Japanese shogi star Sota Fujii became the youngest winner of the egg lifetime status for a shogi title by challenging his Kisei title.
Fujii, who also holds six other titles, defended the Kisei title in Nagoya by winning the first three matches of a best-of-five series against challenger Takayuki Yamasaki, 43.
He achieved eisei Kisei status at the age of 21 years and 11 months by winning the title five years in a row, starting with his first win in July 2020.
The previous record for youngest eisei status was set 53 years ago by the now-retired Makoto Nakahara, 76, when he became eisei Kisei in 1971 at the age of 23 years and 11 months.
The latest achievement makes Fujii the sixth eisei Kisei, joining the ranks of the late Yasuharu Oyama and 53-year-old ninth-dan player Yoshiharu Habu. The eisei title is generally used after retirement.
Despite the loss of the Egg After losing his monopoly on all eight major titles on June 20 of this year, Fujii continued to perform well.
“I’m happy to have taken my first chance to achieve eisei status,” he said in a media interview after the match. “It’s a privilege and I think my future performances will be scrutinized even more closely.”
Fujii will attempt to secure his second eisei status by defending his “Oi” title in a best-of-seven series against challenger Akira Watanabe, 40, beginning Saturday.
