Torahiko Tanaka

Torahiko Tanaka (田中 寅彦, Tanaka Torahiko, born April 29, 1957) is a retired Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former Kisei title holder and also a former senior managing director of the Japan Shogi Association.

Torahiko Tanaka
Native name田中寅彦
Born (1957-04-29) April 29, 1957
HometownToyonaka, Osaka
Career
Achieved professional statusJune 4, 1976(1976-06-04) (aged 19)
Badge Number127
Rank9-dan
RetiredApril 15, 2022(2022-04-15) (aged 64)
TeacherToshio Takayanagi (Honorary 9-dan)
Major titles won1
Tournaments won6
Career record794–783 (.503)
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life

Tanaka was born on April 29, 1957, in Toyonaka, Osaka. In 1971, he entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under guidance of shogi professional Toshio Takayanagi. He was promoted to the 1-dan in May 1974, and obtained professional status and the rank of 4-dan in June 1976.[1]

Shogi professional

Tanaka's first championship as a professional came in 1981 when he defeated Hatasu Itō to 2 games to none to win the 12th Shinjin-Ō.[2] He also won the 1st Quick Play Young Professionals Tournament (1982), the 5th All Star Kachinuki-sen (1982), the 34th NHK Cup (1984), the 17th Japan Shogi Association Cup (1984) and the 20th Quick Play Tournament (1986).[3][4][5][6]

Tanaka's first appearance in a major title match came in the Spring of 1988 when he challenged Yoshikazu Minami for the 52nd Kisei title; Tanaka won the match 3 games to 2 for his only major title.[7]: 1  The following autumn he was unable to defend his title against Makoto Nakahara, losing the 53rd Kisei title match by the same score.[8][7]: 3 

Tanaka retired from professional shogi on April 15, 2022.[9] He finished his career with a record of 794 wins and 783 losses.[10]

JSA director

Tanaka has served on the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors on multiple occasions.[11] He was first elected as an executive director at the association's 56th General Meeting for a two-year term on May 26, 2005,[12] and then re-elected to the same position in May 2007 and May 2011.[13][14] He was re-elected as a director in December 2012, Tanaka was chosen to be the JSA's senior managing director to replace Koji Tanigawa after the latter was chosen to replace Kunio Yonenaga, who died earlier in the month, as president.[15]

Shogi theoretical contributions

Tanaka earned the nickname "Edison of the opening" (序盤のエジソン (Joban no Ejison)), in reference to inventor Thomas Edison, for his innovations in the opening part of the game.[7]: 2 

He helped popularize the Bear-in-the-hole castle as a castle for Counter-Ranging Rook Static Rook positions. At the time, the Bear-in-the-hole was used primarily for Ranging Rook positions.[16][7]: 2 

The diagram below shows Tanaka (Black) using Static Rook position with an Incomplete Bear-in-the-hole castle in an October 1976 professional match.[17] His opponent Daigorō Satō (White) is using a Third File Rook (developed from an earlier Fourth File Rook position).

Tanaka vs Satō 1976
☖ pieces in hand: –
987654321 
香桂 金    香1
 王銀 金  角 2
歩歩歩歩歩 桂歩 3
    銀 飛 歩4
   歩 歩歩歩 5
  歩銀歩    6
歩歩角  歩歩 歩7
香銀  金  飛 8
玉桂金    桂香9
☗ pieces in hand: –
up to move 35

Promotion history

Tanaka's promotion history is as follows.[18]

  • 1972: 6-kyū
  • 1974: 1-dan
  • 1976, June 4: 4-dan
  • 1981, April 1: 5-dan
  • 1982, April 1: 6-dan
  • 1983, April 1: 7-dan
  • 1984, April 1: 8-dan
  • 1994, December 16: 9-dan

Titles and other championships

Tanaka has appeared in major title matches twice and has won one title.[19] In addition to major titles, Tanaka has won six other shogi championships during his career.[20]

Awards and honors

Tanaka has received a number of Japan Shogi Association Annual Shogi Awards: "Best New Player" (1976), "Most Consecutive Games Won" (1976), "Best Winning Percentage" (1978, 1980, 1981 and 1983), the "Techinique Award" (1978 and 1988), and the "Fighting-spirit Award" (1981 and 1983).[21] He also received the association's "Shogi Honor Award" in 2000 in recognition of winning 600 official games as a professional and the "25 Years Service Award" in 2001 in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years.[22]

References
  1. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  2. "Shinjin-Ō: Kako no Kekka" 新人王戦: 過去の結果 [Shinjin-Ō tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  3. "Hayazahi Shōgi Senshukensen･Hayazahi Shineisen [Rekidai Yūshōshaichiran]" 早指し将棋選手権戦･早指し新鋭戦 [歴代優勝者一覧] [Quick Play･Quick Play Young Professional Tournament Winner's List] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  4. "Ōrusutā Kachinukisen: Ōrusutā Kachinukisen Kako no Kekka" オールスター勝ち抜き戦: オールスター勝ち抜き戦過去の結果 [All star Kachinuki-sen: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  5. "NHK Tōnamento: Kako no Kekka" NHK杯将棋トーナメント: 過去の結果 [NHK Cup tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  6. "Nihon Shōgi Renmei Hai Sōdatsusen" 日本将棋連盟杯争奪戦 [Japan Shogi Association Cup Competition] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  7. "Tanaka Torahiko Kudan (Rokujū) Sanjūissai, Taibō no Hatsu Taitoru" 田中寅彦九段 (60) 31歳, 待望の初タイトル [Torahiko Tanaka 9d (age 60) won long-expected first major title at age 31]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). January 31, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  8. "Kiseisen: Kako no Kekka" 棋聖戦: 過去の結果 [Kisei tournament: Past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  9. Maruyama, Susumu (April 20, 2022). "｢Yaritsukushita｣ Intai no Tanaka Torahiko Kudan Masuda･Ōyama to no Omoide no Taikyoku" 「やり尽くした｣ 引退の田中寅彦九段 升田･大山との思い出の対局 ["I gave it my all" says newly retired Torahiko Tanaka 9-dan as he remembers playing against opponents such as Ōyama and Masuda]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  10. "Tsūsan Seiseki" 通算成績 [Career Records] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  11. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko Yakuin Rireki" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 役員履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka Board Member History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  12. "Shinriji Kaisen no Oshirase" 新理事改選のお知らせ [New JSA officers announced] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. May 28, 2005. Archived from the original on November 3, 2005. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  13. "Shinriji Tantō Busho no Oshirase" 新理事担当部署のお知らせ [New JSA officers and their respective responsibilities announced] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. May 28, 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  14. "Nihon Shōgi Renmei Shinyakuin no Oshirase" 日本将棋連盟新役員のお知らせ [New JSA officers announced] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. May 26, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  15. "Tanigawa Kōji Senmuriji, Shinkaichō ni" 谷川浩司専務理事, 新会長に [Senior Managing Director Kōji Tanigawa selected to be new JSA president] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. December 25, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  16. "田中寅彦九段が強豪アマに提訴された「居飛車穴熊・元祖」裁判" (in Japanese). 2010-05-24. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  17. "1976-10-27 その他の棋戦田中寅彦 vs. 佐藤大五郎 名棋戦". Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  18. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  19. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko Taitoru Rireki" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 タイトル履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka Major Title History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  20. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  21. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko Shōgi Taishō" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 将棋大賞 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka Annual Shogi Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  22. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Tanaka Torahiko Sonota Hyōshō" 棋士データベース: 田中寅彦 その他表彰 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Torahiko Tanaka Other Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
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