Shogi sensation Fujii defeats title holder for 1st time

January 15, 2018

Nagoya- Sota Fujii, 15, the youngest professional shogi player, defeated Amahiko Sato, the holder of the Meijin title, in a quarterfinal of the 11th Asahi Cup open tournament, achieving his first victory over any title holder.

For Fujii, a shogi sensation in the rank of fourth dan, the match, held in Nagoya, central Japan, on Sunday, was the first official game with a title holder.

"Winning over a Meijin title holder allowed me to build self-confidence," Fujii said after the match.

Sato, 29, said Fujii's moves in the match were precise.

"He's a star of the shogi world," Sato said. "I very much look forward to playing against him."

In a semifinal set for Feb. 17, Fujii will play against Yoshiharu Habu, 47, who holds the titles of Ryuo and Kisei.

The government has decided to grant the People's Honor Award to Habu, who in December last year became the first shogi player to win the "eisei" lifetime honor for all seven major titles.

Last year, Fujii played against Habu in two unofficial matches. They each won one game.

The Asahi Cup is a "hayazashi" quick play tournament with time controls that is open all kinds of shogi players, including amateurs. Fujii became the youngest player to make it through the preliminary rounds.

In fiscal 2017, which started in April last year, Fujii currently has 48 wins and 11 losses. His winning rate, at 0.8135, is the highest among all professional shogi players, excluding the two who turned pro in October.

In June last year, Fujii extended his unbeaten streak since his debut in December 2016 to 29 official matches, the longest on record. Jiji Press