Masakazu Watanabe

Masakazu Watanabe (渡辺正和, Watanabe Masakazu, born Masakazu Yoshida on January 23, 1986) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 6-dan.

Masakazu Watanabe
Native name渡辺正和
Maiden nameYoshida
Born (1986-01-23) January 23, 1986
HometownŌi, Saitama
Career
Achieved professional statusOctober 1, 2008(2008-10-01) (aged 22)
Badge Number273
Rank6-dan
TeacherHiromitsu Kanki (7-dan)
Meijin classFree
Ryūō class5
Websites
JSA profile page
Masakazu Watanabe on Twitter

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship

Watanabe was born on January 23, 1986, in Ōi, Saitama (currently Fujimino, Saitama).[1] He learned how to play shogi from his father,[2] and was a well-known strong amateur player as a teenager, performing well in a number of national tournaments.[3][4]　In 2005, he won the 34th Asahi Amateur Meijin Tournament, becoming the youngest person to do so up until that time at the age of 19 years and 3 months. Wanatabe's victory also meant he qualified to participate in the 24th Asahi Open where he continued his good play, winning three straight games against shogi professionals before finally being eliminated from the tournament. Later that same year, he took the entrance exam for the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school and was accepted at the rank of apprentice professional 1-dan as a student of shogi professional Hiromitsu Kanki.[2][3][4][5]

Yoshida was promoted to apprentice professional 3-dan in the fall of 2007 and finished the 42nd 3-dan League (October 2007 – March 2008) with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses; although his score was the same as the top two finishers in the league, his lower league seed meant his result was only good enough to earn him a promotion point towards professional status.[4][6] The following season, Watanabe earned a second promotion point after finishing the 43rd 3-dan League (April 2008 – September 2008) in third place, once again with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.[2][3][4][5][7] This gave him to option to obtain full professional status and corresponding rank of 4-dan as a "Free Class" player. Wantabe elected to become professional this way and was officially promoted to 4-dan in October 2008.[2][3][4][5]

Shogi professional

Watanabe was promoted from the Free Class to the Meijin Class C2 league in 2011.[3][4][5]

Watnabe finished the finished the 77th Meijin Class C2 league (April 2017 – March 2018) with a record of 3 wins and 7 losses, earning a third demotion point which meant automatic demotion to "Free Class" play.[8]

Promotion history

The promotion history for Watanabe is as follows:[9]

  • 1-dan: September 2005
  • 4-dan: October 1, 2008
  • 5-dan: October 22, 2012
  • 6-dan: May 16, 2022

Personal life

Watanabe's maiden name is "Yoshida" (吉田). He took his wife's surname "Watanabe" after getting married in November 2015.[10] His wife Fumie is a competitive karuta player, whose holds the "lifetime queen" title and is a director of the All Japan Karuta Association.[11]

References
  1. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Watanabe Masakazu" 棋士データベース: 渡辺正和 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Watanabe] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  2. "Yoshida Masakazu･Shinyondan Tanjo no Oshirase" 吉田正和･新四段誕生のお知らせ [Announcement regarding Masakazu Yoshida's promotion to 4-dan] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. October 1, 2008. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  3. 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. 72. ASIN B019SSNKVA. Retrieved March 21, 2020 – via Google Books.
  4. Tamaru, Noboru [in Japanese] (January 28, 2011). "Furīkurasu kara Jun'isen･ Shikyū Nikumi no Shokyūshita Yoshida Masakazu Yondan" フリークラスから順位戦･C級2組に昇級した吉田正和四段 [Masakazu Yoshida 4-dan promoted to Meijin Class C2 from the Free Class]. Tamaru Noburo Official Blog (in Japanese). Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  5. "Heisei Nijūrokunenban Shōgi Nenkan Nisenjūyonnen" 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 [Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition]. 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2014. p. 576. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved March 21, 2020 – via Google Books.
  6. "Dai Yonjūnikkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen Nisennananen Jūgatsu kara Nisenhachinen Sangatsu" 第42回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2007年10月～2008年3月 [42nd apprentice school 3-dan league: October 2007 to March 2008] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  7. "Dai Yonjūnikkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen Nisenhachinen Shigatsu kara Nisenhachinen Kyūgatsu" 第43回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2008年4月～2008年9月 [43rd apprentice school 3-dan league: April 2008 to September 2008] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2008. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  8. "Dai Nanajūnanaki Meijinsen･Jun'isen Shikumi Nikyū" 第73期名人戦･順位戦 C級2組 [77th Meijin Tournament Class C2] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  9. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Watanabe Masakazu Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 渡辺正和 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Watanabe Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  10. "Yoshida Masakazu Godan ga Kekkon Watanabe Sei ni" 吉田正和五段が結婚 渡辺姓に [Masakazu Yoshida 5d gets married and takes the surname Watanabe] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. November 18, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  11. "Gojūissai Karuta Jo-Ō to Nijūkyūsai Puro Kishi ga Kekkon, Watanabe-san to Yoshida Godan" 51歳かるた女王と29歳プロ棋士が結婚, 渡辺さんと吉田五段 [51-year-old Karuta Queen Fumie Watanabe marries 29-year-old shogi professional Masakazu Yoshida 5-dan]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). November 20, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
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