From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 3 apr 2003 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 987, April 2nd 2003) Even though there are still some tournaments going on, most professionals have a couple of weeks off until the new Junisen season starts. Therefore, not much news in Shukan Shogi so this will be a short report: * As already reported, in the Meijin challenger play-off Habu beat Sato to make his first appearance in the prestigious Meijin match in six years. Seven years ago, he played his childhood rival Moriuchi for the Meijin title and won 4-1. Now the positions are reversed with Moriuchi the title holder and Habu the challenger. Habu has a 23-17 lead in their mutual games, but Moriuchi has won their last six encounters. The Meijin match will start on April 17th. Neither player is in blistering form these days, so hopefully they manage to step up their game in the next two weeks. * In the Kisei tournament, the quarterfinals of the challenger tournament were played. Maruyama beat Sugimoto, Suzuki beat Moriuchi, Kimura ended the incredible run by Kobayashi Hiroshi and Goda beat Shima. The semi-finals are Maruyama-Suzuki and Kimura-Goda. It would be interesting to see a Suzuki-Kimura final... * In the Red Group of the Oi leagues, Nakagawa beat Yashiki in their second round game. Both players now have one win and one loss and the group already seems to be going Sato's way, since he is the only player with two wins. * Miura won the 52nd edition of the NHK Cup by beating Senzaki in the final. It was Miura's first victory in this television tournament. * Habu beat Fujii in the final of the Hayasashi-senshuken, a television tournament on the Tokyo Terebi channel. This was the 36th and last time this tournament was held. More next week, Reijer -- Reijer Grimbergen Department of Information Science Saga University 1 Honjo-machi, Saga-shi, 840-8502 Japan E-mail: grimbergen fu is saga-u ac jp URL: http://www.fu.is.saga-u.ac.jp/~grimberg/ Tel: +81-(0)952-28-8821 Fax: +81-(0)952-28-8650