Akihito Hirose defeated Sota Fujii on Aug. 5, 2024, to earn his first-ever right to challenge for the Ozashou title [1, 3].
The victory marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape of professional shogi, as Hirose overcame one of the most dominant players in the game's history.
The match took place at the Shogi Hall in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo [1, 2]. Hirose, 39, secured the win over the 24-year-old Fujii in a contest that lasted 117 moves [1, 2, 4]. This result grants Hirose the challenger's position for the 74th Ozashou tournament [1].
Following the match, Hirose expressed surprise at his own performance given his recent inconsistency. "It was close until the end," Hirose said. "Recently, my performance has been fluctuating wildly, and I did not think I would be able to challenge" [1].
Fujii, who currently holds six crowns, struggled to maintain his typical precision during the decisive game. "Bad moves continued," Fujii said [2].
While some reports identified the event as the 73rd tournament, primary records from Nikkei identify this as the 74th Ozashou challenger determination match [1, 2]. The match concluded with Hirose securing the right to compete for the title for the first time in his professional career [1].
“"It was close until the end," Hirose said.”
This result represents a rare breach in Sota Fujii's dominance over the major shogi titles. By securing his first Ozashou challenge, Hirose proves that the current era of shogi remains competitive despite Fujii's historic run, potentially emboldening other top-tier players to adjust their strategies against the six-crown holder.
