Although he narrowly missed qualifying for the National High School Ryuo Championship, Kume is set to compete in the shogi division of the 50th National High School Cultural Festival, which will be held in Akita Prefecture from July 31 to August 1. Building on the experience gained from this tournament, even greater achievements are expected in the future.

[Comment from Soichiro Kume]

“I struggled to find consistency throughout this tournament, and many of my games were decided by the narrowest of margins. In the semifinal, my strategy worked well, and I gained an advantage from the opening, which made the comeback loss especially frustrating. Last year, I finished as the runner-up in the same tournament and narrowly missed qualification, so I was determined to win the title this year. As a result, finishing third is disappointing and leaves me with a sense of frustration. However, I will shift my focus to the National High School Cultural Festival at the end of July and the Rookie Tournament in October, and I will continue to work hard.”

We sincerely appreciate your continued support and encouragement for Soichiro Kume.