Oi (shogi)

Ōi (王位) is one of the seven titles in Japanese professional shogi. The word means "the king's rank" (ō(王) = king, i(位) = rank or position).

The annual tournament started in 1960 sponsored by a group of local newspapers which has consisted of Shimbun Sansha Rengō (Three-Newspaper Association).[1] Despite of its name, Shimbun Sansha Rengō is currently formed by six newspapers: Hokkaido Shimbun, Tokyo Shimbun, Chunichi Shimbun, Kobe Shimbun, Tokushima Shimbun and Nishinippon Shimbun.[1]

The challenger for the title is determined by three-step preliminary round that comprises 1st heat, league competition and final playoff. Top eight players in 1st heat and top four players of previous year are divided into two six-player leagues. Top one of each league advances to final playoff, and the winner of one-game match becomes the challenger.

The player that wins four games out of seven first in the championship will become the new Ōi title holder. Each championship games assign players a six-hour playtime during two days.[1]

Lifetime Ōi

Lifetime Ōi (永世王位 eisei Ōi) is the title awarded to a player who won the championship five times in a row or ten times in total. Active players may qualify for this title, but it is only officially awarded upon their retirement or death. [2]

Only three professionals have qualified for the Lifetime Oi.[2] They are as follows:

Winners

No. Year Winner Score Opponent
1 1960 Yasuharu Oyama 4-1 Masao Tsukada
2 1961 Yasuharu Oyama 4-1 Yuzō Maruta
3 1962 Yasuharu Oyama 4-0 Motoji Hanamura
4 1963 Yasuharu Oyama 4-2 Hifumi Katō
5 1964 Yasuharu Oyama 4-2 Tatsuya Futakami
6 1965 Yasuharu Oyama 4-0 Daigoroh Satō
7 1966 Yasuharu Oyama 4-1 Michio Ariyoshi
8 1967 Yasuharu Oyama 4-1 Nobuyuki Ōuchi
9 1968 Yasuharu Oyama 4-2 Michio Ariyoshi
10 1969 Yasuharu Oyama 4-2 Kazuyoshi Nishimura
11 1970 Yasuharu Oyama 4-1 Kunio Yonenaga
12 1971 Yasuharu Oyama 4-3 Makoto Nakahara
13 1972 Kunio Naitō 4-1 Yasuharu Oyama
14 1973 Makoto Nakahara 4-0 Kunio Naitō
15 1974 Makoto Nakahara 4-2 Kunio Yonenaga
16 1975 Makoto Nakahara 4-2 Kunio Naitō
17 1976 Makoto Nakahara 4-2 Osamu Katsuura
18 1977 Makoto Nakahara 4-2 Kunio Yonenaga
19 1978 Makoto Nakahara 4-1 Yasuharu Oyama
20 1979 Kunio Yonenaga 4-3 Makoto Nakahara
21 1980 Makoto Nakahara 4-0 Kunio Yonenaga
22 1981 Makoto Nakahara 4-3 Yasuharu Oyama
23 1982 Kunio Naitō 4-2 Makoto Nakahara
24 1983 Michio Takahashi 4-2 Kunio Naitō
25 1984 Hifumi Katō 4-3 Michio Takahashi
26 1985 Michio Takahashi 4-0 Hifumi Katō
27 1986 Michio Takahashi 4-0 Kunio Yonenaga
28 1987 Koji Tanigawa 4-1 Michio Takahashi
29 1988 Keiji Mori 4-3 Koji Tanigawa
30 1989 Koji Tanigawa 4-1 Keiji Mori
31 1990 Koji Tanigawa 4-3 Yasumitsu Satō
32 1991 Koji Tanigawa 4-2 Hiroki Nakata
33 1992 Masataka Goda 4-2 Koji Tanigawa
34 1993 Yoshiharu Habu 4-0 Masataka Goda
35 1994 Yoshiharu Habu 4-3 Masataka Goda
36 1995 Yoshiharu Habu 4-2 Masataka Goda
37 1996 Yoshiharu Habu 4-1 Koichi Fukaura
38 1997 Yoshiharu Habu 4-1 Yasumitsu Satō
39 1998 Yoshiharu Habu 4-2 Yasumitsu Satō
40 1999 Yoshiharu Habu 4-0 Koji Tanigawa
41 2000 Yoshiharu Habu 4-3 Koji Tanigawa
42 2001 Yoshiharu Habu 4-0 Nobuyuki Yashiki
43 2002 Koji Tanigawa 4-1 Yoshiharu Habu
44 2003 Koji Tanigawa 4-1 Yoshiharu Habu
45 2004 Yoshiharu Habu 4-1 Koji Tanigawa
46 2005 Yoshiharu Habu 4-3 Yasumitsu Satō
47 2006 Yoshiharu Habu 4-2 Yasumitsu Satō
48 2007 Koichi Fukaura 4-3 Yoshiharu Habu
49 2008 Koichi Fukaura 4-3 Yoshiharu Habu
50 2009 Koichi Fukaura 4-3 Kazuki Kimura
51 2010 Akihito Hirose 4-2 Koichi Fukaura
52 2011 Yoshiharu Habu 4-3 Akihito Hirose
53 2012 Yoshiharu Habu 4-1 Takeshi Fujii
54 2013 Yoshiharu Habu 4-1 Hisahi Namekata
55 2014 Yoshiharu Habu 4-2-1[lower-alpha 1] Kazuki Kimura

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Game three ended in impasse after 178 moves and was officially recorded as a draw. This was the first drawn championship-round game in the history of the tournament. It was also the first time in 22 years that a championship-round game in one of the seven major title matches ended in impasse.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 王位戦について [About the Oi Tournament] (in Japanese). 新聞三社連合. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 永世称号の規定はどうなっているのでしょうか。 [What are the requirements for lifetime titles?] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  3. ↑ 物故棋士一覧　（1955年以降） [List of deceased professionals (from 1955)] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  4. ↑ 棋士紹介: 中原誠 [Player introduction: Makoto Nakahara] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  5. ↑ 棋士紹介: 羽生善治 [Player introduction: Yoshiharu Habu] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ 王位戦第３局は持将棋に　非勢の木村、粘って成立 [Kimura hangs on in an inferior position as game three of the Oi match ends in impasse.]. Kobe Shimbun (in Japanese) (Kobe, Japan). August 6, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.

External links