. Once the clock hit 10 AM, the director commenced the round. Morioka and Ami shook hands and began.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. O-O

The Classical Variation of the Sicilian. It's rather non-confrontational to begin with, not nearly as aggressive as a Najdorf or Dragon, or sharp and unpredictable as a Kan or Lasker-Pelikan.

7. ... Rc8

Usually Black chooses from ... e6, the Scheveningen setup; ... g6, the Dragon; or ... a6, the Najdorf move. The reason that these moves do not transpose into those lines is that White has already committed his f1-Bishop to b5, though it usually goes to c4 or e2 in those variations. Mizuno's move leaves her options open.

8. Re1 e6

Mizuno makes her choice. The Scheveningen is solid.

9. Nxc6 Bxc6 10. Bxc6+ bxc6

It's already looking very drawish. The series of exchanges gives Mizuno a second c-Pawn, which with her d- and e-Pawns grant her an opportunity to take a great stake in the center, unless White plays...

11. e5!

The best move. Now the Queens are likely to be traded, but in any case, Morioka breaks up Mizuno's central pawn structure.

11. ... dxe5 12. Qxd8+ Rxd8 13. Rxe5

Now Mizuno is saddled with isolated a- and c-Pawns. Still, it is difficult for Morioka to take advantage of these weaknesses. Note White's c3-Knight and Black's c6-Pawn. The saying goes that a Knight on c3 is well-restricted by a Pawn on c6. The same applies for both side's third ranks, on any file, though the c- and f-files are where this motif appears most.

13. ... Be7 14. Bg5 O-O 15. Ne4?!

15. Ra5, attacking the Black a-Pawn, was better. Morioka seems to be playing for a draw, which isn't in the spirit of playing with the White pieces, of course. A shame.

15. ... Rfe8 16. Be3?! Nxe4? 17. Rxe4

Yawn.

17. ... Bf6 18. c3

Mizuno wanted the long diagonal for her Bishop, but Morioka blunts its scope.

18. ... a6

Putting the Pawns on light squares so that Morioka's dark-squared Bishop can't attack them is a decent idea, but it's too passive.

19. g3 Rb8

This could have been played last turn, but it's not a real threat.

20. Rb1?! Bxc3

Giving up a Pawn, for...?

21. Rc4 Bxb2 22. Rxc6 a5 23. Ra6 Bc3 24. Rab6 Ra8 25. a4 Bb4 26. Rb5 h6 27. Bc5 Bxc5 28. Rxc5 Ra7 29. Rbb5 Rea8 30. Kf1 Kf8 31. Ke2 Ke7 32. f4 f5

The outcome of this game is in no doubt. The players' moves have been a bit dishonest; they suggest that they're going for a win, but it's not happening. Even with Mizuno's extra Pawn, she wouldn't be able to break through, barring any major hiccup from Morioka.

33. Ke3 Ra6 34. Rb7+ Kf6 35. Rcc7 g5 36. Rf7+ Kg6 37. Rg7+ Kh5

Mizuno's King doesn't escape from the checks for long, and won't be able to advance and attack Morioka's Pawns, assuming that Morioka knows what he's doing.

38. fxg5 hxg5 39. h3 Rc6 40. Rh7+ Kg6

After making her move, Ami offered Morioka a draw, which he quickly accepted, and the result was confirmed with a shake of the hands.

1/2-1/2

It's always nice when peace is made on the battlefield.

Ami sat at one of the chessboards in the waiting room, facing and watching the double doors. I should have brought a book, she mused, picturing her brief encounter with Endō the previous day.

"Mizuno! You want me to go over your game?"

"Mr. Király? Oh, umm... sure..."

"Only my schoolteachers call me 'Mr. Király'! You can call me Máté." He smirked.

"Then Ami is fine with me!"

"Should I say... Ami-san? -chan? Or..."

"I don't mind either way."

"All right..." Máté sat across from Ami and took her scoresheet. He began to play through the moves. "Wow. A Classical Sicilian, huh? ... Morioka is one of the stronger opponents, right?"

"Yes, that's right. He's rated 1845."

"Not bad, not bad." He tried to keep a smile on his face as he played through. "It, uh... not seem like either one was playing for a win... well, with Black against a stronger opponent you should be content, but you did play the Sicilian after all. You ever try the Najdorf or Dragon?"

"Well..." Ami flushed and chuckled real soft-like, "I usually lose on both sides of those openings... I haven't studied them enough."

"That's something we can work on then. Well..." He finished playing through the last moves of the game. "Yeah, I don't think you can get anything unless Morioka makes a huge blunder, but that's not something you hope for. Again, guess I can't complain. Good job, Ami."

"Thank you..."

"Anyone here your friend?"

"Here? Ah... no, I haven't seen anyone. Not many people at my school play chess... most of them play shōgi or sports."

"Well, it seems there are a lot of nice guys here, so hopefully you make connections, yes?"

"I hope so! But, they're a little intimidating..."

"Maybe so, but a little kid like you can terrify them too, no?"

Ami giggled. "That's not my intention..."

"It's worth a try. It's what I do."

"Hmm... oh! Did you manage to win against Nogami?"

"Yeah, finally. Both games I lost, eesh. Bad blunder. Didn't see it coming. Nogami is fast! You should devote all your energy into facing him. Perhaps he has a weakness I can see."

Ami perked up. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm." Máté glanced around, seeing that the waiting room was mostly empty, and leaned forward slightly, stating, "He just likes to go after material."

"Ah?"

"You know. In a middlegame. He just wants to put pieces in aggressive spots and eat your Pawns. Then win an endgame. Which he can do quite well. It's what I get from three games we play. Once I finally beat him... because it's, uh, because..." He held his hands up in a bit of a shrug. "Well, he goes a step too far and forgets King safety. That should be your most important thing."

Ami beamed. "Got it. Thanks, Máté!"

"Yes, no problem."

Akikawa exited the playing hall with his scoresheet, pouting and shaking his head as he glanced up at the ceiling lights. Damn. He saw Ami sitting with Máté and decided to rush over. "Hey, Mizuno! Your English is pretty good, huh? Maybe you can talk to Kirai for me about my game? Endō's on a whole 'nother level... she's, uh... wow."

"Well, all right. Máté, Akikawa here wants to go over his game with you. His English isn't good though, so I can translate for him?"

"Works for me."

"... you made it sound like this Endō crushed you, but... well, you won a piece in the middlegame, but then let her push you down the board with her Pawns. You could have won!" said Máté, whereupon Ami communicated the message to Akikawa.

"Oh, man..." Akikawa scratched the back of his head and sighed. "I thought she tricked me."

"He thought she tricked him," Ami told Máté.

"No tricks there. Just didn't want to give up. Saw an opportunity and a plan, and she went for it. He gave her counterplay, and she took advantage."

"You let her fight back and didn't defend well enough," Ami informed Akikawa.

"Guess I gotta work on that, then... thanks, Ami."

"He says 'thanks.'"

"Yeah, of course!" Máté waved at Akikawa, who bowed towards him before collecting his scoresheet and walking away.

"Managed to beat Koizumi!" Miura announced, pumping a fist as he re-entered the waiting room. "Kusonoki did get paired with Shima after all. Kinda looks like a draw though," he continued, approaching Ami and Máté. "Aren't you guys going to play a game?"

"Máté and I?" She looked at Máté.

"Eh... I'd rather not," he replied, smirking.

"He says he'd rather not," Ami said to Miura.

"Is he scared?"

"Are you scared?"

"Well..." Máté crossed his arms, smiled a little, and nodded slowly.

"Really?"

"Maybe later. For now I want to keep going over the others' games. I learn from them too."

"I see." Ami nodded back and stood up, waving to Máté as she stepped to the side, glancing at Miura. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Definitely. I feel my confidence returning."

"Mm." She nodded again.

"You?"

"Eh?"

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"Fine? That's all?"

"Mm-hmm."

"..." Miura looked around some more. "Okay, then."

With 1:30 PM came the fourth round of the championship. Ami took the White pieces at table 5 and watched as her opponent, Endō, came to sit behind the Black pieces. "Miss Endō! Looks like we'll get to play each other after all."

"Oh. Yeah." Endō nodded slowly. "Good luck." She set up her chess clock. Ami offered her hand, and Endō stared at it a second before shaking it and going back to adjusting the clock. "Fourth round games will begin now. Please start your clocks, good luck," rang in Ami's ear from the director's desk.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5

The Torre Attack. World Champions like Petrosian and Spassky have won informative games with it.

3. ... c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. exd4 b6 6. Nbd2 Nc6 7. c3 h6 8. Bh4 Bb7 9. Bd3 Be7 10. O-O O-O

One reason that the Torre is popular with amateurs is that it tends to be easy to play the typical setup shown here, as Mizuno has done. Black is not being too confrontational at the moment. The center will become the focus of the action.

11. Re1 d6 12. Qe2 g5?!

Fundamentally, this is a bad move because Black is advancing the Pawns around her castled King, weaking its position. Mizuno can play to take control of f5 and h5.

13. Bg3

Usually the Bishop doesn't like to be reduced to passivity like this. The aggressive attacker in me analyzed 13. Nxg5 hxg5. But 14. Bxg5 Re8 is quite unclear to me. Black is up a Knight for two Pawns, but again, her King is a bit weak. I'd rather play White in this position, but who knows what would happen?

13. ... Kg7!?

Endō senses the danger and wants to bring her Rook to h8 and her King to g8 or f8... right?

Ami looked at the Kingside for a few minutes. h4, it must be right. Now I have to attack. h4, gxh4, Nxh4... it just looks right. It must be! She rested her shoulder on the table and rested her chin on her hand, thumb under her lips, a classic chess player's pose.

14. h4 g4?!

Trying to close things up on the Kingside, but Mizuno will be able to play the f2-f3 break and open lines anyways.

15. Nh2 h5 16. f3

Ami looked up. Yuki Endō regularly scanned between her King on g7 and Ami's pieces, all pointing towards it. Realizing that she was breathing out her mouth, she scrunched her lips and sniffled.

16. ... gxf3

Playing into Mizuno's hands in order not to lose a Pawn. White will nonetheless, in due time, bring her pieces closer to Black's King.

17. Nhxf3

The h2-Knight gets back into the game rather quickly.

Endō tapped her fingers on the table as she looked at the position. Ami thought the pattern erratic. Here and there Endō's hands would seem to jump up. She could hear a foot tapping under the table as well.

17. ... Na5?

Marking time? This does nothing to address Black's King safety.

18. Ng5 a6?

Endō likely assumes that she can let Mizuno bring her pieces to bear on her King and fight them off successfully. I think that she will be proven quite wrong.

Ami had fifty minutes left on her clock, but Endō had seventy.

19. Nde4?

Trading pieces benefits Black. Rf1 might have been better. Sacking the exchange with Rxf6!, removing the Knight that defends key points on Black's Kingside, and bringing in the a1-Rook to f1 thereafter seems like a good plan.

19. ... Nxe4 20. Nxe4 Rh8?

Now Black can play ... f5, but for some reason, she doesn't.

21. Rf1

We'll see that this move comes too late, because now Black gets in

21. ... f5

shutting things up on the Kingside. White's advantage is dissipating.

Ami thought about playing the Knight to g5. After Bxg5 hxg5 Qxg5... hmm. She looked at her Bishop on g3. I can't play Qxe6 because the Bishop is hanging, but I can take the Pawn on d6 with the Bishop. Then she has... Well, yeah. She can bring one of the Rooks to e8. She decided to stand up and take a walk around, letting her time tick down some more. She saw that Yevgeniy was playing against Miura, and a quick glanced revealed that the boy was up a full piece. I hope I get the chance to play him. Shima and Morioka were at another table; Shima looked up briefly at Ami, raised an eyebrow, and back at his position. Morioka's Black pieces were massing on Shima's King. Akikawa was grinning widely; Ami could see that the position was blocked, but that he had a good Knight against Koizumi's bad Bishop, and Koizumi would not be able to keep Akikawa's King from marching onto his side of the board and eating up his Pawns with the help of the Knight. Sure enough, after a few moves, Akikawa began destroying Koizumi's Pawn chain, capturing the Black d6-Pawn with his Knight.

Knight d6! Ami blinked, stared at the wall for a moment, and began rushing her way back to her table. Endō glanced briefly up at her as she returned. Ami looked at her clock: twenty-five minutes. She rested her cheeks on the backs of her fists and looked at her Knight on d6 and the Pawn on d6, guarded by both the Queen on d8 and the Bishop on e7. Of course, her g3-Bishop also eyed the d6-Pawn, so she'd have to take back with the Bishop, and then I get Queen e6... and then... oh, even after Rook h6... ... mm...

Fifteen minutes passed. Endō leaned back, bored. At some point she shifted in her chair and planted both feet on the ground as she scanned the conference room, seeing that most of the lower-numbered tables were empty at this point.

I don't want to draw this game... Ami looked at her clock and nearly jumped in her chair. Oh, no... ... okay. I've got to go for it. With trembling hands she picked up the d6-Pawn, placed it next to the board on her side, and moved her Knight to that square.

22. Nxd6!?

Mizuno was low on time by this point and decided to make things more complicated. Now 22. ... Bxd6 23. Qxe6 Rh6 should draw.

Okay, obviously if I ignore the Knight she skewers my King and Rook, thought Endō. She quickly took the Knight.

22. ... Bxd6 23. Qxe6

Endō's vision tunneled in on Ami's Bishop on g3, which was undefended. My Queen and Rook defend. It's no problem.

23. ... Bxg3? ?

Lord above! What an incredible blunder! Endō must have gone mad. That Bishop wasn't even in the attack! White's other Bishop, her Queen, her Rook, they're all locked in death stares at the Black King! Why didn't she play ... Rh6 there? Why? Now Mizuno only has one move here! Everything else does lose for White.

Ami turned her head slightly to the side, still looking at the board, focusing on the Kingside pieces. No, this must be... this must be winning. Okay. She looked at her clock again: just about eleven minutes now. Queen takes f6... Rook h6, Queen f7 check, King h8... No, I... I have nothing there. Okay, it must be Rook takes f5.

24. Rxf5!

She found it!

Goosebumps jumped on Endō's skin. Her teeth were clenched. She was locked in this state as she looked at the board. No, no, no! How did I miss this? Wait... ... oh, NO! Rook h6... but then Rook f7! Rook f8? ... Rook a-f1. But I can... I can hold it. She looked at her a8-Rook, b7-Bishop, and a5-Knight, all offside. Dammit!

24. ... Rf8 25. Raf1

Endō's hands were perspiring. I don't have a move! I don't have a move! Bishop h4? Then Rook f7... I can't hold it!

25. ... Qc7 26. Rg5+ and Endō recognized that after 26 ... Kh8, 27. Qh6+ Qh7 28. Qxh7# was the end for her. "I resign," she declared, forcing a smile as she extended a hand to Ami. "Good game!" Ami replied, shaking her hand.

1-0

The game would have ended with 26 ... Kh8 27. Qh6+ Qh7 28. Qxh7#. Now here's a cute line I found: 26. Qg6+! also mates and is quite pretty, but why take that risk? If 26. ... Kh8 then 27. Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. Rxf8#, but of course if Black accepts the Queen sacrifice with 26. ... Kxg6, then after 27. Rf7+, a discovered check, either 27. ... Be4 or ... Kh8 is met with 28. R1f6#. I believe that this fits the criteria for a pure mate, though not a model one.

Soon the news reached the waiting room crowd: "Mizuno won against Endō!" "Woah!" "No way!" came the natural reactions. The news brought a smile to Máté's face.

"Oh, man, one more round today..." Akikawa leaned back on the couch and looked up at the ceilling, taking a deep breath. "Seems like everyone's beating Koizumi today. I mean, if I can beat him like I did just now..."

The last few games of the round ended. Morioka walked in after Shima, who immediately questioned him: "Did you really have to whip me that badly?"

"... yes?"

"Look at Koizumi over there." Akikawa looked towards him and grinned. "Hasn't won a single game. Even Sakurada is ahead of him because he managed to draw Kitano after getting a free point."

"How are the standings looking?" asked Morioka.

"They should be up soon..."

It occurred to Ami that she hadn't checked the standings after each round; she only remembered that her current tally was 3.5 points, and that Yevgeniy and Nogami both had four. Sure enough, once the current standings were posted, both Nogami and Yevgeniy were tied for first with four points; she and Morioka were right behind them with 3.5; Tomonaga had 3; Kusonoki and Endō, 2.5; Akikawa and Miura shared a score of two points with a few others; and Shima had only his single point after two draws and two losses.

"Man, it really is going to be between Nogami and Klein for the title, huh?" Sakurada considered.

"You know I'm rooting for Nogami! Maximum respect," Shima blurted out.

"If they play each other next round, I think that that will really settle it. Of course, if they draw... then the next two rounds are going to be an exciting scrap for sure," said Akikawa.

"Hanging out with these Shiba Kōen people, Mizuno?" asked Kusonoki as he approached the wall where the standings were posted.

"Who are you calling 'Shiba Kōen people,' Kusonoki?" Shima glared at him.

Kusonoki held his hands up, smirking. "I don't mean anything rude by it. I know Morioka's looking really good right now, but I think I could take him."

"As for me, not so much," said Miura.

"Anyways, it's almost five o'clock now, right? I'm feeling even more nervous than ever. I bet all your nerves are gone now, Shima. Since you have no chance and all," Kusonoki quipped.

"Don't listen to him, Shima, he's just trying to rile you up," Akikawa stepped forward and held his arm out in front of Shima.

"Pairings for the fifth round are up! Fifth round games will begin in five minutes!"

Ami perceived from the noises of the crowd gathering around the pairing sheets on either wall that the players were in shock or surprise. "He's playing Mizuno?" "Nogami's up against Morioka?" "Can that be right?" "This is getting exciting!" "Haha, Koizumi got the free point this round." "Uh-oh, Kusonoki! You've gotta face Tomonaga!" "I can handle him, no problem! Didn't even know he was here." Meanwhile Ami headed for table 2. Right next to her, at table 1, Morioka and Nogami were already seated and chatting. Ami sat in front of the Black pieces and watched the double doors.

"Here we go, Ami," said Yevgeniy as he approached the table. "Good luck," he greeted, taking his seat and offering her his hand.

I won't go easy on you. "Good luck," she replied, shaking his hand.