Kiō (棋王) is one of the eight major title tournaments in professional shogi. The word means the "king of the board" (i.e. it is a combination of the kanji characters for board (棋, ki) and king (王, ō)).
Overview
editThe tournament started in 1974 as a continuation of the Strongest Player Tournament (最強者決定戦 (Saikyōsha Ketteisen)) held from 1961 to 1973, which itself was a continuation of the 9-dan, 8-dan and 7-dan Tournament (九, 八, 七段戦 (Kyū, Hachi, Nanadansen)) held from 1954 to 1956 and its successor the Japan Cup (日本一杯争奪戦 (Nihon'ichihai Sodatsusen) held from 1957 to 1960. The Kiō tournament was promoted to a major title tournament in 1975. The championship match is held from February to March. The challenger for the Kiō title is determined by the first and second preliminary rounds. In the second round, the losers in the semi-finals and final play consolation games, then the winners of the final and consolation-final advance to a two-game playoff. The winner of the consolation games has to win both games to become the challenger while the winner of the final has to win only one of the two games. The first player to win three games in the championship becomes the new Kiō titleholder.[1]
Lifetime Kiō
editLifetime (Eisei) Kiō is the title given to a player who won the championship five times in a row. Active players may qualify for this title, but it is only officially awarded upon their retirement or death.[2] In 1995 (the 20th Kiō Match), Yoshiharu Habu won his fifth Kiō title in a row, thus becoming the first professional to qualify for the title. In 2017, Akira Watanabe won his fifth title in a row to join Habu as the only professionals to have accomplished this feat.[3][4]
Winners
editThe following table shows a list of past winners.[5]
| No. | Year | Winner | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1975 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi | (League) | |
| 2 | 1976 | Hifumi Katō | 3-0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
| 3 | 1977 | Hifumi Katō (2) | 3-0 | Makoto Nakahara |
| 4 | 1978 | Kunio Yonenaga | 3-2 | Hifumi Katō |
| 5 | 1979 | Makoto Nakahara | 3-1 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 6 | 1980 | Kunio Yonenaga (2) | 3-1 | Makoto Nakahara |
| 7 | 1981 | Kunio Yonenaga (3) | 3-2 | Hidemitsu Moriyasu |
| 8 | 1982 | Kunio Yonenaga (4) | 3-0 | Yasuharu Oyama |
| 9 | 1983 | Kunio Yonenaga (5) | 3-1 | Hidemitsu Moriyasu |
| 10 | 1984 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama | 3-1 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 11 | 1985 | Kōji Tanigawa | 3-0 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama |
| 12 | 1986 | Michio Takahashi | 3-1 | Kōji Tanigawa |
| 13 | 1987 | Koji Tanigawa (2) | 3-2 | Michio Takahashi |
| 14 | 1988 | Yoshikazu Minami | 3-2 | Kōji Tanigawa |
| 15 | 1989 | Yoshikazu Minami (2) | 3-0 | Yasuharu Oyama |
| 16 | 1990 | Yoshiharu Habu | 3-1 | Yoshikazu Minami |
| 17 | 1991 | Yoshiharu Habu (2) | 3-1 | Yoshikazu Minami |
| 18 | 1992 | Yoshiharu Habu (3) | 3-2 | Kōji Tanigawa |
| 19 | 1993 | Yoshiharu Habu (4) | 3-0 | Yoshikazu Minami |
| 20 | 1994 | Yoshiharu Habu (5) | 3-0 | Taku Morishita |
| 21 | 1995 | Yoshiharu Habu (6) | 3-0 | Michio Takahashi |
| 22 | 1996 | Yoshiharu Habu (7) | 3-0 | Taku Morishita |
| 23 | 1997 | Yoshiharu Habu (8) | 3-1 | Masataka Gōda |
| 24 | 1998 | Yoshiharu Habu (9) | 3-0 | Yasumitsu Sato |
| 25 | 1999 | Yoshiharu Habu (10) | 3-1 | Toshiyuki Moriuchi |
| 26 | 2000 | Yoshiharu Habu (11) | 3-1 | Toshiaki Kubo |
| 27 | 2001 | Yoshiharu Habu (12) | 3-1 | Yasumitsu Sato |
| 28 | 2002 | Tadahisa Maruyama | 3-2 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 29 | 2003 | Kōji Tanigawa (3) | 3-1 | Tadahisa Maruyama |
| 30 | 2004 | Yoshiharu Habu (13) | 3-0 | Kōji Tanigawa |
| 31 | 2005 | Toshiyuki Moriuchi | 3-1 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 32 | 2006 | Yasumitsu Sato | 3-2 | Toshiyuki Moriuchi |
| 33 | 2007 | Yasumitsu Sato (2) | 3-2 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 34 | 2008 | Toshiaki Kubo | 3-2 | Yasumitsu Sato |
| 35[6] | 2009 | Toshiaki Kubo (2) | 3-2 | Yasumitsu Sato |
| 36[7] | 2010 | Toshiaki Kubo (3) | 3-1 | Akira Watanabe |
| 37[8] | 2011 | Masataka Gōda | 3-1 | Toshiaki Kubo |
| 38[9] | 2012 | Akira Watanabe | 3-1 | Masataka Gōda |
| 39[10] | 2013 | Akira Watanabe (2) | 3-0 | Hiroyuki Miura |
| 40[11] | 2014 | Akira Watanabe (3) | 3-0 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 41[12] | 2015 | Akira Watanabe (4) | 3-1 | Amahiko Satō |
| 42[4] | 2016 | Akira Watanabe (5) | 3-2 | Shōta Chida |
| 43[13] | 2017 | Akira Watanabe (6) | 3-2 | Takuya Nagase |
| 44[14] | 2018 | Akira Watanabe (7) | 3-1 | Akihito Hirose |
| 45[15] | 2019 | Akira Watanabe (8) | 3-1 | Kei Honda |
| 46[16] | 2020 | Akira Watanabe (9) | 3-1 | Tetsurō Itodani |
| 47[17] | 2021 | Akira Watanabe (10) | 3-1 | Takuya Nagase |
| 48[18] | 2022 | Sōta Fujii | 3-1 | Akira Watanabe |
| 48[19] | 2023 | Sōta Fujii (2) | 3-0[a] | Takumi Itō |
Records
edit- Most titles overall: Yoshiharu Habu, 13
- Most consecutive titles: Yoshiharu Habu, 12 in a row (1991-2002)
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Kiōsen Gaiyō" 棋王戦概要 [Kiō Match Overview] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
- ^ "Yoku Aru Goshitsumon: Eisei Shōgō no Kitei wa Dō Natteiru no Deshōka" よくあるご質問: 永世称号の規定はどうなっているのでしょうか。 [FAQ: What are the requirements for Lifetime Titles?] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
- ^ "Eisei Shōgō･ Meiyo Shōgō Kakutokusha Ichiran" 永世称号･名誉称号 獲得者一覧 [List of Lifetime Title Holders] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
- ^ a b Yamamura, Hideki (March 27, 2017). "Watanabe Gorenpa, Eisei Kiō ni Ryuō to Nikan Iji" 渡辺5連覇, 永世棋王に 竜王と2冠維持 [Watanabe wins fifth in a row to become a Lifetime Kiō and continue to simultaneously hold two major titles]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved March 28, 2017.
- ^ "Kiōsen Kako no Kekka" 棋王戦過去の結果 [Kiō Match Past Results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ "Kubo Kiō ga Bōei, Nikan Kenji, Satō Kudan ni Sansho Nihai" 久保棋王が防衛, 2冠堅持 佐藤九段に3勝2敗 [Kubo Kiō defends title and remains a 2 crown by defeating Satō 9 dan 3 games to 2]. Japan Press Network 47 News (in Japanese). Kyodo News. March 30, 2010. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Kubo Kiō ga Sanrenpa, Watanabe Ryūō Kudasu, Shōgi･Dai Sanjūroku Kiōsen" 久保棋王が3連覇, 渡辺竜王下す 将棋･第36期棋王戦 [36th Kiō Match: Kubo Kiō defeats Watanabe Ryūō to hold title for 3rd consecutive year.]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). March 18, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Shōgi･Gōda Kudan ga Kiō Dasshu, Jūnenburi Taitoru" 将棋･郷田九段が棋王奪取 10年ぶりタイトル [Shogi's Goda 9 dan captures Kiō title to win first major title in 10 years.]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). March 17, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Watanabe ōshō ga Shijō Hachininme Sankan! Kiōi Dasshu, Sangatsu dake de Nikan" 渡辺王将が史上8人目3冠! 棋王位奪取, 3月だけで2冠 [Watanabe ōshō captures the Kiō title to become only the 8th professional ever to simultaneously hold 3 or more major titles! Captures two major title in March alone.]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). March 25, 2013. Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
- ^ "Watanabe Kiō ga Hatsubōei, Sanrenshō de Miura Kudan Kudasu: Kiōsen" 渡辺棋王が初防衛, 3連勝で三浦九段下す 棋王戦 [Watanabe Kiō successfully defends title for the first time. Defeats Miura 9-dan by winning 3 straight games.]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 16 March 2014. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ "Kiōsen, Watanabe ga Sanrenshō de Sanrenpa, Habu Yonkan o Attō" 棋王戦, 渡辺が3連勝で3連覇 羽生4冠を圧倒 [Watanabe crushes Habu 4-crown by winning three games in a row to hold Kiō title for the third consecutive year.]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). March 8, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Kiōsen, Watanabe Kiō ga Yonrenpa" 棋王戦, 渡辺棋王が4連覇 [Watanabe wins Kiō for 4th consecutive year]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
- ^ Yamamura, Hideki (March 30, 2018). "Kiōsen, Watanabe ga Bōei Rokurenpa Nagase Shichidan Kudasu" 棋王戦, 渡辺が防衛 6連覇 永瀬七段降す [Kiō Match: Watanabe defeats Nagase 7d to win 6th in a row]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ^ "Shōgi Kiōsen Watanabe Nikan ga Taitoru Bōei Nanarenpa" 将棋 棋王戦 渡辺二冠がタイトル防衛 7連覇 [Watanabe 2-crown defends Kiō title to win it for the 7th consecutive time] (in Japanese). NHK. March 17, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
- ^ "Kiōsen, Watanabe Akira Sankan ga Hachirenpa...Honda Godan Yaburi Sanshō Ippai de Bōei" 棋王戦, 渡辺明三冠が8連覇...本田奎五段破り3勝1敗で防衛 [Akira Watanabe 3-crown defeats Honda 5-dan to defend title and win the Kiō title for the eighth consecutive time]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- ^ Murakami, Kōji (March 17, 2021). "Shōgi･Watanabe Akira Kiō ga Kyūrenpa Taitoru Kautoku Rekidai Tandoku Yon'i" 将棋･渡辺明棋王が9連覇 タイトル獲得歴代単独4位に [Akira Watanabe Kiō successfully defends his Kiō title for ninth consecutive time; moves into sole 4th place on the list of all time major title winners.]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Murakami, Kōji (March 20, 2022). "Shōgi･Watanabe Akira Kiō defeats challenger Takuya Nagase Ōza to win Kiō for the 10th consecutive time" 将棋･渡辺明棋王が10連覇を達成 挑戦者の永瀬拓矢王座を破る. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ "Fujii becomes second player in shogi history to hold six major titles". Japan Times. Kyodo News. March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ^ "Fujii Hachikan ga Itō Nanadan ni Shōri ｢Kiōsen｣ Nirenpa Shōritsu wa Rekidai Nii ni" 藤井八冠が伊藤七段に勝利 ｢棋王戦｣ 2連覇 勝率は歴代2位に [Fujii 8-crown defeats Itō 7-dan to win Kiō title for second year in a row and finish the season with the second highest winning percentage of all time]. NHK News Web (in Japanese). March 17, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ "Shōgi ｢Kiōsen｣ Dai Ikkyoku ｢Jishōgi｣" 将棋 ｢棋王戦｣ 第1局 ｢持将棋｣ で引き分け [Game 1 of Shogi's Kiō title match ends in impasse]. NHK News Web (in Japanese). February 4, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
External links
edit- Kiō Match Official Site (in Japanese) by Kyodo News and the Japanese Shogi Association