Yasuhiro Masuda (増田 康宏, Masuda Yasuhiro, born November 4, 1997) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan.

Yasuhiro Masuda
Native name増田康宏
Born (1997-11-04) November 4, 1997 (age 26)
HometownAkishima, Tokyo
Career
Achieved professional statusOctober 1, 2014(2014-10-01) (aged 16)
Badge Number297
Rank8-dan
TeacherTaku Morishita (9-dan)
Tournaments won2
Meijin classA
Ryūō class2
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship

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Yasuhiro Masuda was born on November 4, 1997, in Akishima, Tokyo.[1][a] He learned shogi when he was about five years old after his mother brought home a board game box which included a shogi set.[3] Masuda won the upper-grade section of the Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament [ja] as an elementary school fourth-grade student in 2007,[2][4][5] and the following year finished tied for third place in the Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament [ja].[6]

In September 2008, Masuda entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Taku Morishita. He was promoted to the rank of 3-dan in April 2012, and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in October 2014 while a second-year high school student[2] after finishing tied for first in the 55th 3-dan League with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.[7][3]

Shogi professional

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In October 2016, Masuda won his first professional shogi tournament when he defeated Naohiro Ishida 2 games to none to win the 47th Shinjin-Ō [ja] title.[8][9] He repeated the feat the following year when he defeated Daichi Sasaki 2 games to none to win the 48th Shinjin-Ō, thus becoming the first repeat winner since Takeshi Fujii in 1997.[10] Masuda also advanced to the championship match of the 50th Shinjin-Ō tournament in October 2019 against Satoshi Takano and his attempt to become just the second three-time winner of the tournament started promising by winning Game 1; Takano, however, came back to win the next two games and the match.[11]

On June 26, 2017, Masuda lost to Sōta Fujii in Ryūō ranking class game which was streamed live online and had received much pre-game press coverage both within Japan and internationally because a Fujii victory would allow him to set a new professional shogi record of 29 consecutive wins.[12]

Promotion history

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The promotion history for Masuda is as follows:[13]

  • 6-kyū: September 2008
  • 3-dan: April 2012
  • 4-dan: October 1, 2014
  • 5-dan: January 12, 2018
  • 6-dan: May 22, 2018
  • 7-dan: February 8, 2023
  • 8-dan: March 7, 2024

Titles and other championships

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Masuda has yet to appear in a major title match, but he is a two-time winner of the Shinjin-Ō [ja] tournament.[14]

Notes

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  1. ^ Masuda is the first person born after Yoshiharu Habu became a 7-crown (hold seven major titles simultaneously) in 1996 to become a shogi professional.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro" 棋士データベース: 増田康宏 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Geneki Purō Kishi DētaBukku 2016 [Ge] Ta-Wa Gyō 現役プロ棋士データブック2016 [下] た-わ行 [2016 Active Shogi Professional Databook [Last volume] Letter "Ta" to letter "Wa"] (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2015. p. 44. ASIN B019SSNKVA. Retrieved May 25, 2017 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b "Masuda Yasuhiro Sandan to Kurosawa Reo Sandan ga Yondan ni Shōdan" 増田康宏三段と黒沢怜生三段が四段に昇段 [Yasuhiro Masuda 3d and Reo Kurosawa 3d promoted to 4d] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. September 13, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  4. ^ "Dai Rokkai Zenkoku Shōgakusei Kurashiki Ōshōsen" 第6回全国小学生倉敷王将戦 [6th All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  5. ^ "Dai Rokkai Zenkoku Shōgakusei Kurashiki Ōshōsen" 第6回全国小学生倉敷王将戦 [6th All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament] (pdf) (in Japanese). Kurashiki City. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "Dai Sanjūsankai Shōgakusei Meijinsen" 第33回小学生将棋名人戦 [33rd Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "Dai Gojūgonkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen" 第55回奨励会三段リーグ戦 [55th Apprentice School 3-dan League] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "Dai Yonjūnanaki Shinjin-Ō-sen Sanbanshōbu ... Masuda Yondan no Yūshō" 第47期 新人王戦勝三番勝...増田四段の優勝 [47th Shinjin-Ō Best-of-three Match...Masuda 4d is the winner] (in Japanese). Igo & Shogi Channel. October 12, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  9. ^ "Masuda Yondan ga Yūshō Shōgi・Shinjin-Ō-sen" 増田四段が優勝 将棋・新人王戦 [Masuda 4d wins Shogi's Shinjin-Ō Tournament]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 13, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  10. ^ "Masuda Yondan ga Renpa Shōgi・Shinjin-Ō-sen" 増田四段が連覇 将棋・新人王戦 [Masuda 4d repeats as Shinjin-Ō]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 19, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  11. ^ "Shōgi・Shinjin-Ō-sen Takano Yondan ga Hatsu Yūshō" 将棋・新人王戦 高野四段が初優勝 [Takano 4-dan wins Shinjin-Ō for first tournament victory as a professional]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). October 28, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "Shogi prodigy: Family, friends and fans rejoice over Fujii's historic victory". Japan Times. Kyodo News. June 27, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  13. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 増田康宏 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  14. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 増田康宏 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
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