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 player ...

ranked 6-

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'Ivoi ...

Early life

Deguchi was born on April 27, 1987, in

Akashi, Hyōgo 260px, Akashi City Hall 260px, Akashi fromAkashi Castle is a city in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 304,274 in 135,323 households and a population density of 6,200 people per km². The total area ...

. He learned how to play shogi while a lower-grade elementary school student from a fellow student. Although he was more interested in soccer at the time, he got asked to play in some local shogi tournaments and did well. He began getting more serious about shogi and started receiving instruction at the Kakogawa Shogi Center in nearby Kakogawa to improve his play. He was accepted into the

Japan Shogi Association The , or JSA, is the primary organizing body for professional shogi in Japan. The JSA sets the professional calendar, negotiates sponsorship and media promotion deals, helps organize tournaments and title matches, publishes shogi-related materi ...

's apprentice school under the guidance of shogi professional

Keita Inoue is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9- dan. He is currently serving as an executive director of the Japan Shogi Association. Early life Keita Inoue was born on January 17, 1964, in Ashiya, Hyōgo. In October 1979, he entered the Japa ...

at the rank of 6-

kyū is a Japanese term used in modern martial arts as well as in tea ceremony, flower arranging, Go, shogi, academic tests and other similar activities to designate various grades, levels or degrees of proficiency or experience. In Mandarin Ch ...

in 2007 when he was a sixth-grade elementary school student. He was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 3-dan in 2013, and obtained full professional status and the corresponding rank of 4-dan in April 2019 after winning the 64th 3-dan League (October 2018March 2019) with a record of 14 wins and 4 losses.

Shogi professional

In October 2018, Deguchi, still only an apprentice professional 3-dan, advanced to the finals of the 49th tournament, but lost to shogi professional

Sōta Fujii is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9- dan. He is the current holder of the Eiō, Kisei, Ōi, Ōshō and Ryūō titles. He is the youngest person to be awarded professional status by the Japan Shogi Association and one of only fi ...

2 games to none. Deguchi defeated shogi professionals

Shingo Sawada is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7- dan. Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship Shingo Sawada was born on November 21, 1991, in Suzuka, Mie. He finished in third place in the 26th (2001) and 27th (2002) as the representative ...

(in the second round) and

Hirotaka Kajiura is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. Early life Kajiura was born in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo, Japan on July 6, 1995. He learned how to play shogi from his father when he was about five years old, and eventually entered the J ...

(in the semi-finals) to become just the fifth apprentice professional to advance to the finals of the tournament.

Promotion history

Deguchi's promotion history is as follows: * 6-

: September 2007 * 3-dan: April 2013 * 4-dan: April 1, 2019 * 5-dan: March 5, 2021 * 6-dan: April 2, 2022

Titles and other championships

Deguchi has appeared in a major title match once. He was the challenger to Sōta Fujii in the 7th

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 ...

title match (April 2022May 2022) but lost the match 3 games to 0.

Personal life

Deguchi married women's shogi professional

Keika Kitamura is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 2-dan. Promotion history Kitamura's promotion history is as follows: * 3-kyū: April 1, 2013 * 2-kyū: June 24, 2013 * 1-kyū: April 1, 2014 * 1-dan: June 26, 2015 * 2-dan: January 18, 20 ...

in April 2021.

References

External links

*ShogiHub
Professional Player Info · Deguchi, Wakamu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deguchi, Wakamu Japanese shogi players Living people Professional shogi players from Hyōgo Prefecture 1995 births People from Akashi, Hyōgo