Kōru Abe

Kōru Abe
Native name阿部光瑠
Born (1994-10-25) October 25, 1994 (age 29)
HometownHirosaki
Career
Achieved professional statusApril 1, 2011(2011-04-01) (aged 16)
Badge Number283
Rank7-dan
TeacherOsamu Nakamura (9-dan)
Tournaments won1
Meijin classC2
Ryūō class4
Websites
JSA profile page

Kōru Abe (阿部 光瑠, Abe Kōru, born October 25, 1994) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprentice professional

Abe was born in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture on October 25, 1994.[1] He learned how to play shogi from his father when he was five years old.[2][3] As an elementary school student, Abe was interested in both Go and shogi. He was a big fan of the manga series Hikaru no Go and actually wanted to become a Go professional, but switched his focus to shogi after finding Go too difficult to learn.[3] He started attending a formal shogi class at local department store when he was a fourth grade elementary school student, and won the 5th All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament [ja] in 2006 as a sixth-grader.[3][4] Later that same year, he was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school as a student of shogi professional Osamu Nakamura at the rank of 6-kyū.[2][3]

Abe advanced through the apprentice school fairly smoothly, being promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 2008, and then to 3-dan in 2009.[3] He obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan after tying for first place in the 48th 3-dan League (October 2010 – March 2011) in 2011 with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.[2][3][5]

Shogi professional

In 2013, Abe was one of five shogi professionals selected to play against five computer shogi programs in the 2nd Denōsen exhibition match . Abe defeated the computer program Shūso [ja] in the first game of the match, which turned out to be the only victory scored by the shogi professionals.[6][7]

In October 2014, Abe defeated Yūki Sasaki to 2 games to 1 to win the 45th Shinjin-Ō [ja] tournament.[8][9][10]

Promotion history

Abe's promotion history is as follows.[11]

  • 6-kyū: September 2006
  • 3-dan: April 2009
  • 4-dan: April 1, 2011
  • 5-dan: November 4, 2014
  • 6-dan: November 5, 2015
  • 7-dan: January 28, 2022

Titles and other championships

Abe has yet to appear in a major title match, but he has won one non-major title championship.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Abe Kōru" 棋士データベース: 阿部光瑠 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōru Abe] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Kadokura Keita･Abe Kōru Shinyondan Tanjō no Oshirase" 門倉啓太･阿部光瑠　新四段誕生のお知らせ [Keita Kadokura and Kōru Abe are the new 4-dans] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 23, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Geneki Purō Kishi DētaBukku 2016 [Jō] A-Ta Gyō 現役プロ棋士データブック2016 [上] あ-た [2016 Active Shogi Professional Databook [First volume] Letter "A" to Letter "Ta"] (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2015. p. 9. Retrieved May 23, 2019 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Daigokai Zenkoku Shōgakusei Kurashiki Ōshōsen" 第5回全国小学生倉敷王将戦 [5th All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2006. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "Dai Yonjūhakkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen Nisenjūnen Jūgatsu kara Nisenjūichinen Sangatsu" 第48回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2010年10月～2011年3月 [48th apprentice school 3-dan league: October 2010 to March 2011] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "Geneki Purokishi ga Shōgi Sofuto ni Senshō Denōsen Daiichikyoku" 現役プロ棋士が将棋ソフトに先勝 電王戦第1局 [Shogi professionals strike first. Pro defeats shogi program in Game 1 of the Denōsen]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). March 23, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Pro shogi players defeated by computer programs". The Japan Times. Kyodo News. April 22, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  8. ^ "Abe Yondan ga Hatsuyūshō Shōgi Shinjin-Ōsen" 阿部四段が初優勝 将棋新人王戦 [Abe 4d wins Shinjin-Ō tournament for first championship as a professional] (in Japanese). Japanese Communist Party. October 25, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  9. ^ "Dai Yonjūgoki Shinjin-Ōsen" 第45期新人王戦 [45th Shinjin-Ō tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Nakamura Kudan Monka, Ve Futatsu Kagawa Joryū Ōshō Bōei･Abe Yondan ga Shinjin-Ō" 中村九段門下, Ｖ二つ　香川女流王将防衛･阿部四段が新人王 [Nakamura 9d protegees score two victories: Women's professional Kagawa defends her Ōshō title and Abe 4d wins Shinjin-Ō tournament]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 28, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  11. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Abe Kōru Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 阿部光瑠 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōru Abe Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  12. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Abe Kōru Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 阿部光瑠 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōru Abe Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 23, 2019.