Elementary school girls shake up 'shogi' world

Two elementary school girls are basking in the limelight of the "shogi" world for displaying extraordinary talent with the Japanese board game.

Momoko Kato (right), 11, plays professional "shogi" (Japanese chess) player Minami Sadamasu in a women's shogi tournament in Tokyo on Aug. 8. Kato won the match. KYODO PHOTOS

Momoko Kato, an 11-year-old from Shizuoka Prefecture, pulled off a dazzling feat on Aug. 8 by beating Minami Sadamasu, a professional shogi player with a rank of "nikyu" (second grade) in the opening round of the women's tournament. Eight players, all pros and amateurs aged under 20, participated in the event.

Kato played on the recommendation of several people in shogi who recognized the track record she had already established playing as an elementary school student. Recalling her victory over the pro, she said, "I thought I was going to lose, but somehow I managed to survive."

Kato is blessed with an environment that lets her hone her talent. Her father, Yasuji, once tried to become a professional player while her mother was teaching at an amateur shogi club. Kato has been making visible progress under the guidance of her parents.

Torahiko Tanaka, a 9th dan (grade) player in the senior shogi class, said Kato is improving by playing matches in a university club and a town club.

Beni Takemata, 8, displays her 1st dan amateur "shogi" certificate at her Tokyo home in September.

"She's got a great future ahead of her," he said.

In contrast to Kato, Beni Takemata, an 8-year-old from Tokyo, got involved with shogi by accident.

She went to a book store one day in January last year to buy a book on using an abacus. But she could not find it and instead ran across a volume on shogi.

"I picked it up accidentally," she said. "I bought it and, once I started reading it, I found it so interesting that I got into it immediately."

Two months later, Takemata joined the Japan Shogi Association's shogi school for children.

Takemata, who has enjoyed playing Othello and other strategy games since she was 3 years old, thought shogi was a great fit for her. She pored over shogi books until late at night and improved rapidly.

In August she surprised everyone around her by defeating Kosuke Tamura, a 6th dan who played the match without two pieces -- a "hisha" (rook) and a "kaku" (bishop) -- as a handicap.