Sakura Ishimoto Explained

Sakura Ishimoto
Native Name:石本さくら
Born:January 27, 1999
Hometown:Suita, Osaka Prefecture
Badge No:W-57
Teacher Rank:7-dan
Rank:Women's 2-dan
Tournaments:1
Jsa:57
Female:yes

is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 2-dan.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship

Ishimoto was born on January 27, 1999, in Suita, Osaka Prefecture.[1] She first became interested in shogi when she was a fourth-grade elementary school student after seeing some classmates playing the game. She decided that she wanted to learn how to play the game and started attending a local shogi school shortly thereafter.[2]

In 2010, she finished runner-up in the girl's division of the 4th as well as in third place in the 3rd tournaments as a sixth-grade elementary school student.[3] [4] Two years later in 2012, she won the girl's division of the 33rd as a second-year junior high school student.[5]

Ishimoto was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association (JSA) Kansai Branch's training group system. Although still an amateur player, she defeated a number of women's shogi professionals in the preliminary rounds of the 3rd (2013) and 4th (2014) tournaments.[6] [7] [8] [9] In 2016, she was promoted to Class B1 of the training group system when she was a 17-year-old third year senior high school student, thus meeting the criteria for the rank of provisional women's professional 3-kyū. She petitioned the JSA, with shogi professional as her sponsor, to be allowed to compete as a women's professional and was awarded the rank of 2-kyū and full professional status based on her prior performance in the 2013 and 2014 Women's Oza tournaments.[10]

Women's shogi professional

Ishimoto defeated Kanna Suzuki in the finals of the 3rd in August 2017 to win her first tournament as a professional.[11] She advanced to the finals of the same tournament the following year, but was unsuccessful in her attempt to repeat as tournament champion, losing to Saya Nakazawa.[12]

Promotion history

Ishimoto's promotion history is as follows.[13]

Note: All ranks are women's professional ranks.

Major titles and other championships

Ishimoto has yet to appear in a major title match, but she has won one official non-title women's professional shogi tournament.[14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Ishimoto Sakura. ja:女流棋士データベース: 石本さくら. ja. Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Sakura Ishimoto. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  2. Web site: Ishimoto Sakura-san ga Kugatsu kara Joryū Nikyū ni. ja:石本さくらさんが9月から女流2級に. ja. Sakura Ishimoto to be Women's Professional 2-kyū from September. September 1, 2016. Japan Shogi Association]. November 12, 2019.
  3. Web site: LSPA Girl's Shogi Project: Nisenjūnen Zenkoku Taikai Kekka. dead. ja:LSPA Girl's Shogi Project: 2010年全国大会結果. ja. LSPA Girl's Shogi Project: 2010 national tournaments results. August 22, 2010. The Ladies Professional Shogi Players' Association of Japan. https://web.archive.org/web/20130316100510/http://joshi-shogi.com/gsp_blog/2010/08/post_9.html. March 16, 2013. November 12, 2019.
  4. Web site: Dai Sankai Shōgakusei Komahime Meijinsen. ja:第3回小学生駒姫名人戦. ja. 3rd Elemnetary School Komahime Meijin Tournament. 2010. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  5. Web site: Dai Sanjūsankai Zenkoku Chūgakusei Senbatsu Shogi Senshuken Taikai [Joshi Kesshō Tōnamento]]. ja:第33回全国中学生選抜将棋選手権大会 [女子決勝トーナメント]. ja. 33rd All Japan Junior High School Student Invitational Shogi Tournament Girl's Championship Tournament. 2012. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  6. Web site: Dai Sanki Rikōhai Joryū Ōzasen Ichiji Yosen. ja:第3期リコー杯女流王座戦 一次予選. ja. 3rd Rico Cup Women's Ōza Tournament 1st Preliminary Round. 2013. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  7. Web site: Dai Sanki Rikōhai Joryū Ōzasen Niji Yosen. ja:第3期リコー杯女流王座戦 二次予選. ja. 3rd Rico Cup Women's Ōza Tournament 2nd Preliminary Round. 2013. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  8. Web site: Dai Yonki Rikōhai Joryū Ōzasen Ichiji Yosen. ja:第4期リコー杯女流王座戦 一次予選. ja. 4th Rico Cup Women's Ōza Tournament 1st Preliminary Round. 2014. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  9. Web site: Dai Yonki Rikōhai Joryū Ōzasen Niji Yosen . ja:第4期リコー杯女流王座戦 二次予選. ja. 4th Rico Cup Women's Ōza Tournament 2nd Preliminary Round. 2014. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.
  10. News: . Jūnanasai Kosan no Ishimoto Sakura-san ga Joryū Puro Kishi ni . dead. ja:17歳高3の石本さくらさんが女流プロ棋士に. ja. 17-year-old, third-year senior high school student Sakura Ishimoto becomes women's professional shogi player. September 1, 2016. Mainichi Shimbun. Kyodo News. https://web.archive.org/web/20160902095443/http://mainichi.jp/articles/20160902/k00/00m/040/014000c. September 2, 2016. November 12, 2019.
  11. News: . Ishimoto Joryū Shodan・Sanmaidō Godan ga V Shōgi・Yamadahai. subscription. ja:石本女流初段・三枚堂五段がV 将棋・YAMADA杯. ja. Shogi Yamada Cup: Women's shogi professional Ishimoto 1-dan and Sanmaidō 5-dan each win first tournament as a professional.. September 21, 2017. Asahi Shimbun. November 12, 2019.
  12. News: . Shōgi no Yamadahai Ōhashi Yondan ga Hatsuyūshō. ja:将棋のYAMADA杯 大橋四段が初優勝. ja. Ōhashi 4d wins Yamada Cup for first championship as a professional. August 22, 2018. The Nikkei. November 12, 2019.
  13. Web site: Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Ishimoto Sakura Shōdan Rireki. ja:女流棋士データベース: 石本さくら 昇段履歴. ja. Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Sakura Ishimoto Promotion History. Japan Shogi Association. December 16, 2020.
  14. Web site: Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Ishimoto Sakura Yūshō Rireki. ja:女流棋士データベース: 石本さくら 優勝履歴. ja. Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Sakura Ishimoto Championship History. Japan Shogi Association. November 12, 2019.