is a Japanese

professional shogi player A professional shogi player (将棋棋士 ''shōgi kishi'' or プロ棋士 ''puro kishi'' "professional player") is a shogi player who is usually a member of a professional guild of shogi players. There are two categories of professional playe ...

, ranked 8-

dan Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa ** Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivo ...

. Chida is known for his novel research into

shogi opening A shogi opening ( ) is the sequence of initial moves of a shogi game before the middle game. The more general Japanese term for the beginning of the game is ()''.'' A ''Jōseki#Jōseki in shogi, jōseki'' () is the especially recommended sequen ...

theory using

computer shogi Computer shogi is a field of artificial intelligence concerned with the creation of computer programs which can play shogi. The research and development of shogi software has been carried out mainly by freelance programmers, university research gro ...

engines.

Early life and apprenticeship

Shōta Chida was born on April 10, 1994, in

Minoh, Osaka file:箕面市役所.jpg, 270px, Minoh City Hall is a Cities of Japan, city in northwestern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 139,118 in 62451 households and a population density of 2900 persons per km2. The total ...

. He learned how to play shogi from an elementary school student living in the same neighborhood when he was five years old. In September 2006, Chida was accepted into the Japanese Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-

kyū is a Japanese language, Japanese term used in modern martial arts as well as in Japanese tea ceremony, tea ceremony, ikebana, flower arranging, Go (game), Go, shogi, academic tests and other similar activities to designate various grades, leve ...

as student of shogi professional , and was promoted to the rank of 3-dan in April 2010. Chida obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 2013 when he was an 18-year-old third-grade student at Osaka Prefectural Toneyama High School by winning the 52nd 3-dan League (October 2012March 2013) with a record of 15 wins and 3 losses.

Shogi professional

In October 2013, Chida advanced to the finals of the 3rd against Yūki Sasaki, but lost 2 games to 1. In March 2016, Chida advanced to the finals of the 65th NHK Cup Shogi TV Tournament, but was defeated by

Yasuaki Murayama is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8- dan. Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship Yasuaki Murayama was born on May 9, 1984, in Hino, Tokyo. He learned how to play shogi from his grandfather when he was 5 years old, and won the ...

. In December 2016, Chida faced Sasaki once again and this time defeated him to earn the right to challenge Akira Watanabe for the 42nd Kiō Title. In the best-of-five title match held in February and March 2017, Chida was leading 2 games to 1 after winning Game 3, but Watanabe retained his title by winning the last two games. Also in December 2016, Chida advanced to the final of the 2nd

Eiō The is one of the eight major titles of professional shogi cosponsored by Fujiya Co. and the Japan Shogi Association (JSA). The tournament initially started out as a non-title tournament in 2015, but was upgraded to major title status in May 2 ...

Tournament, but lost to

Amahiko Satō is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9- dan. He is a former Meijin title holder. Early life and apprentice shogi professional Satō was born in Fukuoka on January 18, 1988. He attended elementary school and junior high school in Fukuo ...

2 games to none. In February 2020, Chida defeated

Takuya Nagase is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-Dan (rank)#Modern usage in shogi, dan. He is a former holder of the Eiō and Ōza (shogi), Ōza titles. Early life and apprentice shogi professional Nagase was born in Yokohama on September 5, 199 ...

2-crown to win the 13th . Chida advanced to the final by defeating

Sōta Fujii is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9- dan. He is the current holder of the Kiō, Kisei, Meijin, Ōi, Ōshō, Ōza and Ryūō titles, and a former holder of the Eiō title. He is the youngest person to be awarded professional st ...

earlier in the day to end Fujii’s bid who to become only the second player to win the tournament three years in a row. The victory was Chida’s first tournament championship as a professional.

Promotion history

The promotion history for Chida is as follows: * 6-

: September 2006 * 3-dan: April 2010 * 4-dan: April 1, 2013 * 5-dan: February 12, 2015 * 6-dan: December 16, 2016 * 7-dan: March 13, 2019 * 8-dan: February 8, 2024

Titles and other championships

Chida's only appearance in a major title match was in 2017 when he was the challenger for the

Kiō is one of the eight major title tournaments in professional shogi. The word means the " king of the board" (i.e. it is a combination of the kanji characters for and ). Overview The tournament started in 1974 as a continuation of the () held ...

title. He has, however, won one non-major title tournament: the 13th Asahi Cup Open in 2020.

Awards and honors

Chida has received a number of Japan Shogi Association

Annual Shogi Awards The Annual Shogi Awards (将棋大賞 ''shōgi taishō'') are a number of prizes awarded yearly by the Japan Shogi Association to professional and amateur shogi players who have achieved particular success. The first Annual Shogi Awards were pre ...

during career. He won the award for "Best New Player" for 201415 as well as the awards for "Most Games Won", "Most Games Played", the Masuda Award for 201617 and the Masuda Award for 20212021. His "Masuda Award" for 20162017 was for his development of

Bishop Exchange Reclining Silver In shogi, Bishop Exchange Reclining Silver or Reclining Silver With Bishops Off or Bishop Exchange Sitting Silver (角換わり腰掛け銀 ''kakugawari koshikakegin'') is a Bishop Exchange (Double Static Rook) opening that uses a Reclining Sil ...

variations with King-42/Gold-62/Rook-81 and Rapid Attack Left

Mino Mino may refer to: Places in Japan * Mino, Gifu, a city in Gifu Prefecture * Mino, Kagawa, a former town in Kagawa Prefecture * Mino, Tokushima, a town in Tokushima Prefecture * Mino, an alternate spelling of Minoh, a city in Osaka Prefecture * Mi ...

strategies against Yagura.

Year-end prize money and game fee ranking

Chida has finished in the "Top 10" of the JSA's once since turning professional: 10th place with JPY 16,920,000 in earnings in 2020.

Personal life

Chiba is married to women's professional shogi player

Marika Nakamura is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 4- dan. Women's professional shogi player Promotion history Nakamura's promotion history is as follows. * 2-kyū: April 1, 2003 * 1-kyū: April 1, 2004 * 1-dan: April 1, 2005 * 2-dan: Febr ...

. The pair got married in September 2023.

References

External links

*ShogiHub
Professional Player Info · Chida, Shota
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chida, Shota 1994 births Japanese shogi players Japan Shogi Association players Living people Professional shogi players from Osaka Prefecture Recipients of the Kōzō Masuda Award People from Minoh, Osaka