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 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'Ivo ...

Early life and apprentice professional

Deguchi was born on April 27, 1987, in

Akashi, Hyōgo file:Akashi City Hall.JPG, 260px, Akashi City Hall file:Akashi Castle Hitsujisaruyagura.JPG, 260px, Akashi from Akashi Castle is a Cities of Japan, city in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 305,925 in 1 ...

. 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 materia ...

's apprentice school under the guidance of shogi professional

Keita Inoue } is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9- dan. He is an executive director of the Japan Shogi Association. Early life and apprenticeship 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 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 ...

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 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 ...

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 representativ ...

(in the second round) and

Hirotaka Kajiura is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7- dan. Early life and apprenticeship 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 event ...

(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 in April 2021.

References

External links

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