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Yoshiharu Habu

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Japanese shogi and chess player
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Yoshiharu Habu
羽生善治
Habu in 2018
Born (1970-09-27) September 27, 1970 (age 54)
Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
Career
Achieved professional statusDecember 18, 1985(1985-12-18) (aged 15)
Badge Number175
Rank9 dan
TeacherTatsuya Futakami
Lifetime titles
Major titles won99
Tournaments won45
Meijin classB1
Ryūō class2
Websites
JSA profile page
Chess career
CountryJapan
TitleFIDE Master (2004)
FIDE rating2399 (February 2016)
Peak rating2415 (February 2014)

Yoshiharu Habu (Japanese: 羽生 善治, Hepburn: Habu Yoshiharu, born September 27, 1970) is a professional shogi player and a chess FIDE Master. He is a former holder of the Ryūō, Meijin, Ōi, Ōza, Kiō, Ōshō and Kisei major titles. He was the first person to simultaneously hold seven major professional shogi titles at the same time and is the only person to qualify as a lifetime title holder for seven major titles. In January 2018, Habu became the first professional shogi player to be awarded Japan's People's Honour Award. In June 2023, he was elected to the board of directors of the Japan Shogi Association (JSA), and chosen by the board to be the JSA president.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship

Yoshiharu Habu was born in Tokorozawa, Saitama in 1970 and moved to Hachioji, Tokyo before entering kindergarten. Habu first encountered shogi in his first year of elementary school, when his classmates taught him how the shogi pieces move. He was so fascinated by the game that his mother entered him in a shogi tournament held at the Hachioji Shogi Club in the summer of 1978. Although Habu was eliminated during the preliminary rounds with a record of 1 win and 2 losses, his parents took him to the shogi club every weekend from October 1978. Habu improved so rapidly that he was promoted to amateur 5-dan in October 1981 at the age of eleven.

During his elementary school days, Habu regularly participated in regional and national shogi tournaments, mainly for children. At these tournaments, Habu played against several children of the same age who also became professional players, including Toshiyuki Moriuchi, Yasumitsu Satō and Manabu Senzaki. Those players born around 1970 are now known as the Habu generation, not just because they were born in the same year, but also due to their outstanding achievements as players.

In July 1981, Habu qualified to participate in the Amateur Meijin Tournament as the youngest ever representative ever of the Tokyo Suburban Area, and won four tournaments for elementary school children the following August. In April 1982, Habu won the 7th Elementary School Meijin tournament (小学生将棋名人戦, Shōgakusei shōgi meijinsen). He expressed his desire to become a professional player and asked advice from Katsuyasu Nakajima, the owner of the Hachioji Shogi Club and a student of Tatsuya Futakami. Habu applied for admission into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school as Futakami's student and was accepted as a member in 1982.

Shogi professional

Habu became a 4-dan professional in 1985 at the age of 14. He was the third junior high school kid professional in shogi history following Hifumi Kato and Koji Tanigawa. In 1989, at the age of 19, Habu 6-dan won the Ryūō championship, defeating Akira Shima who led a 4-person shogi study group "Shimaken" in which Habu himself took part. This was the first time Habu won one of the seven major titles making him, at the time, the youngest titleholder ever. Although he lost the Ryūō title to Tanigawa the following year, Habu won the Kiō championship four months later in 1991. Since then he has held at least one of the seven major titles every year since then, and according to custom of the titleholder system he has, therefore, never been referred to by his dan ranking since winning that first championship in 1989.

Accumulating three wins in major championships (Ryūō in 1989, Kiō in 1991 and 1992), Habu actually did qualify for promotion to 9-dan in March 1992, but the existing promotion rules required him to be promoted to 8-dan first and then to wait one year before his next promotion. He was officially promoted to 9-dan on April 1, 1994.

In 1992 Habu won the Ōza championship defeating Bungo Fukusaki to hold two titles (Kiō and Ōza) simultaneously. He went on to hold the Ōza title for 19 terms in a row. In 1996 (February 14 to July 30), Habu became the first professional to ever hold seven major titles (Meijin, Ryūō, Kisei, Ōi, Ōza, Kiō, and Ōshō) at the same time.

In July 2012, Habu won his 81st shogi title overall when he won in the Kisei title, becoming 1st on the all-time title-winners list, and surpassing the 80 of Yasuharu Ōyama.

In June 2014, Habu defeated the defending Meijin Toshiyuki Moriuchi 4 games to none to become the 72nd Meijin. Habu lost his Meijin title to Moriuchi in 2011 (69th Meijin match) and was unable to defeat Moriuchi and regain the title in both 2012 (70th Meijin match) and 2013 (71st Meijin match). By defeating Moriuchi, Habu not only moved into a tie with both Moriuchi and Yoshio Kimura for third place on the all time Meijin winner's list, he also became the first person the recapture the title for the third time.

In November 2014, Habu won his 1300 official game, becoming the fourth player to do so, the youngest player to do so (44 years and 1 month) and the fastest player to do since turning professional (28 years and 11 months). Habu's win came in his 1801 game as a professional and his winning percentage of 72.3 percent at the time is the all-time highest of any professional player to reach 1300 wins to date.

In December 2017, Habu defeated defending champion Akira Watanabe to win the 30th Ryūō title. It was Habu's seventh Ryūō title overall which qualified him for the title of Lifetime Ryūō. It also made Habu the first shogi professional to qualify for lifetime titles in seven major titles.

On January 5, 2018, Habu became the first shogi professional to be awarded Japan's People's Honor Award. In November 2018, it was announced that he was also awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon.

On November 21, 2018, Habu became the seventh shogi professional to play 2000 official games. At age 48 years and 1 month, Habu is the youngest to achieve the feat. He also accomplished it in 32 years and 11 months since obtaining professional status, thus becoming the fastest to do so. Furthermore, his overall winning percentage of .709 is also the highest among those who have previously reached the milestone.

On December 21, 2018, Habu lost the 31st Ryūō title to challenger Akihito Hirose 4 games to 3. The loss of the Ryūō title marked the first time in 27 years that Habu was a not one of professional shogi's major titleholders. A few days after losing the Ryūō title, the Japan Shogi Association announced that Habu had expressed his desire to be officially referred to as "Habu 9-dan" (羽生九段 (Habu Kudan)) instead of as "Ex-Ryūō Habu" (羽生前竜王 (Habu Zenryūō)), the way Ex-Ryūō champions can choose to be referred to as throughout the year following their loss of the title.

Habu defeated Masataka Gōda on March 17, 2019, to win the 68th NHK Cup tournament. It was the eleventh time Habu won the tournament, and also the 45th non-major title championship of his career, which broke the previous record of forty-four championships he shared with Ōyama.

On June 4, 2019, Habu defeated Takuya Nagase to become the shogi professional with the most victories of all time with 1,434 wins. Habu tied Ōyama's record of 1433 career wins a little over a week earlier on May 23, but then lost his next game and his first chance to break the tie on May 30. Habu's 1,434 win came in his 2,027 game as a shogi professional and gave him an overall winning percentage of 0.708.

In 2022, Habu was demoted to B1 class after 29 consecutive terms ranked A class or higher. On June 16, 2022, in the first round of the 81st Meijin B1 ranking league, Habu defeated Takayuki Yamasaki to become the first shogi professional with 1,500 wins, extending his record for most wins by a shogi professional and giving him an overall winning percentage of 0.696. For this achievement, Habu was awarded the newly created Special Shogi Honor Fighting Spirit Award.

Habu won all six of his games in the 72nd Ōshō Challenger League (September – November 2022) to earn the right to challenger Sōta Fujii for the later's Osho title in the 72nd Ōshō title match (January – March 2023). It was the first meeting between the two in a major title match. The match was tied at two wins apiece after four games, but Fujii won the next two games to win the match 4 games to 2.

Playing style

Habu is an outstanding player of Static Rook strategies in both attack and defense, whether in early fight or slow game circumstances, but has also used Ranging Rook openings on occasion. Shogi professional Kiyokazu Katsumata has described Habu's as "a man who plays by applying the strong points of successive great masters as the circumstances demand, a man who combines all of the virtues of all the great masters".

Habu's favorite piece is the silver, which he finds vital for both attack and defense. His winning percentage when dropping golds and silvers on the squares 23 and 83 (or at 87 and 27 when playing White) is said to be high even though winning after such drops is generally considered to be quite difficult. For this reason, these squares are referred to by some in the shogi world as "Habu's zone".

He is well known for playing superb moves in disadvantageous positions in the endgame, with peculiar brinkmate sequences that other players seem unable to come up with, a characteristic that many young players called "Habu's magic", a label under which he has published a series of books.

His long time rival Toshiyuki Moriuchi said of him: "His greatness lies in that as those around him get stronger, he also gets stronger. He is completely obsessed with not letting there be any big difference in playing strength between himself and other shogi professionals."

Promotion history

The promotion history of Habu is as follows:

  • 6-kyu: December 2, 1982
  • 5-kyu: February 2, 1983 (6 wins, 3 losses)
  • 4-kyu: March 28, 1983 (6 wins, no losses)
  • 3-kyu: May 11, 1983 (6 wins, no losses)
  • 2-kyu: July 7, 1983 (6 wins, no losses)
  • 1-kyu: August 24, 1983 (6 wins, no losses)
  • 1-dan: January 11, 1984 (12 wins, 4 losses)
  • 2-dan: September 10, 1984 (14 wins, 5 losses)
  • 3-dan: April 25, 1985 (12 wins, 4 losses)
  • 4-dan: December 12, 1985 (13 wins, 4 losses)
  • 5-dan: April 1, 1988 (for being promoted to Class C1 of Meijin ranking leagues)
  • 6-dan: October 1, 1989 (for being the Ryu-oh challenger)
  • 7-dan: October 1, 1990 (for being the Ryu-oh title holder, but needed to wait one year after 6-dan promotion)
  • 8-dan: April 1, 1993 (for being promoted to Class A of the Meijin ranking leagues)
  • 9-dan: April 1, 1994 (Qualified for rank in 1993 after holding a major title for three periods (years), but needed to wait one year after of 8-dan promotion before promoted to 9-dan)

Major titles and other championships

Major titles

There are eight major titles in shogi. Below is a list of number of times and years Habu has won each title.

Title Years Number of times overall
Ryūō 1989, 1992, 1994–95, 2001–02, 2017 7
Meijin 1994–96, 2003, 2008–10, 2014–15 9
Kisei 1993–95, 2000, 2008–2017 16
Ōi 1993–2001, 2004–06, 2011–16 18
Ōza 1992–2010, 2012–16 24
Kiō 1991–2002, 2005 13
Ōshō 1996–2001, 2003, 2005–09 12
  • Lifetime titles (qualified for, but awarded upon retirement or death): Lifetime Meijin, Lifetime Ryūō, Lifetime Kisei, Lifetime Ōi, Lifetime Ōza, Lifetime Kiō, Lifetime Ōshō. As a result of having qualified as Lifetime title holder for seven titles, Habu may be referred to as "Lifetime Seven Crown" (永世七冠 (Eisei Nanakan)) upon retirement.
  • Holds the record number of title match victories for the following titles: Kisei (tied with Ōyama and Nakahara), Ōi, Ōza, Kiō
  • Holds the record number of consecutive title match victories for the following titles: Kisei, Ōza, Kiō

Other tournaments

In addition to major titles, Habu has won the following non-title tournaments.

Tournament Years Number of times
Tatsujin-sen 2011–12 2
Asahi Cup Open 2009, 2011, 2013–15 5
Asahi Open 2003–06 4
All Nihon Pro 1989, 1991, 1997 3
Ginga-sen 1997–98, 2000–01, 2004, 2006, 2012 7
NHK Cup 1989, 1992, 1997–99, 2001, 2008–11, 2018 11
Hayazashi Senshuken 1992, 1995, 2002 3
Nihon Series 1991, 1998, 2003, 2010–11 5
Shinjin-Oh 1988 1
All Star Kachinuki-sen 1988, 1990, 1997, 1999 4
Tenno-sen 1987–88 2
Young Lions 1987, 1989 2

Lifetime titles: Lifetime NHK Cup Champion

Note: Tournaments marked with an asterisk (*) are no longer held.

Awards

Habu has received the following awards in recognition of his accomplishments throughout his career. The Annual Shogi Awards are awarded by the Japan Shogi Association to its members each year in recognition of performance during official play throughout the previous professional shogi year or shogi"nendo" (年度) (April 1 to March 31). "Other awards" includes those awarded by the JSA for career accomplishments and those awarded governmental organizations, etc. for contributions made to Japanese society.

Annual Shogi Awards

  • 14th Annual Awards (April 1986 — March 1987): Best Winning Percentage, Best New Player
  • 15th Annual Awards (April 1987 — March 1988): Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Fighting-spirit
  • 16th Annual Awards (April 1988 — March 1989): Player of the Year, Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Most Consecutive Games Won
  • 17th Annual Awards (April 1989 — March 1990): Player of the Year, Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Most Consecutive Games Won
  • 19th Annual Awards (April 1991 — March 1992): Fighting-spirit
  • 20th Annual Awards (April 1992 — March 1993): Player of the Year, Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Most Consecutive Games Won
  • 21st Annual Awards (April 1993 — March 1994): Player of the Year
  • 22nd Annual Awards (April 1994 — March 1995): Player of the Year, Most Games Won
  • 23rd Annual Awards (April 1995 — March 1996): Player of the Year, Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Special Award
  • 24th Annual Awards (April 1996 — March 1997): Player of the Year
  • 26th Annual Awards (April 1998 — March 1999): Player of the Year, Most Games Played
  • 27th Annual Awards (April 1999 — March 2000): Player of the Year
  • 28th Annual Awards (April 2000 — March 2001): Player of the Year, Best Winning Percentage, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Most Consecutive Games Won
  • 29th Annual Awards (April 2001 — March 2002): Player of the Year
  • 30th Annual Awards (April 2002 — March 2003): Player of the Year, Most Games Won, Most Games Played
  • 32nd Annual Awards (April 2004 — March 2005): Player of the Year, Most Games Won, Most Games Played
  • 33rd Annual Awards (April 2005 — March 2006): Player of the Year, Most Games Played, Most Consecutive Games Won
  • 34th Annual Awards (April 2006 — March 2007): Excellent Player, Game of the Year
  • 35th Annual Awards (April 2007 — March 2008): Player of the Year, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Game of the Year
  • 36th Annual Awards (April 2008 — March 2009): Player of the Year, Game of the Year
  • 37th Annual Awards (April 2009 — March 2010): Player of the Year
  • 38th Annual Awards (April 2010 — March 2011): Player of the Year, Most Games Won
  • 39th Annual Awards (April 2011 — March 2012): Player of the Year, Most Games Won, Most Games Played
  • 40th Annual Awards (April 2012 — March 2013): Excellent Player, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Game of the Year, Special Award
  • 41st Annual Awards (April 2013 — March 2014): Excellent Player, Most Games Won, Most Games Played, Game of the Year
  • 42nd Annual Awards (April 2014 — March 2015): Player of the Year, Game of the Year
  • 43rd Annual Awards (April 2015 — March 2016): Player of the Year, Special Game of the Year
  • 44th Annual Awards (April 2016 — March 2017): Excellent Player
  • 45th Annual Shogi Awards (April 2017 — March 2018): Player of the Year, Game of the Year
  • 46th Annual Shogi Awards (April 2018 – March 2019): Game of the Year
  • 50th Annual Shogi Awards (April 2022 – March 2023): Fighting-spirit, Game of the Year

Other awards

  • 1994: Tokyo Resident Culture Honor Award (Awarded by the Governor of Tokyo in recognition of cultural achievements by a Tokyoite)
  • 1996: Prime Minister's Award (Awarded by then Japanese Prime Minister Ryūtarō Hashimoto in recognition of becoming the first person to hold all seven major shogi titles at the same time.
  • 1999: Shogi Honor Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of winning 600 official games as a professional)
  • 2003: Shogi Honor Fighting-spirit Award (Awarded by JSA in recognition of winning 800 official games as a professional)
  • 2007: Special Shogi Honor Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of winning 1,000 official games as a professional)
  • 2008: 56th Kikuchi Kan Prize (Awarded by the publishing company Bungei Shunju in recognition of cultural achievements)
  • 2010: 25 Years Service Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years)
  • 2018: People's Honor Award
  • 2018: Medal with Purple Ribbon
  • 2022: Special Shogi Honor Fighting Spirit Award (Awarded by JSA in recognition of winning 1,500 official games as a professional)

Year-end shogi prize money rankings

Since 1993, Habu has finished at the top of the year-end prize money rankings a total of 23 times (1993–96, 1998–2012, 2014–16, 2018), second twice (1997 and 2013), third once (2017), fifth three times (2019, 2021 and 2023) and sixth once (2020). All amounts are given in Japanese yen and consist of tournament winnings and other game fees received during the calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Habu did not finish in the Top Ten in 2022, marking the first time he did not do so since 1993.

  • 1993: ¥100,630,000
  • 1994: ¥112,970,000
  • 1995: ¥165,970,000
  • 1996: ¥161,450,000
  • 1997: ¥101,820,000
  • 1998: ¥114,660,000
  • 1999: ¥78,720,000
  • 2000: ¥105,950,000
  • 2001: ¥115,190,000
  • 2002: ¥110,480,000
  • 2003: ¥129,100,000
  • 2004: ¥112,720,000
  • 2005: ¥103,910,000
  • 2006: ¥93,760,000
  • 2007: ¥81,320,000
  • 2008: ¥107,110,000
  • 2009: ¥112,780,000
  • 2010: ¥115,760,000
  • 2011: ¥98,860,000
  • 2012: ¥91,750,000
  • 2013: ¥72,810,000
  • 2014: ¥114,990,000
  • 2015: ¥119,000,000
  • 2016: ¥91,500,000
  • 2017: ¥50,070,000
  • 2018: ¥75,520,000
  • 2019: ¥39,990,000
  • 2020: ¥24,910,000
  • 2021: ¥32,360,000
  • 2023: ¥26,040,000

JSA president

On April 4, 2023, then JSA president Satō annoounced that he would not seek re-election when his term expired in at the beginning of June 2023. Later that same day, Habu released a statement through the JSA stating that he had submitted his application to be a candidate for the JSA board of directors scheduled to be selected at the next general meeting in June 2023. In the statement, Habu also stated that he decided to be a candidate for the first time because he wanted to "do all he could to help the JSA as it prepared to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024". Habu's candidacy was approved by the board of directors election preparatory committee on April 26, and he was formally elected to the JSA board of directors and then subsequently selected to be JSA president by the other members of the board at the 74th JSA general meeting held on June 9, 2023.

Chess professional

Habu playing chess with Peter Heine Nielsen (2014)

Habu is also one of the best chess players in Japan. He achieved the title of FIDE Master in 2004, and had a peak Elo rating of 2415 in February 2014.

In November 2014, he played former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in an exhibition match sponsored by the Japanese company Dwango. The two played two 25-minute rapid games with Habu losing both.

Personal life

In March 1996, Habu married actress and singer Rie Hatada at Hato no Mori Hachiman Shrine in Sendagaya, Tokyo, not far from the head office of the Japan Shogi Association. The two had met for the first time in September 1994 and officially announced their engagement in July 1995. It was reported that 80 police officers were assigned to the ceremony due to the popularity of the two. As of 2012, they have two daughters.

Publications

Habu has written numerous books, articles, etc. on shogi and various other topics. The vast majority of these are in Japanese, but there are some written in English.

  • — (1992–1994). Habu no Zunō Shirīzu 羽生の頭脳シリーズ [Habu's Brain (Series)]. 10 volumes (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: 日本将棋連盟 (Nihon Shōgi Renmei, Japan Shogi Association).
  • — (2000). Habu's Words. Translated by Tony Hosking; Yamato Takahashi . Stratford-upon-Avon, England: The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0953108923.
  • — (2006). "Forward". Classic Shogi: Games Collection. By Hosking, Tony. Stratford-upon-Avon, England: The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0953108930.
  • —; Hosking, Tony (2010). Masters of Shogi. Stratford-upon-Avon, England: The Shogi Foundation. ISBN 978-0953108947.

Video games

Notes

  1. ^ There were only seven major titles up until 2017. The eighth major title the Eiō was upgraded to major title status in May 2017
  2. The Kisei tournament was held twice a year until 1994. Habu won both times the tournament was held in 1993 and 1994.

References

  1. ^ Takenokuchi, Katsuhiro (April 1996). "Habu Yoshiharu, Oidachi no Ki" 羽生善治, 生い立ちの記 [Yoshiharu Habu: Personal History]. Shogi Sekai (in Japanese) (Special Issue: 7 Crown Yoshinaru Habu). Japan Shogi Association: 168–175.
  2. ^ Thakrar, Raju (January 7, 2007). "Yoshiharu Habu: Japan's king of the board". the Japan Times. Tokyo, Japan. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  3. Ito, Karin; Nakamura, Taichi (April 12, 2015). "Shōgi Fōkasu Tokushū: Shōgakusei Meijinsen Yonjūneni" 将棋フォーカス 特集: 小学生名人戦40年 [Shogi Focus Feature: Grade School Meijin 40 Years]. Shogi Focus (in Japanese). Event occurs at 19:22. NHK-E. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  4. "The Girl Who Hopes to Become a Professional Shogi Player". Kids Web Japan. December 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  5. ^ "Kishi Shōkai: Habu Yoshiharu" 棋士紹介: 羽生善治 [Player Introduction: Yoshiharu Habu] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  6. "Habu, Tsūsan Taitoru Kakutokusu Rekidai Tandoku Ichii ni" 羽生、通算タイトル獲得数歴代単独１位に [Habu, Number 1 on the list of all-time title winners] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟 (Japan Shogi Association). June 6, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  7. 山村, 英樹 (May 21, 2014). "Meijinsen: Habu Yonrenshō de Yonkan ni Aratana "Heisei Densetsu" Tanjō" 名人戦:羽生４連勝で４冠に 新たな「平成伝説」誕生 [Meijin Match: Habu wins four in a row, becomes a 4 crown. A new Heisei legend is born.]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  8. "Habu Meijin, Sensanbyakushō wo Tasei!" 羽生名人、1300勝を達成！ [Habu Meijin, reaches 1300 wins!] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  9. Yamamura, Hideki (5 December 2017). "Japanese shogi pro Habu becomes first to qualify for 7 lifetime titles". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  10. Osaki, Tomohiro (January 5, 2018). "Pair become first board game players to receive Japan's People's Honor Award". The Japan Times. Tokyo, Japan. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  11. "Aki no Hōshō ni Habu Yoshiharu-san" 秋の褒章に羽生善治さんら [Yoshiharu Habu announced as receiving Fall Honors]. Ehime Shimbun (in Japanese). Kyodo News. November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  12. Maruyama, Susumu (November 21, 2018). "Habu Ryūō ga Tsūsan Nisenkyoku Sainenshōkiroku Nananinme" 羽生竜王が通算2000局 最年少最速記録 7人目 [Habu Ryūō plays 2000th official game; 7th player overall and the youngest to reach milestone.]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  13. "Shogi pro Habu reaches 2,000th official game in record time". Mainichi Shimbun. November 21, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  14. "Hirose Shinryūō ga Tanjō, Habu Zenryūō wa Nijūnananenburi Mukan" 広瀬新竜王が誕生, 羽生前竜王は27年ぶり無冠 [Hirose is the new Ryūō titleholder; Habu unable to defend title and holds no major titles for the first time in 27 years]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 21 December 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  15. "Shogi star Habu loses Ryuo title, holds no major crown for 1st time in 27 years". Mainichi Shimbun. December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  16. "Mukan no Habu Zenryūō, Katagaki ｢Kudan｣ ni Nihon Shōgi Renmai ga Happyō" 無冠の羽生前竜王, 肩書 ｢九段｣ に 日本将棋連盟が発表 [Japan Shogi Association announce that the now non-major title holder Ex-Ryuo Habu will be referred to as "Habu 9-dan"]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). December 25, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  17. "Zenryūō･Habu Yoshiharu no Shinkatagaki wa ｢Kudan｣ Nihon Shōgi Renmei ga Honnin no Ikō wo Ukete Happyō" 前竜王･羽生善治の新肩書は ｢九段｣ 日本将棋連盟が本人の意向を受けて発表 [Japan Shogi Association announces that it will honor Ex-Ryuo Yoshiharu Habu's wishes and officially refer to him as "Habu 9-dan"]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). December 25, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  18. Murakami, Kōji (March 17, 2019). "Habu Kudan ga NHKhai V Ippansen no Yūshō Yonjūgokai wa Shinkiroku" 羽生九段がNHK杯V 一般棋戦の優勝45回は新記録 [Habu 9d wins NHK Cup; sets record with 45th non-major title tournament victory]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  19. "Shogi master Yoshiharu Habu equals record for number of victories". The Japan Times. Jiji Press. May 24, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  20. "Shogi genius Habu collects record 1,434th victory". Mainichi Shimbun. Kyodo News. June 5, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  21. "Shogi legend Habu extends record with 1,500th win". Yomiuri Shimbun. June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  22. "Habu Kudan, Fujii Ōshō e no Chōsenken Kakutoku Taitoru Hyakki ni Idomu" 羽生九段, 藤井王将への挑戦権獲得 タイトル100期に挑む [Habu to challenge Fujii Ōshō in bid to win his 100th major title overall]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). November 22, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  23. "Shōgi ｢Ōshōsen｣ Fujii Gokan ga Habu Kudan ni Katte Taitoru Bōei" 将棋 ｢王将戦｣ 藤井五冠が羽生九段に勝ってタイトル防衛 [Shogi Ōshō Tournament: Fujii 5-crown defeats Habu 9-dan to defend title]. NHK News Web (in Japanese). March 12, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  24. Katsumata, Kiyokazu (October 2008). "｢Kore nara Wakaru! Saishin Senpō Kōgi｣language=ja" ｢これならわかる! 最新戦法講義｣ [Latest Opening Strategy Course: You should understand this!]. Shogi World. Japan Shogi Association. p. 68.
  25. Ajimine, Takayuki (December 11, 2017). "Densetsu no Kishi･ Sakata Sankichi no Meigen ｢Gin ga Naiteiru｣ no Komerateta Omoi towa?language=ja" 伝説の棋士･阪田三吉の名言 ｢銀が泣いている｣ に込められた想いとは? [What's the meaning behind legendary shogi professional Sankichi Sakata's famous saying "The silvers are crying"?]. Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  26. Suzuki, Daisuke; Katsumata, Kiyokazu (March 2008). "Shinka Suru Habu Shōgi" 進化する羽生将棋 [The Ever Evolving Shogi of Habu]. Shogi World (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. pp. 63–65.
  27. "Shōgi-Kibishisa to Dōji ni Yorokobi mo Ataetekureru Mono" 将棋-厳しさと同時に喜びも与えてくれるもの [Shogi is a difficult game but at the same time it also gives much joy.]. Shogi World (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. October 2006. pp. 18–19. Moriuchi's original Japanese: ｢彼の凄さは, 周りのレベルも上げつつ, 自分のレベルも上げるところにある. 勝負の世界にいながら, 周りとの差を広げることだけにこだわっていない｣
  28. "Yoku Aru Shitsumon: Taitoru wo Sanki Ijō Kakutokushita Kishi ga Kachiboshi de Hachidan ni Shōdanshita Baai, Kudan Shōdan wa Itsu ni Naru Deshōka" よくある質問：タイトルを3期以上獲得した棋士が勝ち星で八段に昇段した場合、九段昇段日はいつになるのでしょうか。 [FAQ: When is a professional who holds a major title for 3 periods (years) and is promoted to 8-dan based upon number of wins officially awarded the rank of 9-dan?] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  29. ^ "Shōgi Taishō Jushōsha Ichiran" 将棋大賞受賞者一覧 [List of Annual Shogi Award Winners] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  30. "Shōgi Nyūsu: Dai Yonjūyonkai Shōgi Taishō Jushōsha no Oshirase" 将棋ニュース: 第44回将棋大賞受賞者のお知らせ [Shogi News: 44th Annual Award Winners] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  31. "Saiyūshūkishi Habu Yoshiharu Ryūō, Tokubetsushō ni Fujii Sōta Rokudan. Dai Yonjūgokai Shōgi Taishō Kimaru" 最優秀棋士賞に羽生善治竜王, 特別賞に藤井聡太六段. 第45回将棋大賞決まる [Shogi News: 45th Annual Award Winners] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  32. "Saiyūshūkishishō wa Toyoshima Nikan Fujii Shichidan wa ｢Myōshu｣ de Jushōlhanguage=ja" 最優秀棋士賞は豊島二冠 藤井七段は｢妙手｣で受賞 [Toyoshima 2-crown named "Player of the Year"; Fujii 7d wins award for "best move".]. Asahi Shimbun. April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  33. "Daigojūkai Shōgi Taishō Saiyūshūkishishō ni Shijō Sainenshō Rokkan no Fujii Sōta Ōshō wo Sannen Renzoku de Senshutsu" 第50回将棋大賞 最優秀棋士賞に史上最年少6冠の藤井聡太王将を3年連続で選出 [50th Annual Shogi Awards: Sota Fujii Osho, the youngest 6-crown title holder in history, selected 'Player of the Year' for the third year in a row]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  34. The following sources are cited in support of Habu's year-end prize money rankings:
  35. "Nisennijūninen Kakutoku Shōkin･Taikyokuryō Besuto Jū" 2022年獲得賞金･対局料ベスト10 [2022 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  36. "Satō Yasumitsu Kudan, Nihon Shōgi Renmei Kaichō Tainin e Rokugatsu Jōjun de Ninki Manryō Habu Kudan Shinkaichō Shūnin Nōkō ni" 佐藤康光九段, 日本将棋連盟会長退任へ 6月上旬で任期満了 羽生九段が新会長就任濃厚に [Yasumitsu Satō 9-dan announces he will not seek another term as JSA president when his current term ends at the beginning of June, and states Habu 9-dan has very good chance of succeeding him as president]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). April 4, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  37. ^ "Habu Kudan, Shinkaichō no Yūryoku Kōho ni Shōgi Renmei no Riji Rikkōho" 羽生九段, 新会長の有力候補に 将棋連盟の理事立候補 [Habu 9-dan declares candidacy for JSA board, seen as strong candidate to become next JSA president] (in Japanese). Jiji Press. April 4, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  38. "Habu Kudan, Renmei Riji ni Tōsen Shōgi, Rokugatsu ni Shinkaichō Shūnin e" 羽生九段, 連盟理事に当選 将棋, 6月に新会長就任へ [Habu 9-dan all but guaranteed to be elected to JSA board of directors and become its new president in June]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). April 26, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  39. "Nihon Shōgi Renmei Shiyakuin no Oshirase" 日本将棋連盟新役員のお知らせ [Announcement of New Japan Shogi Association Board Members] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  40. "Rating Progress Chart: Habu, Yoshiharu (JPN)". World Chess Federation (FIDE). Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  41. "When a shogi champion turns to chess". ChessBase GmbH. May 17, 2002. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  42. Hongo, Jun (November 27, 2014). "Chess Legend Kasparov to Face Japanese Shogi Master Habu". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  43. "Keisatsukan Hachijūnin no Genkeitaisei no Naka de Habu Yoshiharu to Hatada Rie ga Kyoshiki" 警察官80人の厳戒態勢の中で羽生善治と畠田理恵が挙式 [Yoshiharu Habu and Rie Hatada's wedding ceremony strictly guarded by 80 police officers]. Nikkan Gendai (in Japanese). Kodansha. November 29, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2015.

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