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 9-

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'Ivoir ...

. He is also currently the

senior managing director A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of 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 ...

Early life

Waki was born on August 10, 1960, in

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...

, Japan. He learned shogi at a shogi class taught by shogi professional , and in 1975 he was accepted into the

's apprentice school under the guidance of Takashima at the rank of 5-

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 Chin ...

. He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1977, and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in October 1978.

Shogi professional

Waki became the 48th professional to win 600 official games when he defeated

Masahiko Urano is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan. Early life Urano was born in Osaka Prefecture on March 14, 1964. In October 1977, he was accepted into entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under ...

on February 3, 2015. In March 2019, Waki voluntarily declared himself as a '' free class'' player, thus leaving the Meijin tournament league.

Theoretical contributions

Waki is known for his innovations in the

Yagura opening Fortress (矢倉 or 櫓 ''yagura'') is both a Static Rook opening (矢倉戦法 ''yagura senpō'') and a castle in shogi. It is usually played in a Double Static Rook opening, which is often a Double Fortress opening. However, it may also occur ...

, and the

Waki System In shogi, Waki System (脇システム ''waki shisutemu'') is a symmetrical Double Fortress (Static Rook) opening. It is characterized in part by positioning Black's bishop on the 46 square and White's bishop on the 64 square allowing for a bish ...

is named after him.

Promotion history

The promotion history for Waki is as follows: * 5-

: 1975 * 1-dan: 1977 * 4-dan: July 16, 1979 * 5-dan: April 1, 1983 * 6-dan: April 1, 1984 * 7-dan: October 1, 1990 * 8-dan: November 16, 2000 * 9-dan: April 1, 2021

Titles and other championships

Waki has yet to appear in a major title match, but he has won three non-title championships during his career. He won the once (1983), and the twice (1984 and 1985).

Awards and honors

Waki received the JSA's "25 Years Service Award" in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years in 2004, and the "Shogi Honor Award" in recognition of winning 600 official games as a professional in 2015. He also received the Japan Shogi Association's “ Masuda Special Prize”

Annual Shogi Award 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 ...

for the 20192020 shogi year.

JSA director

Waki was selected to be the

of the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors for a two-year term at the association's 70th General Meeting on June 7, 2019, and re-elected to additional two-year terms in June 2021 and June 2023.

Personal life

Waki is married to professional Go player Masako Araki.

References

External links

*ShogiHub
Professional Player Info · Waki, Kenji
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waki, Kenji Japanese shogi players Living people People from Osaka Professional shogi players from Osaka Prefecture 1960 births