Tomoka Nishiyama

Tomoka Nishiyama (西山 朋佳, Nishiyama Tomoka, born June 27, 1995) is a Japanese apprentice shogi professional player ranked 3-dan. Nishiyama also participates in women's professional shogi tournaments and is the current holder of the Women's Jo-Ō, Ōshō and Ōza titles.

Tomoka Nishiyama
Nishiyama in 2014
Native name西山朋佳
Born (1995-06-27) June 27, 1995
HometownŌsakasayama, Osaka
NationalityJapanese
Career
RankApprentice professional 3-dan
TeacherHirofumi Itō (7-dan)
Current titles held
  • Women's Jo-Ō
  • Women's Ōshō
  • Women's Ōza
Major titles won5 (Women's professional major titles)

Early life and education

Nishiyama was born on June 27, 1995 in Ōsakasayama, Osaka. She first was exposed to shogi as a three-year-old by watching her father and older sister play but really learned how to play the game as a five-year-old first-grade elementary school student. She soon started attending a neighborhood shogi school three times a week and playing practice games on the Internet.[1][2] In 2009, she won the girls' division of the 30th All Japan Junior High School Student Shogi Championship as a junior high school second-grade student[3] and thereafter was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's training group in Osaka.[2] Nishiyama quickly progress through the training group system and was eventually was accepted into the JSA's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the tutelage of shogi professional Hirofumi Itō.[2]

After high school, Nishiyama moved to Tokyo to study environmental informatics at Keio University, but she has been on a leave of absence to focus on shogi since 2015.[2]

Apprentice shogi professional

Nishiyama was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 1-dan in January 2014, becoming just the second woman to achieve that rank after Kana Satomi. Later that same year in September 2014, she became the second woman to be promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 2-dan (once gain after Satomi). Nishiyama was 19 years and 2 months old when she was promoted, thus breaking Satomi's record of 21 years and 4 months.[4] In December 2015, Nishiyama was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 3-dan, thus becoming the second woman (yet again following Satomi) to achieve such a rank. At age 20 years and 5 months, she also broke Satomi's record of 21 years and 9 months.[5][6] With Satomi having to leave the 3-dan league in 2018, Nishiyama is now the only woman competing in the league as of August 2019.[2][7]

Nishiyama finished the 66th 3-dan League (October 2019 – March 2020) in third place with a record of 14 wins and 4 losses. Going into the last day of league play, Nishiyama was in provisional third place with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses, trailing Hiroki Taniai (13 wins and 3 losses) and Shinichirō Hattori (12 wins and 4 losses). Since Nishiyama's league seed was the lowest of the three, she needed to win both of her games and finish at least one game ahead of one of the other two to obtain automatic promotion to the rank of professional 4-dan. Taniai lost one of his two games, but Hatori and Nishiyama won both of theirs which meant that all three finished league play with the same record. Although Nishiyama missed out on being promoted due to her lower seed, her result was good enough to earn her a promotion point for future league play and means she needs only one more promotion point to qualify for full-professional status.[8][9][10]

Women's major title matches

Nishiyama has appeared in women's professional shogi major title matches a total of five times. Her first appearance came in 2014 when she challenged fellow apprentice shogi professional Momoko Katō for the 4th Women's Ōza title, but she lost the match 3 games to none.[11][2]

Nishiyama and Katō met again in May 2018 in the 11th Women's Myavi Open Tournament and its Jo-Ō title. Nishiyama defeated the defending Jo-Ō Katō 3 games to 1 to win her first major title match. Nishiyama's victory also made her the second apprentice professional after Katō to win a women's professional shogi major title.[2][12] Nishiyama successfully defended her Jo-Ō title the following year when she defeated women's professional shogi player Kana Satomi 3 games to 1 in May 2019.[13]

Nishiyama challenged Satomi for 41st Ōshō title in October – November 2019. She won the first game of the match, lost the second, but won the deciding third game to capture the title 2 games to 1. The victory made her a 2-crown title holder (二冠, Ni kan) for the first time.[14]

In October–December 2019, Nishiyama and Satomi met in the 9th Women's Ōza title match, their third major title match in six months. Nishiyama won the match 3 games to 1 to capture another of Satomi's titles and also become a 3-crown title holder for the first time.[15]

In June 2020, Nishiyama successfully defended her Jo-Ō title by defeating Momoko Katō 3 games to 2 to win the 13th Women's Myavi Open Tournament.[16] That same year in October, she defended her Women's Ōshō title by defeating Yuki Muroya 3 games to 2 in the 42nd Women's Ōshō title match.[17] Two months later in December, she successfully defended her Woman’s Ōza by defeating Satomi 3 games to 2.[18]

Promotion history

Nishiyama's promotion history is as follows.[2]

  • 2010: 6-kyū
  • 2014, January: 1-dan
  • 2014, September: 2-dan
  • 2015, December: 3-dan

Awards and honors

Nishiyama won the Japan Shogi Association’s Annual Shogi Award for “Women’s Professional Game of the Year” for the 2019 shogi year (April 2019–March 2020).[19]

Personal life

Nishiyama's older sister Shizuka is an Go professional.[2]

References
  1. Nishiyama, Tomoka (February 23, 2014). "Danjosanaku Shōbu no Michi wo Puro Kishi Mezasu Nishiyama Tomoka-san" 男女差なく勝負の道を プロ棋士目指す西山朋佳さん [No difference when between men and women when it comes to competition for Tomaka Nishiyama as she tries to become a professional shogi player]. The Nikkei (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yūsuke Tanaka. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  2. Kitano, Arata (June 5, 2018). "Nijūnisai no Anarogu Jo-Ō･Nishiyama Tomoka Sandan, Yumeō ｢Hatsu no Josei Kishi｣ e no Chōsen" 22歳のアナログ女王･西山朋佳三段, 夢追う ｢初の女性棋士｣ への挑戦 [22-year-old Analog Jo-Ō Tomoka Nishikawa 3-dan chasing her dream of becoming the first female professional shogi player]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  3. "Dai Sanjūkai Zenkoku Chūgakusei Senbatsu Senshuken Taikai (Joshi Kesshō Tōnamento)" 第30回全国中学生選抜将棋選手権大会 [女子決勝トーナメント] [30th All Japan Junior High School Student Shogi Championship (Girl's Championship Tournament)] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  4. "Joseikishi Nishiyama-san ga Shōreikai Nindan... Joryu Nikan Satomi-san yori Hayai Nenrei de Nininme" 女流棋士の西山さんが奨励会二段...女流二冠の里見さんより早い年齢で2人目 [Women's apprentice shogi professional Nishima becomes second women to be promoted to apprentice professional 2-dan; second woman to achieve such a rank and does so at an earlier age than Women shogi professional Satomi 2-crown]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). September 21, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  5. "Nishiyama Tomoka-san Josei Nininmei no Shōreikai Sandan Sainenshō de" 西山朋佳さん 女性2人目の奨励会三段 最年少で [Tomoka Nishima becomes second women to be promoted to apprentice professional 3-dan; she's also the youngest to do so.]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). December 5, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  6. "Nishiyama Tomoka Shōreikaiin, Shōreikai Sandan ni" 西山朋佳奨励会員 奨励会三段に [Apprentice professional Tomoka Nishiyama promoted to 3-dan] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. December 7, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  7. Yamamura, Hideki (February 18, 2018). "Satomi Kana, Josei Hatsu no Kishi Toonoku, Shoreikai Taikai Kimaru" 里見香奈, 女性初の棋士遠のく 奨励会退会決まる [Kana Satomi's bid to become first female "kishi" unsuccessful. End of apprenticeship determined]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  8. "Dai Rokujūrokkai Shōreikai Sandan Rīgusen" 第66回奨励会三段リーグ戦 [66th Apprentice School 3-dan League] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  9. "Shōgi Hatsu no ｢Kishi｣ wa Machikoshi Nishiyama Tomoka Sandan" 将棋初の女性 ｢棋士｣ は持ち越し 西山朋佳三段 [Tomoka Nishiyama 3-dan's bid to become the first woman "regular shogi professional" placed on hold]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). March 7, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  10. "Shōgi no Nishiyama Tomoka Sandan, Hatsu no Josei Kishi Narazu" 将棋の西山朋佳三段, 初の女性棋士ならず [Shogi's Tomoka Nishiyama 3-dan misses becoming the first woman awarded regular shogi professional status]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). March 7, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  11. "Daiyonki Riko Hai Joryū Ozasen" 第4期 リコー杯女流王座戦 [4th Rico Cup Women's Oza Title Match] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  12. "Shōreikai no Nishiyama Tomoka ga Hatsu Taitoru Mainabi Joshi" 奨励会の西山朋佳が初タイトル マイナビ女子 [Apprentice professional wins Mynavi Women's Open for first major title]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). May 24, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  13. "Nishiyama Jo-Ō ga Hatsu Bōei Satomi Joryū Ōza ni Sanshō Ippai" 西山女王が初防衛　里見女流王座に3勝1敗 [Nishiyama Jo-Ō first title defense a 3 games to 1 victory over Women's Ōza title holder Satomi]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). May 28, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  14. "Shogi･Nishiyama ga Joryū Ōshō wo Dasshushite Nikan ni, Satomi wa Gokan ni Kōtai" 将棋･西山が女流王将を奪取して2冠に 里見は5冠に後退 [Shogi's Nishiyama captures Women's Ōshō title and becomes 2-crown title holder, while Satomi drops back to being a 5-crown title holder]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  15. "Nishiyama Jo-Ō ga Dasshu, Sankan ni Shōgi Rikō Hai Joryū Ōza" 西山女王が奪取, 三冠に 将棋リコー杯女流王座戦 [Nishiyama Jo-Ō captures Shogi's Rico Cup Women's Ōza title to become a 3-crown title holder]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  16. "Nishiyama Tomoka Jo-Ō, Nidome no Bōe de Sankan Mamori ｢Ureshii｣ Mainabi Joshi OP" 西山朋佳女王, 2度目の防衛で3冠守り｢うれしい｣ マイナビ女子OP [Mynavi Women's Open: Tomoka Nishiyama defends Jo-Ō title for a second time and remains a 3-crown title holder. States she's happy with the result.]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  17. "Shogi, Nishiyama Joryū Ōshō ga Hatsu Bōei Sankan wo Iji" 将棋, 西山女流王将が初防衛 三冠を維持 [Shogi: Nishiyama's first title defense as Women's Ōshō is a success as she maintains her 3-crown titleholder status]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). Kyodo News. October 30, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  18. "Shōgi Nishiyama Tomoka Joryū Sankan ga Joryū Ōza Hatsubōei" 将棋 西山朋佳女流三冠が女流王座戦初防衛 [Women’s professional 3-crown Tomoka Nishiyama successful in first defense of Women’s Ōza title]. NHK News Web (in Japanese). December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  19. "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.
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