Yasuhiro Masuda

{{Infobox shogi professional

|name = Yasuhiro Masuda

|native_name = 増田康宏

|born = {{birth date and age|1997|11|04|mf=yes}}

|hometown = Akishima, Tokyo

|nationality =

|pro_date = {{event date and age|2014|10|01|1997|11|04}}

|badge_no = 297

|teacher = Taku Morishita

|rank = 8-dan

|teacher_rank = 9-dan

|tournaments = 2

|meijinclass = A

|ryuoclass = 3

|jsa = 297

}}

{{nihongo|Yasuhiro Masuda|増田康宏|Masuda Yasuhiro|born November 4, 1997}} is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship

Yasuhiro Masuda was born on November 4, 1997, in Akishima, Tokyo.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/297.html|script-title=ja:棋士データベース: 増田康宏|title=Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro|language=ja|trans-title=Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=May 25, 2018}}{{efn|Masuda is the first person born after Yoshiharu Habu became a 7-crown (hold seven major titles simultaneously) in 1996 to become a shogi professional.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bWVDCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA44|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=44|publisher=MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association|via=Google Books|asin=B019SSNKVA|access-date=May 25, 2017}}}} He learned shogi when he was about five years old after his mother brought home a board game box which included a shogi set. Masuda won the upper-grade section of the {{ill|Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament|ja|将棋のアマチュア棋戦#小・中学生棋戦}} as an elementary school fourth-grade student in 2007,{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/tournament/elementary_school/6/tournament.html|script-title=ja:第6回全国小学生倉敷王将戦|title=Dai Rokkai Zenkoku Shōgakusei Kurashiki Ōshōsen|language=ja|trans-title=6th All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament|date=2007|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=May 25, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/secure/82071/06kekka.pdf|format=pdf|script-title=ja:第6回全国小学生倉敷王将戦|title=Dai Rokkai Zenkoku Shōgakusei Kurashiki Ōshōsen|language=ja|trans-title=6th All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament|publisher=Kurashiki City|access-date=May 25, 2018}} and the following year finished tied for third place in the {{ill|Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament|ja|小学生将棋名人戦}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/tournament/elementary_school_meijin/33/tournament.html|script-title=ja:第33回小学生将棋名人戦|title=Dai Sanjūsankai Shōgakusei Meijinsen|language=ja|trans-title=33rd Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament|date=2008|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=May 25, 2018}}

In September 2008, Masuda entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Taku Morishita. He was promoted to the rank of 3-dan in April 2012, and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in October 2014 while a second-year high school student after finishing tied for first in the 55th 3-dan League with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/shoreikai/sandan/55/index.html|script-title=ja:第55回奨励会三段リーグ戦|title=Dai Gojūgonkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen|language=ja|trans-title=55th Apprentice School 3-dan League|date=2014|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=May 25, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2014/09/post_1073.html|script-title=ja:増田康宏三段と黒沢怜生三段が四段に昇段|title=Masuda Yasuhiro Sandan to Kurosawa Reo Sandan ga Yondan ni Shōdan|language=ja|trans-title=Yasuhiro Masuda 3d and Reo Kurosawa 3d promoted to 4d|date=September 13, 2014|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=May 25, 2018}}

Shogi professional

In October 2016, Masuda won his first professional shogi tournament when he defeated Naohiro Ishida 2 games to none to win the 47th {{ill|Shinjin-Ō|ja|新人王戦 (将棋)}} title.{{cite web|url=http://www.igoshogi.net/topics/detail.php?ID=1597&is=1|script-title=ja:第47期新人王戦勝三番勝...増田四段の優勝|title=Dai Yonjūnanaki Shinjin-Ō-sen Sanbanshōbu ... Masuda Yondan no Yūshō|language=ja|trans-title=47th Shinjin-Ō Best-of-three Match...Masuda 4d is the winner|date=October 12, 2016|publisher=Igo & Shogi Channel|access-date=May 25, 2018}}{{cite news|author=|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S12606172.html|url-access=subscription|script-title=ja:増田四段が優勝将棋･新人王戦|title=Masuda Yondan ga Yūshō Shōgi･Shinjin-Ō-sen|language=ja|trans-title=Masuda 4d wins Shogi's Shinjin-Ō Tournament|date=October 13, 2016|newspaper=Asahi Shimbun|access-date=June 11, 2019}} He repeated the feat the following year when he defeated Daichi Sasaki 2 games to none to win the 48th Shinjin-Ō, thus becoming the first repeat winner since Takeshi Fujii in 1997.{{cite news|author=|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S13188061.html|script-title=ja:増田四段が連覇将棋･新人王戦|title=Masuda Yondan ga Renpa Shōgi･Shinjin-Ō-sen|language=ja|trans-title=Masuda 4d repeats as Shinjin-Ō|date=October 19, 2017|newspaper=Asahi Shimbun|access-date=May 25, 2018}} Masuda also advanced to the championship match of the 50th Shinjin-Ō tournament in October 2019 against Satoshi Takano and his attempt to become just the second three-time winner of the tournament started promising by winning Game 1; Takano, however, came back to win the next two games and the match.{{cite news|author=|url=https://www.sankei.com/life/news/191028/lif1910280033-n1.html|script-title=ja:将棋･新人王戦高野四段が初優勝|title=Shōgi･Shinjin-Ō-sen Takano Yondan ga Hatsu Yūshō|language=ja|trans-title=Takano 4-dan wins Shinjin-Ō for first tournament victory as a professional|date=October 28, 2019|newspaper=Sankei Shimbun|access-date=October 29, 2019}}

On June 26, 2017, Masuda lost to Sōta Fujii in Ryūō ranking class game which was streamed live online and had received much pre-game press coverage both within Japan and internationally because a Fujii victory would allow him to set a new professional shogi record of 29 consecutive wins.{{cite news|author=|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/27/national/kin-friends-rejoice-shogi-player-fujiis-historic-victory|title=Shogi prodigy: Family, friends and fans rejoice over Fujii's historic victory|date=June 27, 2017|newspaper=Japan Times|agency=Kyodo News|access-date=May 25, 2018}}

In December 2024, Masuda defeated Asuto Saitō in the best-of-two finals of the 50th Kiō challenger determination tournament to qualify for a major title match for the first time.{{cite web|author=|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/match_news/2024/12/241217_t_result_01.html|script-title=ja:増田康宏八段VS斎藤明日斗五段第50期棋王戦コナミグループ杯挑戦者決定二番勝負第1局増田八段の勝利|title=Masuda Yasuhiru Hachidan vs Saitō Asuto Godan Dai Gojūki Kiōsen Konami Gurūpuhai Chōsensha Kettei Niban Shōbu Dai Ikkyoku Masuda Hachidan no Shōri|language=ja|trans-title=Yashuhiro Masuda 8-dan defeats Asuto Saitō to win Game 1 of the best-of-two challenger determination finals for the 50th Konami Group Cup Kiō Tournament|date=December 17, 2024|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 4, 2025}} In the 50th Kiō title match (February{{ndash}}March 2025) against defending Kiō title holder {{abbrv|Fujii|Sōta Fujii}}, Masuda lost the match 3 games to none. Reflecting on his first title match appearance in the post-match press conference held after Game 3, Masuda stated that he thought he played well during the opening phases of each game and was able to keep the games close, but had trouble in the middle game, even when he had an advantageous position, and felt that was where he was unable to match Fujii.{{cite news|author=|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20250302/k10014737601000.html|script-title=ja:将棋｢棋王戦｣藤井聡太七冠 3連勝で五番勝負制し防衛 3連覇に|title=Shōgi ｢Kiōsen｣ Fujii Sōta Nanakan Sanrenshō de Goban Shōbu Seishi Bōei Sanrenpa|language=ja|trans-title=Fujii 7-crown wins shogi's best-of-five Kiō title for third year in a row to defend title|date=March 2, 2025|work=NHK News Web|access-date=March 4, 2025}}

=Promotion history=

The promotion history for Masuda is as follows:{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/297.html#jsTabE04_02|script-title=ja:棋士データベース: 増田康宏昇段履歴|title=Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro Shōdan Rireki|language=ja|trans-title=Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda Promotion History|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=April 5, 2024}}

6-kyū: September 2008
3-dan: April 2012
4-dan: October 1, 2014
5-dan: January 12, 2018
6-dan: May 22, 2018
7-dan: February 8, 2023
8-dan: March 7, 2024

=Titles and other championships=

Masuda has appeared in one major title match, but has yet to win a major title;{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/297.html#jsTabE04_01|script-title=ja:棋士データベース: 増田康宏タイトル履歴|title=Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro Taitoru Rireki|language=ja|trans-title=Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda Title History|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=March 4, 2025}} he is, however, a two-time winner of the {{ill|Shinjin-Ō|ja|新人王戦 (将棋)}} tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/297.html#jsTabE04_01|script-title=ja:棋士データベース: 増田康宏優勝履歴|title=Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Yasuhiro Yūshō Rireki|language=ja|trans-title=Professional Shogi Player Database: Yasuhiro Masuda Championship History|publisher=Japan Shogi Association|access-date=May 24, 2018}}

Notes

References

External links

ShogiHub: [http://shogihub.com/players/160 Professional Player Info · Masuda, Yasuhiro]
Shogi Fan:
{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170116170018/http://shogifan.com/2016/10/26/masuda-wins-shinjin-tournament/ Masuda wins Shinjin Tournament]}}
{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20171021111925/http://shogifan.com/2017/10/19/masuda-wins-again-the-shinjin-tournament/ Masuda wins again the Shinjin tournament]}}

Category:Japanese shogi players

Category:Japan Shogi Association players

Category:Living people

Category:Shogi players from Tokyo Metropolis

Category:1997 births

Category:People from Akishima, Tokyo

Category:Shinjin-Ō