is a retired 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 ...

who achieved the rank of 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'Ivoir ...

Early life

Kōichi Kodama was born in

Kitakyushu is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuku ...

Fukuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders S ...

on February 21, 1951. As a

high school student A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, he was a member of a team that won the team competition of the 4th in 1968, and later went on to represent Fukuoka Prefecture in the . In October 1971, Kodama was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 3-

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 ...

under the guidance of shogi professional . He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1974 and finally obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in January 1980.

Promotion history

Kodama's promotion history is as follows: * 1971: 3-

* 1974: 1-dan * 1980, January 7: 4-dan * 1983, April 1: 5-dan * 1985, April 1: 6-dan * 1996, January 18: 7-dan * 2011, August 10: retirement * 2016, April 1: 8-dan

Awards and honors

Kodama received the following 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 his career: the Kōzō Masuda Award for 20022003, and the "Special Game of the Year" for 20092010. His "Masuda Award" was for his development of the

Crab Silvers The Crab Silvers (カニカニ銀 ''kani kani gin'') is a shogi opening. It is a type of Rapid Attack Fortress opening, used mostly when playing Black (sente). It is often classified as a trap opening. It was created by professional shogi player ...

opening. Kodama also received the Japan Shogi Association's "25 Years Service Award" in 2004.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kodama, Kōichi Japanese shogi players Living people Retired professional shogi players Recipients of the Kōzō Masuda Award Professional shogi players from Fukuoka Prefecture 1951 births People from Kitakyushu