Kenji Waki

Kenji Waki (脇 謙二, Waki Kenji, born August 10, 1960) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan. He is also currently the senior managing director of the Japan Shogi Association.

Kenji Waki
Kenji Waki in Himeji, Japan (November 11, 2018)
Native name脇謙二
Born (1960-08-10) August 10, 1960
HometownOsaka
NationalityJapanese
Career
Achieved professional statusJuly 16, 1979(1979-07-16) (aged 18)
Badge Number138
Rank8-dan
TeacherKazukiyo Takashima (9-dan)
Tournaments won3
Meijin classfree
Ryūō class6
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life

Waki was born on August 10, 1960, in Osaka, Japan.[1] He learned shogi at a shogi class taught by shogi professional Kazukiyo Takashima, and in 1975 he was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school under the guidance of Takashima at the rank of 5-kyū. 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.[2][3]

Shogi professional

Waki became the 48th professional to win 600 official games when he defeated Masahiko Urano on February 3, 2015.[4]

In March 2019, Waki voluntarily declared himself as a free class player, thus leaving the Meijin tournament league.[5][6][7]

Theoretical contributions

Waki is known for his innovations in the Yagura opening, and the Waki System is named after him.[3]

Promotion history

The promotion history for Waki is as follows:[8]

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

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 Young Lions Tournament once (1983), and the Quick Play Young Professionals Tournament twice (1984 and 1985).[9]

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.[10] He also received the Japan Shogi Association’s “Masuda Special Prize” Annual Shogi Award for the 2019–2020 shogi year.[11]

JSA director

Waki was selected to be the senior managing director 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.[12]

Personal life

Waki is married to professional Go player Masako Araki.[3]

gollark: You'd probably have to block visual input, too, hmmm...
gollark: But imagine if advancing technology allowed us to avoid all spoilers ever of any kind anywhere!
gollark: Anyway, you could *probably* work out some sort of system to filter out news-y things on the internet, but of course COVID-19 is quite wideranging so some would likely slip through. And for real life communication you would probably have to... what, block out parts of conversation with constantly on headphone things and dynamically generate replacements? Hard.
gollark: I think they do have somewhat less international travel than the UK does, but yes.
gollark: Also, arrested? NZ must have had much more enforcing enforcement than we did.

References
  1. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Waki Kenji" 棋士データベース: 脇謙二 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kenji Waki] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  2. "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. 556. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved June 10, 2019 – via Google Books. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  3. Geneki Purō Kishi DētaBukku 2016 [Ge] Ta-Wa Gyō 現役プロ棋士データブック2016 [下] た-わ行 [2016 Active Shogi Professional Databook [Last volume] Letter "Ta" to letter "Wa"] (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2015. p. 69. ASIN B019SSNKVA. Retrieved June 10, 2019 – via Google Books.
  4. "Waki Kenji Hachidan, Roppyakushō (Shōgi Eiyoshō) wo Tasei" 脇謙二八段, 600勝(将棋栄誉賞)を達成 [Kenji Waki 8d reaches 600 wins (awarded "Shogi Honor Award")] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. February 4, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  5. "Nisenjūkyūnendo kara no Furīkurasu Tenshutsusha" 2019年度からのフリークラス転出者 [Players moving to free class from April 2019] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. April 3, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  6. "Nisenjūkyūnendo kara no Furīkurasu Tenshutsu wo ..." 2019年度からのフリークラス転出を... [Moving to free class from April 2019]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). April 5, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  7. "Waki to Izumi ga Furīkurasu ni" 脇と泉がフリークラスに [Waki and Izumi to free class]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). April 22, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  8. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Waki Kenji Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 脇謙二 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kenji Waki Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  9. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Waki Kenji Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 脇謙二 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kenji Waki Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  10. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Waki Kenji Eisaku Sonota Hyōshō" 棋士データベース: 脇謙二 その他表彰 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kenji Waki Other Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  11. "Shōgi Taishō, Saiyūshūkishishō ni Watanabe Sankan...Nikaime" 将棋大賞, 最優秀棋士賞に渡辺明三冠...2回目 [Shogi Annual Awards: Watanabe 3-crown wins “Player of the year” for the second time.]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  12. "Nihon Shōgi Renmei Shinyakuin no Oshirase" 日本将棋連盟新役員のお知らせ [Announcement of New Japan Shogi Association Board Members] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. June 7, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
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