Nishiyama to Become 1st Female "Kishi" Shogi Player

Tokyo, Oct. 26 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Shogi Association said Monday that it has accepted an application from "joryu kishi" female professional shogi player Tomoka Nishiyama to join the main pro ranks of "kishi" for the first time as a woman.

Nishiyama, 31, who holds four joryu titles, is set to be promoted to fourth dan and join kishi's free class on April 1 next year.

"I've decided (to become a kishi) because I want to fight against stronger opponents and rise higher," she told a press conference at the association's Shogi Kaikan building in Tokyo on Monday.

Shogi, a traditional board game, has two professional systems--joryu, which is limited exclusively to women, and kishi with no such restriction. Nishiyama met the criteria to become a kishi player as she won the "Hakurei" title for the fifth time by defeating challenger Kana Fukuma, 34, on Oct. 10.

Kishi players are divided into five classes, ranging from the top A class to the lowest C2 class. Each class holds a ranking tournament every year. Nishiyama will start in the free class outside this framework and participate in games other than the ranking tournaments.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]