Takashi Abe
Takashi Abe | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 25, 1967 Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
| Occupation | Professional shogi player |
| Known for | 9-dan rank in shogi, winner of 12th tournament, challenger for 2002 Ryūō title |
Takashi Abe is a distinguished Japanese professional shogi player who holds the rank of 9-dan.
Early life and apprenticeship
Born on August 25, 1967, in Osaka Prefecture, Takashi Abe initially showed a stronger interest in "yakyū" before turning to shogi. During his junior high years in December 1981, he joined the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of professional . Demonstrating swift advancement, Abe reached 1-dan by 1983 and attained professional status at 4-dan in June 1985, just over three and a half years after starting.
Shogi professional
In 1986, Abe participated in a notable event that matched Western Japan's leading young player—17-year-old Abe—against Eastern Japan's rising star, 15-year-old Yoshiharu Habu. Although Abe was defeated, his skillful play garnered significant acclaim, with professional remarking that Abe exhibited greater talent than Habu.
Abe claimed his first professional title in 1993 by overcoming Hiroki Nakata with a 3-2 victory to win the 12th tournament. His only major title challenge occurred in 2002 when he contested the Ryūō championship against Habu. After securing the challenger spot by triumphing over Nakata in the playoff, Abe led the match 3-2 but ultimately dropped the last two games as Habu successfully defended his title.
On August 31, 2007, Abe became the 34th professional to achieve 600 official wins by defeating Keita Inoue during a Meijin Class B1 ranking match. Subsequently, on January 30, 2020, he reached his 800th official victory against Yasuaki Murayama in the preliminary rounds of the Ōza tournament. This accomplishment earned him the "", making him the first player to receive this distinction while ranked at 8-dan.
Promotion history
Abe's progression through professional ranks is documented as follows:
- 6-kyū: 1981
- 1-dan: 1983
- 4-dan: June 10, 1985
- 5-dan: August 11, 1989
- 6-dan: November 16, 1992
- 7-dan: June 6, 1997
- 8-dan: February 16, 2005
- 9-dan: July 15, 2020
Titles and other championships
Abe's only appearance in a major title match was as a challenger for the Ryūō title in 2002. Additionally, he secured victories in two non-major tournaments: the 12th (1993) and the 20th (1999–2000).
Awards and honors
In recognition of his performance, Abe received the Japan Shogi Association Annual Shogi Awards for "Most Games Won" and "Most Games Played" in the year 1996. He was also honored with the JSA's "Shogi Honor Award" in 2007 for surpassing 600 official wins, followed by the "25 Years Service Award" in 2010. In 2020, he was bestowed with the "" for achieving a total of 800 victories.
Year-end prize money and game fee ranking
Throughout his career since 1993, Abe has appeared three times among the JSA's "Top 10" rankings for year-end prize money and game fees: placing seventh with earnings of JPY 24,780,000 in 1994; ninth with JPY 25,630,000 in 2002; and eighth with JPY 20,490,000 in 2003.
External links
- ShogiHub: Professional Player Info · Abe, Takashi