Madoka Kitao

Madoka Kitao (北尾 まどか, Kitao Madoka, born January 21, 1980) is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 2-dan.[1]

Madoka Kitao
Native name北尾まどか
Born (1980-01-21) January 21, 1980
HometownTokyo
NationalityJapanese
Career
Achieved professional statusOctober 1, 2000(2000-10-01) (aged 20)
Badge NumberW-43
RankWomen's 2-dan
TeacherKazuyoshi Nishimura (9-dan)
Websites
JSA profile page
Madoka Kitao on Twitter


Kitao, together with former women's professional Maiko Fujita created the game dōbutsu shogi, a simplified version of shogi designed to help beginners learn the game, in 2008: Kitao came up with the rules of the game, while Fujita designed the game's pieces.[2] She is also the representative director and founder of Nekomado (株式会社ねこまど), a shogi promotion, education and publishing company.[2]

Kitao is also credited with discovering Karolina Styczyńska while playing online shogi on the website 81Dojo as part of her efforts at promoting shogi outside of Japan among non-Japanese players. Kitao was quite impressed with the strength of Styczyńska's play, eventually found out who she was and then made arrangements for her to come and practice shogi in Japan.[3] Styczyńska, through Kitao's further encouragement and support, eventually went on to become the first non-Japanese to be awarded any type of professional status by the Japan Shogi Association.[4]

Karolina Styczyńska with Kitao in 2013

Promotion history

Kitao has been promoted as follows:[5]

  • 2000, October 1: 2-kyū
  • 2001, April 1: 1-kyū
  • 2003, April 1: 1-dan
  • 2013, August 1: 2-dan

Note: All ranks are women's professional ranks.

References
  1. "Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Kitao Madoka" 女流棋士データベース: 北尾まどか [Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Madoka Kitao] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
  2. Kitao, Madoka. "Shōgi de Hagukumu Oyako Komunikēshon" 将棋で育む親子コミュニケーション [Using shogi to foster parent-child communication]. Tokyo Women (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Hidehiko Kataoka. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  3. "Polish woman breathes fresh air into traditional world of shogi". Features. Mainichi Shimbun. Kyodo News. March 17, 2012. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  4. "Polish woman becomes first foreign female pro 'shogi' player in Japan". The Japan Times. Kyodo News. February 21, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  5. "Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Kitao Madoka Shōdan Rireki" 女流棋士データベース: 北尾まどか 昇段履歴 [Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Madoka Kitao Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
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