From: bogin <bogin <at> YAHOO <dot> CO <dot> JP>
Date: 3 apr 2003
Subject: Re: US tour by top Japanese Amateur

This topic is a little old by I have a question about Mr. Shimizugami. I
have know doubt that he is quite strong but you refer to him as the
Japanese Amatuer "Grand Champion". I am not sure where you got that
information. The current Amatuer Meijin is Mr. Seiwa(?) Hayasaki of Oita
Prefecture. Mr. Hayasaki is the first person to win the Amatuer Meijin
title 3 times and thus was awarded the rank of 7-dan in recognition of his
accomplishment.  Mr. Shimizugami did play in the last Amatuer Meijin
tournament representing Chiba Prefecture but he was eliminated in the 2nd
round. Also, he is not on any list of former Amatuer Meijin winners. He did
complete in the 26th Annual Asahi Amatuer Meijin Tournament but once again
was eliminated in the 2nd round although he did advance to the challengers'
final the year before. Unfortunately, he lost and thus did not advance to
the title match. So, I was just curious where he got the title of "Grand
Champion".

Bill Gaudry


   --- Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> COMCAST <dot> NET>  $B$+$i$N%a%C%;!<%8!' (B
>      This weekend we had two shogi sessions of the D.C. shogi club
> with the Japanese Amateur "Grand Champion", Mr. Toru Shimizugami.  He
> is touring the US, having already visited NY (where he won all his
> games, but I'll leave it to a New Yorker to report on that) and is
> enroute to Chicago.  Despite giving the handicaps that are normal for
> a six Dan (I played with only first move, everyone else took bishop
> or more), he won all his games in D.C. (six official plus some quick
> games).  He is probably the strongest amateur ever to play shogi in
> the U.S., since his "Shogi Club 24" rating is around 2500, on a par
> with the average pro.  In my three games with him (two official and
> one quick), I missed chances for a large advantage in all three
> games, as he graciously pointed out afterwards.  He also gave us some
> useful instruction at the end of the session.  He may perhaps end up
> as the top rated player on the Pan-Atlantic list when these games are
> rated; if so it will be well deserv
>  ed.
>
>      Larry Kaufman for D.C. Shogi Club
>


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