Shintarō Saitō

Shintarō Saitō (斎藤 慎太郎, Saitō Shintarō, born April 21, 1993) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 8-dan.[1] He is a former Ōza title holder.

Shintarō Saitō
Saitō at a human shogi event in November 2017.
Born (1993-04-21) April 21, 1993
HometownNara, Nara
NationalityJapanese
Career
Achieved professional statusApril 1, 2012(2012-04-01) (aged 18)
Badge Number286
Rank8-dan
TeacherMamoru Hatakeyama (8-dan)
Major titles won1
Meijin classB1
Ryūō class1
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life

Shintarō Saitō was born on April 21, 1993, in Nara.[2] He learned how to play the game from reading books written by Yoshiharu Habu,[3] and as a third-grade elementary school student played his future mentor shogi professional Mamoru Hatakeyama for the first time in an instructional game.[4] As a fourth-grade student, Saitō personally wrote Hatakeyama asking for formal instruction,[3] and formally entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū in September 2004 under the latter's guidance.[3][5]

Saitō steadily progressed as an apprentice professional, reaching 1-dan in November 2006 and entering the 43rd 3-dan League in April 2008;[5][6] his progress, however, slowed and it took him eight seasons of 3-dan League play before he was able to obtain professional status and the rank of 4-dan by winning the 50th 3-dan League with a record of 15 wins and 3 losses in March 2012.[3][6][7]

Shogi professional

Saitō first appearance in a major title match came in June 2017 when he challenged Yoshiharu Habu for 88th Kisei title. Saitō had defeated Tetsurō Itodani the previous April to earn the right to face Habu,[8] but ended up losing the title match 3 games to 1.[9]

In July 2018, Saito defeated Akira Watanabe to become the challenger for the 66th Ōza title against Taichi Nakamura.[10] The title match against Nakamura took place from September 4 to October 30, 2018. Saitō won the first two games to take the lead, but Nakamura won the next two games to tie the match. Saitō then won Game 5 to win his first major title.[11][12] Saito's first defense of his Ōza title the following year, however, was unsuccessful, losing the 67th Ōza title match to challenger Takuya Nagase 3 games to none in October 2019.[13]

Promotion history

The promotion history for Saitō is as follows:[14]

  • 2004, September: 6-kyū
  • 2008, April: 3-dan
  • 2012, April 1: 4-dan
  • 2013, March 5: 5-dan
  • 2015, April 23: 6-dan
  • 2017, March 8: 7-dan
  • 2020, February 13: 8-dan

Titles and other championships

Saitō's has appeared in three major title matches to date, and has won one major title.[15]

Awards and honors

Saitō received the Japan Shogi Association Annual Shogi Awards for "Best New Player" and "Best Winning Percentage" in 2015, and "Best Winning Percentage" award in 2016.[16]

Year-end prize money and game fee ranking

Saitō has finished in the "Top 10" of the JSA's year-end prize money/game fee rankings twice since turning professional: eighth in 2018 with JPY 23,930,000 in earnings,[17] and tenth in 2019 with JPY 18,680,000 in earnings.[18]

References
  1. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Saitō Shintarō" 棋士データベース: 斎藤慎太郎 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Shintarō Saitō] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  2. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Saitō Shintarō" 棋士データベース: 斎藤慎太郎 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Shintarō Saitō] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  3. Geneki Purō Kishi DētaBukku 2016 [Jō] A-Ta Gyō 現役プロ棋士データブック2016 [上] あ-た [2016 Active Shogi Professional Databook [First volume] Letter "A" to Letter "Ta"] (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2015. p. 50. Retrieved October 31, 2018 – via Google Books.
  4. "Shintarō Saitō Shichidan Hiyaku e Arata na Benkyōhō" 斎藤慎太郎七段 飛躍へ新たな勉強法 [Shintarō Saitō 7d makes a leap with new study method]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). April 30, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  5. "Heisei Nijūrokunenban Shōgi Nenkan Nisenjūyonnen" 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 [Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition] (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2014. p. 577. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved October 31, 2018 – via Google Books. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  6. "Saitō Shintarō Sandan to Yashiro Wataru Sandan ga Shinyondan ni" 斎藤慎太郎三段と八代弥三段が新四段に [Shintarō Saitō 3d and Wataru Yashiro 3d are the new 4-dans.] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 10, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  7. "Dai Gojūkai Shōreikai Sandan Riigusen Nisenjūichinen Jūgatsu kara Nisenjūninen Sangatsu" 第50回奨励会三段リーグ戦 2011年10月～2012年3月 [50th apprentice school 3-dan League: October 2011 to March 2012] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  8. Niidoi, Hitoaki (April 25, 2017). "Kiseisen Chōsensha ni Saitō Shintarō Shichidan Hatsu no Taitorusen" 棋聖戦挑戦者に斎藤慎太郎七段 初のタイトル戦 [Shintarō Saitō 7d wins Kisei tournament challenger round to advance to first major title match.]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  9. "Habu Kisei ga Bōei, Jūrenpa Shōgi Taitoru Tsūsan Kyūjūhakki" 羽生棋聖が防衛, 10連覇 将棋タイトル通算98期に [Habu Kisei defends title for 10th consecutive time to win his 98th overall major title]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). July 11, 2017. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  10. "Shōgi Ōzasen, Saitō Shichidan ga Chōsensha ni Hatsu Taitoru Mezasu" 将棋王座戦, 斎藤七段が挑戦者に 初タイトル目指す [Saito 7d seeks first major title as the challenger for the Ōza title]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). July 27, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  11. "Shōgi, Saitō ga Hatsu Taitoru Ōza Kakutoku Saishūkyoku de Nakamura Yaburu" 将棋, 斎藤が初タイトル王座獲得 最終局で中村破る [Saitō wins first major shogi title; defeats Nakamura in final game to capture Ōza title.]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). October 30, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  12. "Ōzasen Dairokujūrokki" 王座戦 第66期 [66th Ōza tournament] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  13. Yamamura, Hideki (October 1, 2019). "Nagase Eiō ga Ōza Dasshu Saitō, Hatsu Bōei Narazu" 永瀬叡王が王座奪取 斎藤, 初防衛ならず [Nagase Eiō capture Ōza title; Saitō unsuccessful in first title defense]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  14. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Saitō Shintarō Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 斎藤慎太郎 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Shintarō Saitō Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  15. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Saitō Shintarō Taitoru Rireki" 棋士データベース: 斎藤慎太郎 タイトル履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Shintarō Saitō Major Title History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  16. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Saitō Shintarō Shōgi Taishō" 棋士データベース: 斎藤慎太郎 将棋大賞 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Shintarō Saitō Annual Shogi Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  17. "Habu Yoshiharu Kudan ga Ninenburi Ichii 2018nen Kakutoku Shōkin - Taikyokuryō Besuto 10" 羽生善治九段が2年ぶり1位 2018年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2018 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10: Yoshiharu Habu 9d reclaims top position after two years] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  18. "2019nen Kakutoku Shōkin - Taikyokuryō Besuto 10" 2019年獲得賞金・対局料ベスト10 [2019 Prize Money/Game Fees Top 10] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
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