Kōru Abe
Kōru Abe | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 25, 1994 Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan |
| Occupation | Professional shogi player |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Known for | Winning the 45th Shinjin-Ō tournament |
is a Japanese professional shogi player holding the rank of 7-dan.
Early life, amateur shogi, and apprenticeship
Born on October 25, 1994, in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Abe was introduced to shogi by his father at the age of five. During his elementary school years, he showed interest in both Go and shogi. Initially inspired by the manga Hikaru no Go, he aspired to become a professional Go player but ultimately shifted focus to shogi after finding Go challenging. He began structured shogi lessons in fourth grade and, as a sixth grader, won the 5th in 2006. That same year, Abe entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school under the mentorship of professional Osamu Nakamura, starting at 6-kyū.
Abe steadily advanced through the ranks, achieving 1-dan in 2008 and progressing to 3-dan by 2009. He attained full professional status along with the rank of 4-dan after tying for first place in the 48th 3-dan League (October 2010–March 2011) with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.
Professional career
In 2013, Abe was among five professional shogi players chosen to compete against five computer shogi programs during the 2nd Denōsen exhibition match. He secured a win against the computer program in the opening game, marking the only professional victory in that series.
In October 2014, Abe claimed the title at the 45th Shinjin-Ō tournament by defeating Yūki Sasaki with a series score of two games to one.
Promotion history
The timeline of Abe's promotions is as follows:
- 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 achievements
While Abe has yet to participate in a major title match, he has earned one championship outside of the primary titles.
External links
- ShogiHub: Professional Player Info· Abe, Koru