On Sunday, May 10, the 62nd National High School Shogi Kyoto Prefectural Championship was held at Kyoto Prefectural Momoyama High School. Ritsumeikan Uji High School second-year student Soichiro Kume competed in the Boys’ Individual A Division.

In the three preliminary rounds held in the morning, Kume achieved three consecutive victories and advanced to the final tournament as the top-ranked player in the preliminaries. The afternoon final tournament featured the top four players from the preliminary stage. In a series of tense and closely matched games, Kume calmly defended against his opponents’ attacks while accurately reading the path to victory, ultimately claiming the championship title.

As a result of this achievement, Kume has qualified to compete in the 50th National High School Cultural Festival Akita Tournament – Shogi Division, to be held in Akita Prefecture from July 31 to August 1, as well as the 46th Kinki High School Cultural Festival Hyogo Tournament – Shogi Division, to be held in Hyogo Prefecture on November 14–15. Last year, Kume also reached the Top 16 in the 34th National High School Cultural Federation Shogi Rookie Tournament, and further success is expected in the future.

【Comment from Kume】

No matter how many shogi tournaments I compete in, I still get nervous. In this tournament, only the top four players could advance to the final tournament, so I felt more pressure than ever during the preliminary rounds and played each match very carefully. In the final tournament, I was able to turn that tension into motivation, play to the best of my ability, win the championship, and earn a place at the National High School Cultural Festival. I feel very relieved. I’m looking forward to facing strong rivals from across the country again at the Akita Tournament. Thank you for your continued support.