Takodori's Entrance to Shogi World

Boardlive now - Shoshi Kazuharu vs Ishibashi Sachio, 4th Asahi Trophy Shogi Open

It may be available to watch now. The game started at 10:00am and the allotted thinking time per player is 40 minutes.

• Shoshi Kazuharu(7-dan) vs Ishibashi Sachio(Joryu 4-dan)

Boardlive now - Nakamura Taichi vs Tobe Makoto, Ryuo-sen Challenger Deciding Tournment

Today is the day for a game of 23rd Ryuo-sen challenger deciding tournament between Nakamura Taichi(4-dan) and Tobe Makoto(6-dan). Nakamura is the winner of Ryuo-sen 6th class and Tobe is the winner of the 5th class.  The winner of this game will compete with Murayama Yasuaki(5-dan), the winner of 4th class. You may replay and watch the game through the link below;

• Nakamura vs Tobe

The game started at 10:00am today. The allotted thinking time per player is five hours and each will have to make a move less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it. It will end in the evening(Japan Time). As expected by many fans, Tobe chose Gokigen Nakabisha. Nakamura's countermeasure was Ibisha Anaguma.

10 ama-pro games of 4th Asahi Trophy Shogi Open are on boardlive today

The following games are available to watch now. The first five games started 10:00am and the allotted thinking time per player is 40 minutes and each will have to make a move less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it. The rest will start at 2:00pm.

• Shimizugami Toru(ama) vs Tanaka Yuichi(4-dan)
• Yoshida Masakazu(4-dan) vs Takeuchi Joji(ama)
• Sawada Shingo(4-dan) vs Tanizaki(ama)
• Nagase Takuya(4-dan) vs Koizumi Takuya(ama)
• Makino Mitsunori(4-dan) vs Hayasaki(ama)

At 2:00pm, the following five games started.

• Sato Shinichi(4-dan) vs Kawakami Takeo(ama)
• Nagasawa Tadahiro(ama) vs Abe Kenjiro(4-dan)
• Koyama Reo(ama) vs Sugai Tatsuya(4-dan)
• Kondo Akihisa(ama) vs Nishikawa Kazuhiro(4-dan)
• Fujimoto Hiroyuki(ama) vs Oishi Tadashi(4-dan)

The official site of 4th Asahi Trophy Shogi Open is here(in Japanese).

HIDETCHI uploaded a new Shogi News video - 51st Ou-i League, Challenger Deciding Match (HIROSE vs HABU)

HIDETCHI uploaded his new Shogi News Video titled  51st Ou-i League, Challenger Deciding Match (HIROSE vs HABU) . Regardless you already know the result or not, it will be interesting to watch.

Boardlive now - Play-off of 51st Oui-sen White League, Habu vs Tobe

Today is the day for the Play-Off of 51st Oui-sen White league between Meijin Habu and 6-dan Tobe. Both completed the White league with the score of 4-1. That's why this play-off are being played. The winner of this game will play the challenger deciding match with 5-dan Hirose, the winner of Red league to compete to become the challenger against Oui Fukaura.

The game started at 10:00am. As a result of Furigoma, Habu became Sente. The opening strategy is Tobe's Gokigen Nakabisha as many expected. The allotted thinking time per player is 4 hours and each will have to make a move less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it.  So the game is expected to end at night in Japan.

You can watch and replay the game through the virtual board here.

• Habu vs Tobe

Tobe is 23 years old and younger than Ryuo Watanabe Akira. Whether he will be another young star or not draws people's attention .

6 boardlives today - Final Round of 51st Oui-sen Red/White League

The following boardlives are available to watch now.

< Red Legue> 

• 5-dan Hirose Akihito(sente) vs Ryuoh Watanabe Akira
• 7-dan Matsuo Ayumu(sente) vs 9-dan Sato Yasumitsu
• 8-dan Kimura Kazuki(sente) vs 4-dan Ohishi tadashi

< White League >

• Meijin Habu Yoshiharu vs 9-dan Maruyama Tadahissa
• 8-dan Miura Hiroyuki vs 5-dan Takazaki Issei
• 6-dan Tobe Makoto vs 7-dan Hashimoto Takanori

They started at 10:00am in Japan. The allotted thinking time per player is four hours and each player will have to make a move less than 60 seconds per move.

According to the 51st Oui-sen broadcasting official site, the score of each players up to the forth round is below;

< Red Legue >

• 1-3 --- 8-dan Kimura, 7-dan Matsuo, 4-dan Ohishi
• 3-1 --- 9-dan Sato, Ryuoh Watanabe, 5-dan Hirose

< White Legue >

• 3-1 --- Meijin Habu, 9-dan Maruyama, 6-dan Tobe
• 1-3 --- 7-dan Hashimoto, 8-dan Miura, 5-dan Takazaki

In order to survive to stay in the challenger-deciding leagues for the next term, one should occupy the second place or higher to get exemption from the long preliminary tournament to enter to the leagues.  So there is no hope already for the players with 1-3 before the final round. It actually a survival race among the players with 3-1. The top players between Red and White league will have a challenger deciding match at a later date to challenge Oui Fukaura Koichi.

Boardlive now - Ishibashi vs Kai, Challenger Deciding Match of 21st Joryu Oui-sen

The challenger deciding match of 21st Joryu Oui-sen between Joryu 4-dan Ishibashi Sachio and Joryu 2-dan Kai Tomomi started at 10:00am. You can watch and replay the game through the link below. As a result of Furigoma, Kai became Sente. The allotted thinking time per player is three hours.

• Kai vs Ishibashi

A match of human vs machine will be held in this autumn

According to plural sources, a public match between Joryu Osho & Oui Shimizu Ichiyo and a shogi program which I guess the next winner of WCSC will be held in this autumn.

Boardlive today - Challenger Deciding Match, Saida vs Kai, 3rd Mynavi Joshi Open

The challenger deciding match between Joryu-4dan Saida Haruko and Joryu-2dan Kai Tomomi are being played and available to watch and replay on the boradlive here.

• Saida(Sente) vs Kai

The allotted thinking time per player is 3 hours and each will have to make a move less than 60 seconds per move after consuming it. It started at 10:00am in Japan. The winner will be the challenger against Queen Yauchi Rieko.

The official blog where lots of photos will be uploaded is here.

Boardlives tomorrow - Semi-Finals and Final of 3rd Asahi Trophy Shogi Open

The semi-finals and the final of the 3rd Asahi Trophy Shogi Open will be played tomorrow on February 13 in Tokyo. The allotted thinking time per player is 40 minutes and each will have to make a move less than 60 seconds per move. That means a game will end in approximately 2 hours from the start. It's a golden opportunity for you to watch the games from the start to the end. Here is the boardlive information;

< Semi-finals - to start at 10:30am on February 13 in Japan >
Meijin Habu Yoshiharu vs 9-dan Tanigawa Koji
http://live3.shogi.or.jp/asahi/kifu/201 ... hi_11.html

Kio Kubo Toshiaki vs 5-dan Sato Kazutoshi
http://live3.shogi.or.jp/asahi/kifu/201 ... hi_12.html

< Final - to start at 2:30pm on the same day in Japan>
The semi-final winners' match
http://live3.shogi.or.jp/asahi/kifu/201 ... hi_13.html

I think I will tweet them about each move during their plays.
http://twitter.com/takodori