Yūki Sasaki (shogi)

Yūki Sasaki (佐々木 勇気, Sasaki Yūki, born August 5, 1994) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 8-dan.

Yūki Sasaki
Native name佐々木勇気
Born (1994-08-05) August 5, 1994
HometownMisato, Japan
Career
Achieved professional statusOctober 1, 2010(2010-10-01) (aged 16)
Badge Number280
Rank8-dan
TeacherKazuo Ishida (9-dan)
Tournaments won1
Meijin classA
Ryūō class2
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life

Sasaki was born in Geneva, Switzerland on August 5, 1994.[1][2][3] His family moved to France when he was two years old and then returned to Misato in Saitama Prefecture, Japan when he was about five.[4][5]

Shogi

Amateur shogi

As a young boy, Sasaki liked playing outdoors. His middle ear, however, became inflamed from swimming, and his doctor advised his parents to limit his playing to indoors for a while until it healed. Sasaki's father played the game go, but Sasaki started studying shogi at the prodding of his mother because she was worried that her son might mistakenly swallow one of the go pieces.[6]

As a first-grade elementary school student, he was already playing against adults at his local shogi club and was soon going to the club six days a week.[7] In 2003, Sasaki won the lower-grade section of the 2nd Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament as a third-grade student,[8] and then the following year he won the 29th Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament as a fourth-grade student to become just the second fourth grader, after Akira Watanabe, to win the tournament.[5][9]

In September 2004, Sasaki was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Kazuo Ishida.[2] In April 2008, Sasaki was promoted to the rank of appentice-professional 3-dan as a second-year junior high school student, which at the time tied the record for being the second fastest person to do so since entering the apprentice school.[5] He obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in October 2010 after winning the 47th 3-dan League (April 2010 – September 2010) with a record of 14 wins and 4 losses.[10] Sasaki was 16 years and 1 month old and still a junior high school student when he was awarded professional status, thus becoming just the sixth junior high school student to turn professional.[2]

Shogi professional

Sasaki ended Sōta Fujii's record of 29 consecutive wins by defeating Fujii on his 30th game.[11]

Promotion history

Sasaki's promotion history is as follows:[12]

  • 6-kyū: 2004
  • 3-dan: 2008
  • 4-dan: October 1, 2010
  • 5-dan: March 11, 2014
  • 6-dan: July 11, 2017
  • 7-dan: November 16, 2018
  • 8-dan: March 9, 2023

Titles and other championships

Sasaki has yet to appear in a major title, and his only tournament victory as a professional came in October 2013 when he defeated Shōta Chida 2 games to 1 to win the 3rd Kakogawa Seiryū Tournament.[13][14][15]

Awards and honors

Sasaki won the Japan Shogi Association's Annual Shogi Awards for "Most Games Played" (65 games) in 2017,[16] and the Kōzō Masuda Award for the Yūki Side Pawn Capture in 2018.[17]

References
  1. Murase, Shinya (July 2, 2017). "Fujii Yondan, Morikaeseruka Suisu Umare Sasaki Godan ni Kusen" 藤井四段, 盛り返せるか スイス生まれ佐々木五段に苦戦 [Can Fujii 4-dan battle back? In difficult struggle with Swiss-born Sasaki 5-dan]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  2. "Fujii Sōta Yondan no Renshō Sutoppushita Sasaki Yūki Godan wa Konna hito" 藤井聡太四段の連勝ストップした佐々木勇気五段はこんな人 [Introducing Yuki Sasaki 5-dan, the one who stopped Sota Fujii's winning streak]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). July 2, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  3. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Sasaki Yūki" 棋士データベース: 佐々木勇気 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yūki Sasaki] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  4. "Fujii Yondan no Taikyokushitsu de ｢Sugoi Mezuki｣ ｢Tsugi｣ no Taisensha ga Jitto Miteita" 藤井四段の対局室で ｢凄い目付き｣「次｣の対戦者がじっと見ていた [Fujii 4-dan's next scheduled opponent shows up at the playing sight and watches from start to finish with an intense expression on his face.]. J-Cast (in Japanese). June 27, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  5. "Fujii Yondan Tometa Sasaki Godan, Suisu Umare Ikeman" 藤井四段止めた佐々木五段, スイス生まれイケメン [Sasaki 5-dan, who stopped Fujii 4-dan's winning streak, is a young handsome Swiss-born shogi professional]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). July 2, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  6. Sasaki, Yūki (August 17, 2017). "Ikeman Jitsuryokuha Kishi･Sasaki Yūki Rokudan ｢Kikake wa Chūjien｣ Fujii Sōta Yondan Taikyoku de Chūmoku" イケメン実力派棋士･佐々木勇気六段 ｢きっかけは中耳炎｣ 藤井聡太四段対局で注目 [Yūki Sasaki 6-dan is young, handsome and a very strong player. He's received lots of attention for his game against Sōta Fujii 4-dan, but it all started with a "middle ear infection".]. Sankei Shimbun (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yūsuke Tanaka. p. 2. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  7. Sasaki, Yūki (August 17, 2017). "Ikeman Jitsuryokuha Kishi･Sasaki Yūki Rokudan ｢Kikake wa Chūjien｣ Fujii Sōta Yondan Taikyoku de Chūmoku" イケメン実力派棋士･佐々木勇気六段 ｢きっかけは中耳炎｣ 藤井聡太四段対局で注目 [Yūki Sasaki 6-dan is young, handsome and a very strong player. He's received lots of attention for his game against Sōta Fujii 4-dan, but it all started with a "middle ear infection".]. Sankei Shimbun (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yūsuke Tanaka. p. 3. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  8. "Dai Nikai Zenkoku Shōgakusei Kurashiki Ōshōsen" 第2回全国小学生倉敷王将戦 [2nd All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2003. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  9. "Shōgakusei Shōgi Meijinsen Rekidai Yūshōsha Ichiran" 小学生将棋名人戦 歴代優勝者一覧 [Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament: List of Winners] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  10. "Dai Yonjūnanakai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen" 第47回奨励会三段リーグ戦 [47th Apprentice School 3-dan League] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  11. Kakumi Kobayashi (July 2, 2017). "Record-setting winning streak of shogi prodigy Sota Fujii halted at 29 games". The Japan Times. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  12. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Sasaki Yūki Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 佐々木勇気 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yūki Sasaki Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  13. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Sasaki Yūki Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 佐々木勇気 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yūki Sasaki Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  14. "Dai Sanki Kakogawa Seiryūsen ... Sasaki Yondan no Yūshō" 第3期 加古川青流戦...佐々木四段の優勝 [Sasaki 4d wins the 3rd Kakogawa Seiryū Tournament] (in Japanese). Igo & Shogi Channel. October 28, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  15. "Dai Sanki Kakogawa Seiryūsen" 棋第3期 加古川青流戦 [3rd Kakogawa Seiryū Tournament]. 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 (Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition) (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2014. p. 394. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved July 11, 2018 – via Google Books.
  16. "Shōgi Nyūsu: Dai Yonjūyonkai Shōgi Taishō Jushōsha no Oshirase" 将棋ニュース: 第44回将棋大賞受賞者のお知らせ [Shogi News: 44th Annual Award Winners] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 31, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  17. "Saiyūshūkishi Habu Yoshiharu Ryūō, Tokubetsushō ni Fujii Sōta Rokudan. Dai Yonjūgokai Shōgi Taishō Kimaru" 最優秀棋士賞に羽生善治竜王, 特別賞に藤井聡太六段. 第45回将棋大賞決まる [Shogi News: 45th Annual Award Winners] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
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