TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) – Japan’s youngest professional shogi player, Sota Fujii, set a historical record of 29 consecutive victories on Monday (June 26) after sitting through an 11-hour game held in Tokyo.
The 14-year old has gone undefeated ever since he made his debut last December, stirring renewed public excitement over the traditional game.
The board game, often described as “Japanese chess,” is played on a nine-by-nine board with 20 tiles, where the goal is to capture the opponent’s King.
The previous record was set by 56-year old Hiroshi Kamaya in 1987, with 28 consecutive wins.
Fujii will move on to playing against a “Ryuo” title holder – one of the eight contested titles for professional shogi players.
