Masakazu Watanabe

{{Short description|Japanese shogi player}}

{{Infobox shogi professional

|name = Masakazu Watanabe

|native_name = 渡辺正和

|maiden_name = Yoshida

|born = {{birth date and age|1986|1|23|mf=yes}}

|hometown = Ōi, Saitama

|nationality =

|pro_date = {{event date and age|2008|10|01|1986|1|23}}

|badge_no = 273

|teacher = Hiromitsu Kanki

|rank = 6-dan

|teacher_rank = 7-dan

|meijinclass = Free

|ryuoclass = 5

|jsa = 273

|othersite = {{Twitter|masakazu_930}}

}}

{{nihongo|Masakazu Watanabe|渡辺正和|Watanabe Masakazu|born Masakazu Yoshida on January 23, 1986}} is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 6-dan.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship

Watanabe was born on January 23, 1986, in Ōi, Saitama (currently Fujimino, Saitama).{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/273.html|script-title=ja:棋士データベース: 渡辺正和|title=Kishi Dētabēsu: Watanabe Masakazu|language=ja|trans-title=Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Watanabe|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 21, 2020}} He learned how to play shogi from his father,{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2008/10/post_15.html|script-title=ja:吉田正和・新四段誕生のお知らせ|title=Yoshida Masakazu・Shinyondan Tanjo no Oshirase|language=ja|trans-title=Announcement regarding Masakazu Yoshida's promotion to 4-dan|date=October 1, 2008|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 21, 2020}} and was a well-known strong amateur player as a teenager, performing well in a number of national tournaments.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bWVDCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA72|script-title=ja:現役プロ棋士データブック2016 [下] た-わ行|title=Geneki Purō Kishi DētaBukku 2016 [Ge] Ta-Wa Gyō|language=ja|trans-title=2016 Active Shogi Professional Databook [Last volume] Letter "Ta" to letter "Wa"|year=2015|page=72|publisher=MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association|via=Google Books|asin=B019SSNKVA|access-date=March 21, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Tamaru|first=Noboru|author-link=:ja:田丸昇|url=http://tamarunoboru.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2011/01/c2-6fd4.html|script-title=ja: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|title=Furīkurasu kara Jun'isen・ Shikyū Nikumi no Shokyūshita Yoshida Masakazu Yondan|language=ja|trans-title=Masakazu Yoshida 4-dan promoted to Meijin Class C2 from the Free Class|date=January 28, 2011|website=Tamaru Noburo Official Blog|access-date=March 21, 2020}} In 2005, he won the 34th {{ill|Asahi Amateur Meijin Tournament|ja|将棋のアマチュア棋戦#朝日アマ名人戦}}, 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 {{ill|Asahi Open|ja|朝日杯将棋オープン戦#朝日オープン将棋選手権}} 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.{{cite magazine|author=|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7UEcBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA576|script-title=ja:平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014|title=Heisei Nijūrokunenban Shōgi Nenkan Nisenjūyonnen|language=Japanese|trans-title=Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition|magazine=平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014|page=576|year=2014|publisher=MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association|via=Google Books|isbn=978-4-8399-5175-7|access-date=March 21, 2020}}

Yoshida was promoted to apprentice professional 3-dan in the fall of 2007 and finished the 42nd 3-dan League (October 2007{{sndash}}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.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/shoreikai/sandan/42/index.html|script-title=ja:第42回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2007年10月~2008年3月|title=Dai Yonjūnikkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen Nisennananen Jūgatsu kara Nisenhachinen Sangatsu|language=ja|trans-title=42nd apprentice school 3-dan league: October 2007 to March 2008|year=2007|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 21, 2020}} The following season, Watanabe earned a second promotion point after finishing the 43rd 3-dan League (April 2008{{sndash}}September 2008) in third place, once again with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/shoreikai/sandan/43/index.html|script-title=ja:第43回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2008年4月~2008年9月|title=Dai Yonjūnikkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen Nisenhachinen Shigatsu kara Nisenhachinen Kyūgatsu|language=ja|trans-title=43rd apprentice school 3-dan league: April 2008 to September 2008|year=2008|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 21, 2020}} 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.

Shogi professional

Watanabe was promoted from the Free Class to the Meijin Class C2 league in 2011.

Watnabe finished the 77th Meijin Class C2 league (April 2017{{sndash}}March 2018) with a record of 3 wins and 7 losses, earning a third demotion point which meant automatic demotion to "Free Class" play.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/junni/2018/77c2/index.html|script-title=ja:第73期名人戦・順位戦 C級2組|title=Dai Nanajūnanaki Meijinsen・Jun'isen Shikumi Nikyū|language=ja|trans-title=77th Meijin Tournament Class C2|year=2018|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 21, 2020}}

=Promotion history=

The promotion history for Watanabe is as follows:{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/273.html#jsTabE04_02|script-title=ja:棋士データベース: 渡辺正和 昇段履歴|title=Kishi Dētabēsu: Watanabe Masakazu Shōdan Rireki|language=ja|trans-title=Professional Shogi Player Database: Masakazu Watanabe Promotion History|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 19, 2022}}

  • 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" ({{nihongo2|吉田}}). He took his wife's surname "Watanabe" after getting married in November 2015.{{cite news|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2015/11/post_1315.html|script-title=ja:吉田正和五段が結婚 渡辺姓に|title=Yoshida Masakazu Godan ga Kekkon Watanabe Sei ni|language=ja|trans-title=Masakazu Yoshida 5d gets married and takes the surname Watanabe|date=November 18, 2015|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 21, 2020}} His wife {{ill|Fumie Watanabe|lt=Fumie|ja|渡辺令恵}} is a competitive karuta player, whose holds the "lifetime queen" title and is a director of the All Japan Karuta Association.{{cite news|author=|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2015/11/20/kiji/K20151120011542560.html|script-title=ja: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|language=ja|title=Gojūissai Karuta Jo-Ō to Nijūkyūsai Puro Kishi ga Kekkon, Watanabe-san to Yoshida Godan|trans-title=51-year-old Karuta Queen Fumie Watanabe marries 29-year-old shogi professional Masakazu Yoshida 5-dan|date=November 20, 2015|newspaper=Sports Nippon|access-date=March 21, 2020}}

References

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