People :
Working as a professional Shogi player :
Ms. Chisa Hayamizu

Ms. Chisa Hayamizu Born in Tokyo, 1982. Graduated from Meguro Metropolitan High School. She is now a senior at the School of Education, majoring in Social Science. She belongs to the seminar of Mamoru Ito. In 1996, she obtained the 2nd kyu (grade) as a female Shogi professional, and in 2000, the 1st dan (a grade which is higher than kyu). Since 2001, she has appeared in a Shogi & Igo TV program “Noteworthy Games; a selection of the Shogi Association” (broadcast every Thursday starting at 6 p.m.). In the 15th Women’s Shogi Championship in 2004, she advanced to the final match. Ladies Shogi professional [URL] http://joryukishikai.com/

“Shogi is not like dice or cards. The result is less dependent on chance, and the one who thinks more quickly wins. Think of the pieces as soldiers, and you’ll see how fun it can be.” Ms. Hayamizu was 4 years old when she first played Shogi. Among a number of games that she played with her grandfather, only Shogi allowed her to see all the pieces, even those held by her opponent. Thinking “In that case I can win every time”, her spirits soared.

“Have a specialty, whatever it is.” was her parent’s policy, and so they were very understanding of a daughter who gave herself so deeply to Shogi. Wanting to become an even better player, she became a pupil of Toshio Takayanagi, who is an honorary 9th dan holder. From that point on she made rapid progress, and she turned professional when she was 14.

While many professional Shogi-players do not go to college, Ms. Hayamizu enrolled at Waseda to have “broader perspective”. “In my mind, Waseda is active and optimistic, a place where you can try all sorts of things without worrying about failure. There is a lot to learn from people who are trying to become specialists, even if they’re in different fields,” she says. Her interests have expanded to include things like fieldwork in geology, the sociological analysis of the world of Shogi, and the possibilities of graduate study. Refusing to be limited by the standpoint of a professional, she maintains a an active curiosity in areas outside Shogi, and this is one of her most attractive points.

These days, professional Shogi matches are immediately dissected on the Internet, and strategic knowhow is widely disseminated. It is no exaggeration to say that information-collecting ability may determine the outcome of a match. “ I need to study more, ” she says with a laugh.

She has never thought of quitting Shogi. “It is like a native town, a place to come home to.” Her growth through communication with various generations and regions is evident in her composure and her polite manner of speech. For Ms. Hayamizu, Shogi has a strong element of communication even in the midst of competition. “I want to socialize with people regardless of whether they are professionals or amateurs, and have as many people as possible understand the fun of Shogi. This is a way of showing my gratitude to the people who have brought me up and trained me. I especially love to teach children!” she says, with a kind smile.