Yoshitaka Hoshino

Yoshitaka Hoshino
Native name星野良生
Born (1988-08-10) August 10, 1988 (age 36)
HometownAgeo, Saitama
Career
Achieved professional statusApril 1, 2014(2014-04-01) (aged 25)
Badge Number295
Rank5-dan
TeacherKazuyoshi Nishimura [ja] (9-dan)
Meijin classC2
Ryūō class5
Websites
JSA profile page

Yoshitaka Hoshino (星野 良生, Hoshino Yoshitaka, born August 10, 1988) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 5-dan. He also holds an Esports professional shogi player license from the Japan eSports Union [ja] (JeSU).

Early life and apprenticeship

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Hoshino was born in Ageo, Saitama on August 10, 1988.[1] He became interested in shogi when he was about five years old with his first opponent being his mother,[a][2] and entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Kazuyoshi Nishimura [ja] in 2001.[3] He was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 3-dan in 2007, and finally obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in 2014 after tying Hiroshi Miyamoto for first place in the 54th 3-dan League (October 2013 – March 2014) with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.[3][4] Hoshino later stated in an October 2021 interview that his primary motivation for becoming a shogi professional was not money or to have a career, but rather because he felt that "his life would end" and the mental strain would be great if he quit.[2]

Shogi professional

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In September 2008, Hoshino became just the second apprentice professional 3-dan to advance to the finals of Shinjin-Ō [ja] tournament.[5] His bid to become the first apprentice professional to win the tournament, however, was unsuccessful as he lost the 39th Shinjin-Ō title match 2 games to none to regular professional Amahiko Satō 4-dan.[6][7]

Promotion history

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The promotion history for Hoshino is as follows:[8]

  • 6-kyū: September 2001
  • 3-dan: April 2007
  • 4-dan: April 1, 2014
  • 5-dan: August 13, 2020

Awards and honors

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Hoshino received the Japan Shogi Association's Masuda Award for his "Accelerated Silver 37" variation for the Cheerful Central Rook opening; becoming the second apprentice professional to ever win the award.[9][10][11]

Esports

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In January 2020, Hoshino tweeted that he was looking for ways to supplement career as a professional shogi player.[12] He received an offer from the Japanese software company SilverStar Japan [ja] and joined the company in April 2020 to take charge of the planning, developing and promoting of its board game products.[13] His duties also made him responsible for the planning, promotion and execution of the company's Esports shogi tournament Real Time Shogi Battle [ja] sanctioned by the Japan eSports Union [ja] (JeSU) held in 2021.[14] Hoshino also participated in the tournament with the goal of becoming a Esports shogi professional. Hoshino advanced to the final four tournament held at a shopping mall in Nagoya on October 3, 2021, but ended up in fourth place.[15] He was, however, granted an Esports professional shogi player license by the JeSU for his result.[16]

Notes

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  1. ^ In an interview with the website Esports World, Hoshino stated he first learned about shogi after seeing a shogi board on the reverse side of a magnetic Othello board game set.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Hoshino Yoshitaka" 棋士データベース: 星野良生 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yoshitaka Hoshino] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Hoshino, Yoshitaka (October 3, 2021). "Ima ĪSupōtsu Shōgi ga Atsui! 「Riaru Taimu Batoru Shōgi」 de Puro Īkishi wo Mezasu [Hoshino Yoshitaka Puro Kishi Intabyū]]" 今eスポーツ将棋がアツイ! 「リアルタイムバトル将棋」 でプロe棋士を目指す[星野良生プロ棋士 インタビュー] [Esports shogi is currently hot! Interview with professional shogi player Yoshitaka Hoshino who's aiming to become a professional esports shogi player at the "Real Time Shogi Battle".]. Esports World (interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yu Inokawa. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Hoshino Yoshitaka Sandan to Miyamoto Hiroshi Sandan ga Yondan ni Shōdan" 星野良生三段と宮本広志三段が四段に昇段 [Yoshitaka Hoshino 3-dan and Hiroshi Miyamoto 3-dan promoted to 4-dan] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 8, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  4. ^ "Dai Gojūyonkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen Nisenjūsannen Jūgatsu kara Nisenjūyonnen Sangatsu" 第54回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2013年10月~2014年3月 [54th apprentice school 3-dan league: October 2013 to March 2014] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  5. ^ "「Shinbun Akahata」 Shusai Dai Sanjūkyūki Shōgi Shinjin-Ōsen Kesshō Sanban Shōbu Jūhachinichi kara" 「しんぶん赤旗」 主催 第39期将棋新人王戦 決勝3番勝負 18日から [39th Shinjin-Ō best-of-three match sponsored by the Shimbun Akahata starts on the 18th] (in Japanese). Japanese Communist Party. September 15, 2008. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  6. ^ "Shōgi Shinjin-Ō ni Satō Yondan" 将棋新人王に佐藤四段 [Satō 4d wins shogi's Shinjin-Ō] (in Japanese). Japanese Communist Party. September 26, 2008. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  7. ^ "Dai Sanjūkyūki Shinjin-Ōsen" 第39期新人王戦 [39th Shinjin-Ō tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2008. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  8. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Hoshino Yoshitaka Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 星野良生 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yoshitaka Hoshino Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Hoshino Yoshitaka Shōgi Taishō" 棋士データベース: 星野良生 将棋大賞 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Yoshitaka Hoshino Annual Shogi Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  10. ^ "Dai Sanjūhakkai Shōgi Taishō ga Kimaru!" 第38回将棋大賞が決まる! [38th Annual Shogi Awards announced.] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 31, 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  11. ^ Murakami, Kōji (April 12, 2011). "「Chōsoku San-nana Gin」 Puro ni Shintō Dai Jūnanakai Masudashō ni Hoshino Sandan" 「超速3七銀」 プロに浸透 第17回升田賞に星野三段 [17th Masuda Award given to apprentice professional 3-dan Hoshino for his "Accelerated Silver 37" variation that has quickly become popular among professionals.]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  12. ^ Hoshino, Yoshitaka [@M1b4fZ8hqPv3F6c] (January 3, 2020). "Koko de Iu Tsumori wa Nakatta node desu ga, Forowā Sennin Natta shi, Tasuke wo Motemechaimasu. Tsuma ga Shigot wo Yameta no wo Ki ni Shūshoku" ここで言うつもりはなかったのですが, フォロワー1000人なったし, 助けを求めちゃいます。妻が仕事を辞めたのを機に就職 [I did not intend to tweet this, but I have got 1000 followers and I am asking for help. My wife has quit her job so I am looking for additional work.] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved March 2, 2022 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Shōgi Puro Kishi 「Hoshino Yoshitaka Yondan」 Nyūsha no Oshirase" 将棋プロ棋士 「星野良生 四段」 入社のお知らせ [Professional shogi player Yoshitaka Hoshino 4-dan joins company] (in Japanese). SilverStar Japan. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  14. ^ Matsunaga, Yoshinobu (March 29, 2021). "「Batoru Shōgi」, Nihon Suportsu Kōnin ni Puro Kishi mo Sanka" 「バトル将棋」, 日本eスポーツ公認に プロ棋士も参戦. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  15. ^ "Shijōhatsu, Chūgakusei Puro Kishi Tanjō 「Fujii Yonkan no Yō ni Katsu」 Riaru Taimu Batoru Shōgi" 史上初, 中学生プロe棋士誕生「藤井四冠のように勝つ」 リアルタイムバトル将棋 [Junior high school student wins "Real Time Battle Shogi" tournament to become the first ever junior high school student Esports shogi professional; Says he wants to win like Sōta Fujii 4-crown.]. Gifu Shimbun (in Japanese). November 22, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "[Taikai Repōto] 「Puro Īkishi Ketteisen・Daiikkai Denkisen」 Kaimaku! Nihon Hatsu no Puro Īkishi ga Tanjō!" [大会レポート] 「プロe棋士決定戦・第一回電棋戦」 閉幕! 日本初のプロe棋士が誕生! [[Tournament Report] "Professional Esports shogi player final tournament・1st Denkisen" held! Japan's first ever Esports shogi professionals announced!]. Editorial department. Esports World (in Japanese). October 14, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
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