From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 3 mar 2000
Subject: Double Masters

At 11:41 PM 3/2/00 PST, you wrote:
>BTW Larry, if Ray makes 4 dan, he would be a master at both chess AND shogi,
>like his dad.  Would that be a record of some sort?
>
>Cheers,
>Doug Dysart
>http://world.conk.com/world/dougd

     Depending on one's definition of "master", there are either quite a
few or hardly any "double masters" of chess and shogi.  If we use the
lenient definition of USCF chess master (2200+) or equivalent and 2200+
shogi rating (USSF or FESA) or equivalent, then both Habu and Moriuchi
would qualify among the shogi pros (and perhaps one or two others); in fact
Moriuchi actually has a USCF provisional rating of 2295.  Among westerners,
the late Dave Murphy was around 2200 level in both chess and shogi, and
Eric Cheymol of France is over 2200 in chess and close to it in shogi.
Troy Conner of DC area is also over 2200 in shogi (though no longer
competing) and over 2300 in chess.  Perhaps there are others I'm
overlooking.
     However if we use the more severe definition of FIDE master (2300+)
for chess and 2300+ (normally 5 dan) for shogi, then probably I'm the only
double master, unless Habu is in fact of FIDE master strength in chess
(this is not clear).
     One anecdote about Moriuchi's chess: after drawing a tournament game
he should have won against a strong International Master (Jack Peters) due
to misplaying a rook and pawn endgame (the most common ending in chess),
his excuse was that he had never played such an endgame before!!  To reach
that level in chess with such little experience is truly amazing.

    Larry Kaufman