Masataka Gōda (郷田 真隆, Gōda Masataka, born March 17, 1971) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former major title holder, having won the Ōi, Kisei, Kiō and Ōshō titles throughout his career.

Masataka Gōda
Native name郷田真隆
Born (1971-03-17) March 17, 1971 (age 53)
HometownSuginami
Career
Achieved professional statusApril 1, 1990(1990-04-01) (aged 19)
Badge Number195
Rank9-dan
TeacherNoboru Ōtomo [ja] (9-dan)
Major titles won6
Tournaments won7
Meijin classB2
Ryūō class3
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life and apprenticeship

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Gōda was born on March 17, 1971, in Suginami, Tokyo.[1][2] He learned how to play shogi from his father when he was three years old.[3]

In December 1982, he entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under guidance of shogi professional Noboru Ōtomo [ja]. He was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 1-dan in May 1985, and obtained professional status and the rank of 4-dan in February 1990.[2]

Shogi professional

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Gōda's first appearance in a major title match came in May 1992 when he challenged Kōji Tanigawa for the 60th Kisei title.[2] Although Goda lost the match 3 games to 1,[4] he was at the time only the second 4-dan to be the challenger for a major title.[2] Later in September of that same year, Gōda and Tanigawa met once again in the 33rd Ōi title match, with Gōda winning the match 4 games to 2[5] to become the first 4-dan to win a major title.[2][6] In December 1992, Gōda met Tanigawa for the third time in the 61st Kisei title match,[a] with Tanigawa winning by the score of 3 games to 0, with one game ending in impasse.[4]

Gōda won his next major title in 1998, defeating Nobuyuki Yashiki 3 games to 0 to win the 69th Kisei title. He was unable to retain the title the following year, losing to Tanigawa 3 games to none. In 2001, he regained the Kisei title by narrowly defeating Yoshiharu Habu by 3 games to 2. However, the following year he was again unable to defend his title, losing to Yasumitsu Satō by the same score of 3 games to 2.[4]

In 2011, Gōda won the 37th Kiō title by defeating Toshiaki Kubo 3 games to 1. He was unable to successfully defend his Kiō title the next year, losing to Akira Watanabe 3 games to 1.[7]

In 2014, Gōda won the 64th Ōshō title by defeating Watanabe 4 games to 3. At 44 years old, he became the oldest first-time winner of the Ōshō title.[8] The following year, 23 years after winning his first major title, he completed his first successful major title defense by defeating Habu 4 games to 2. However, in 2016, Gōda was defeated by Kubo 4 games to 2 and lost his Ōshō title.[9]

On October 3, 2007, Gōda defeated Yoshinori Satō [ja] to become the 36th shogi professional to win 600 official games,[10] and on October 17, 2015, he defeated Masayuki Toyoshima to become the 18th shogi professional to win 800 official games.[11]

Promotion history

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Gōda's promotion history is as follows:[12]

  • 6-kyū: 1982
  • 1-dan: 1985
  • 4-dan: April 1, 1990
  • 5-dan: October 1, 1992
  • 6-dan: November 20, 1995
  • 7-dan: April 1, 1998
  • 8-dan: April 1, 1999
  • 9-dan: August 6, 2001

Titles and other championships

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Gōda has appeared in major title matches a total of eighteen times, and has won six major titles.[13] In addition to major titles, Gōda has won seven other shogi championships during his career.[14]

Major titles

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Title Years Number of times overall
Ōi 1992 1
Kisei 1998, 2001 2
Kiō 2011 1
Ōshō 2014–15 2

Other championships

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Tournament Years Number of times
JT Nihon Series [ja] 1993–95 3
*Hayazashi Senshuken [ja] 1991 1
*All Star Kachinuki-sen [ja] 1997 1
*Daiwa Securities Strongest Player Cup [ja] 2007 1
NHK Cup 2013 1

Note: Tournaments marked with an asterisk (*) are no longer held.

Awards and honors

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Gōda has received a number of awards and honors throughout his career for his accomplishments both on an off the shogi board. These include awards given out annually by the JSA for performance in official games as well as other JSA awards for career accomplishments, and awards received from governmental organizations, etc. for contributions made to Japanese society.[15][16]

Annual shogi awards

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  • 20th Annual Awards (April 1992 – March 1993): Best New Player, Distinguished Service Award
  • 22nd Annual Awards (April 1994 – March 1995): Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Distinguished Service Award
  • 23rd Annual Awards (April 1995 – March 1996): Distinguished Service Award
  • 25th Annual Awards (April 1997 – March 1998): Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Fighting-spirit Award
  • 26th Annual Awards (April 1998 – March 1999): Fighting-spirit Award
  • 29th Annual Awards (April 2001 – March 2002): Distinguished Service Award
  • 39th Annual Awards (April 2011 – March 2012): Fighting-spirit Award
  • 41st Annual Awards (April 2013 – March 2014): Fighting-spirit Award
  • 42nd Annual Awards (April 2014 – March 2015): Fighting-spirit Award

Other awards

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  • 2007: Shogi Honor Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of winning 600 official games as a professional)
  • 2015: 25 Years Service Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years), Shogi Honor Fighting-spirit Award (Awarded by JSA in recognition of winning 800 official games as a professional)

Year-end shogi prize money and game fee ranking

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Gōda has finished in the "Top 10" of the JSA's year-end prize money and game fee rankings [ja] eighteen times since 1993.

Year Amount[b] Rank
1993 ¥19,700,000 9th[17]
1994 ¥19,720,000 9th[17]
1995 ¥19,800,000 8th[17]
1998 ¥40,780,000 4th[17]
1999 ¥38,010,000 6th[17]
2000 ¥20,860,000 9th[17]
2001 ¥37,740,000 6th[17]
2002 ¥28,510,000 7th[17]
2006 ¥21,590,000 9th[18]
2007 ¥29,940,000 6th[19]
2008 ¥19,940,000 10th[20]
2009 ¥26,320,000 8th[21]
2011 ¥16,790,000 10th[22]
2012 ¥25,970,000 3rd[23]
2013 ¥34,530,000 4th[24]
2014 ¥23,400,000 4th[25]
2015 ¥24,670,000 7th[26]
2016 ¥31,850,000 6th[27]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Kisei title was contested twice yearly up to and including 1994. The current once-a-year format started in 1995.
  2. ^ All amounts are given in Japanese yen and include prize money and fees earned from official tournaments and games held from January 1 to December 31.

References

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  1. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Gōda Masataka" 棋士データベース: 郷田真隆 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masataka Gōda] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Kishi Meikan: Kudan Gōda Masataka" 棋士名鑑: 九段 郷田 真隆 [Player Directory: Masataka Gōda 9-dan]. 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 (Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition) (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2014. p. 552. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved March 30, 2018 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Geneki Purō Kishi DētaBukku 2016 [Jō] A-Ta Gyō 現役プロ棋士データブック2016 [上] あ-た [2016 Active Shogi Professional Databook [First volume] Letter "A" to Letter "Ta"] (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2015. pp. 44–45. Retrieved March 30, 2018 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b c "Kiseisen: Kako no Kekka" 棋聖戦: 過去の結果 [Kisei tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  5. ^ "Ōisen: Kako no Kekka" 王位戦: 過去の結果 [Ōi tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  6. ^ "Shogikai Saigo no Ōmono Dokushin Gōda Masataka Ōshō ga Kekkon!" 将棋界最後の大物独身 郷田王将が結婚! [Professional shogi's last unmarried big star Masataka Gōda Ōshō ties the knot]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). September 1, 2016. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "Kiōsen: Kako no Kekka" 棋王戦: 過去の結果 [Kiō tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  8. ^ "郷田九段が王将位を獲得".
  9. ^ "Ōshōsen: Kako no Kekka" 王将戦: 過去の結果 [Ōshō tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  10. ^ "Gōda Masataka Kudan, Roppyakushō (Shōgi Eiyoshō) wo Tasei" 郷田真隆九段, 600勝(将棋栄誉賞)を達成 [Masataka Gōda 9d reaches 600 wins (awarded "Shogi Honor Award")] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. October 3, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "Gōda Masataka Ōshō, Hapyakkushō (Shōgi Eiyo Kantōshō) wo Tassei" 郷田真隆王将, 800勝 (将棋栄誉敢闘賞)を達成 [Masataka Gōda Ōshō wins 800th official game and Shogi Honor Fighting-spirit Award] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. October 19, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Gōda Masataka Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 郷田真隆 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masataka Gōda Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  13. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Gōda Masataka Taitoru Rireki" 棋士データベース: 郷田真隆 タイトル履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masataka Gōda Major Title History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  14. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Gōda Masataka Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 郷田真隆 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masataka Gōda Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  15. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Gōda Masataka Shōgi Taishō" 棋士データベース: 郷田真隆 将棋大賞 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masataka Gōda Annual Shogi Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  16. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Gōda Masataka Sonota Hyōshō" 棋士データベース: 郷田真隆 その他表彰 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masataka Gōda Other Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h "Nenkan Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō TOP10" 年間獲得賞金・対局料TOP10 [Annual Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Kishi-mania. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  18. ^ "Nisenrokunen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Nijū" 2006年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト20 [2006 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 20] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 1, 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  19. ^ "Nisennananen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Nijū" 2007年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト20 [2007 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 20] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 1, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  20. ^ "Nisenhachinen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Nijū" 2008年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト20 [2008 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 20] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 2, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  21. ^ "Nisenkyūnen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Nijū" 2009年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト20 [2009 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 20] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 5, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  22. ^ "Nisenjūichinen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Nijū" 2011年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト20 [2011 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 20] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 16, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  23. ^ "Nisenjūninen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Jū" 2012年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2012 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 18, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  24. ^ "Nisenjūsannen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Jū" 2013年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2013 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 7, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  25. ^ "2014nen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Jū" 2014年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2014 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 3, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  26. ^ "Nisenjūgonen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Jū" 2015年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2015 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 5, 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  27. ^ "Nisenjūrokunen Kakutoku Shōkin・Taikyokuryō Besuto Jū" 2016年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2016 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 3, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
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