OH MY SHOGI GOD!

Hey all!

I know it's only been less than a day but when I woke up this morning I was surprised to find a professional shogi player named 'tadokori' comment on my last journal. I knew I was familiar with this name until I realised he was a kishi (professional shogi player) who had played against another player called Archon during November 2004 with a 6-piece handicapped http://www.shogi.net/ISC/Katsuta2/04Nov_monthlygame/ArchonvsTako.htm Yes, I know most of you probably don't know how to play Shogi but if you watch that replay it'll make you go "Oh my god!" That replay has actually inspired me to keep on playing to become a professional shogi player.

It has started a few months ago when my friend had asked me to bring him to Japan Club Kuala Lumpur (a Japanese Association) in Malaysia so he can played with the Go-players there. I agreed because I had a little interest in Go and I was trying to be generous to my new college friend. Being a 1-Dan Go-player he was quite happy to meet strong players there since it's hard to find players as strong as he is around his area (except for the internet). That's when part of my life has changed. I saw a few Japanese old men playing Shogi right in front of my eyes! There aren't that many Shogi players because it was suppose to be a Go-Club afterall. Feeling interested I take a look at how they played. Not understanding how Shogi is played, that night I went back home and start researching and mastering the basic moves of the pieces. Then finally I download a Shogi program and practise on it.

Since both my friend and I were going back to Japan Club during the next weekend, I have decided to challenge one of the old men a game of Shogi. It was very awkward to play with the Japanese man since I couldn't speak Japanese and I only played Shogi for less than a week. Weird thing is the old man didn't handicapped himself eventhough he knew I was a beginner, which in the end I lost in the game twice badly. But I was satisfied about my first game with him since it lasted longer when I have used "Kin Yagura" in the game. After losing the game, I have decided to improve my skills further so one day I can go back there and defeat him. That's how my "true" love for Shogi has begin.

Knowing that it's hard for me to defeat a Shogi player who is way stronger than me, I try to test my skills by challenging 15 kyu players (lowest rank) in Shogi Club 24 (a site where you can play online Shogi). Again I got beaten badly by them, eventhough they're 15-kyu players! I realised that Shogi is nothing like Chess nor Xianqi. You can't just simply play and hoped to improve - you have to actually study them! So feeling desperate I began searching the net for some strategies and tips but the sad thing is Shogi is not popular in the world and I couldn't find that many sites about Shogi. As time passes my interest in Shogi grew so much that I have decided to be a professional Shogi player and hope to promote Shogi in Southeast Asia since it was unpopular.

Less but not least, Shogi FTW. I really do hope my love for Shogi will still go on for the next 50 years... or forever!

I think most of you have probably gotten bored of me talking about Shogi. Lol. As for Goshogi the editor is still working on it and I would like to say good job to the editor because my story has somewhat irritate him due to my lousy English. lol. Like I have mention in the previous journal the story will be out before the end of this week and I'm thinking of writing another one next month when I get back to my hometown.

Hope you guys have a good time this week. Bye!

Regards,
Ryou Takehito