| Ōi | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 王位戦 |
| Type | Title |
| Official name | Ito En O-i Ochahai Ōisen (伊藤園お~いお茶杯王位戦) |
| Sponsor(s) | Ito En |
| Winner's title | Ōi |
| Reigning champion | Sōta Fujii |
| Number of times held | 63 |
| First held | 1960 |
| Last held | 2022 |
| Lifetime champions | |
| Most times won | Yoshiharu Habu (18) |
| Most consecutive wins | Yasuharu Ōyama (12) |
| Website(s) | |
| JSA tournament website (in Japanese) | |
| Sponsor's tournament website (in Japanese) | |
Ōi (王位) is one of the eight major titles in professional shogi. The word means "the king's rank" (王 ō 'king' + 位 i 'rank, position').
Background
The annual tournament started in 1960 sponsored by a group of local newspapers which has consisted of Shimbun Sansha Rengō (Three-Newspaper Association).[1][lower-alpha 1] With the addition of Ōi, there were four major shogi titles along with Meijin, Ninth Dan (Ryūō), and Ōshō.
Format
The challenger for the title is determined by three-step preliminary round that comprises 1st heat, league competition and final playoff. Top eight players in 1st heat and top four players of previous year are divided into two six-player leagues. Top one of each league advances to final playoff, and the winner of one-game match becomes the challenger.
The player that wins four games out of seven first in the championship will become the new Ōi title holder. Each championship games assign players a six-hour playtime during two days.[1]
Lifetime Ōi

Lifetime Ōi (永世王位, eisei Ōi) is the title awarded to a player who won the championship five times in a row or ten times in total. Active players may qualify for this title, but it is only officially awarded upon their retirement or death.[2]
Only three professionals have qualified for the Lifetime Oi.[2] They are as follows:
- Yasuharu Ōyama (deceased)[3]
- Makoto Nakahara (retired)[4]
- Yoshiharu Habu (active)[5]
Winners
| No. | Year | Winner | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1960 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 4–1 | Masao Tsukada |
| 2 | 1961 | Yasuharu Ōyama (2) | 4–1 | Yuzō Maruta |
| 3 | 1962 | Yasuharu Ōyama (3) | 4–0 | Motoji Hanamura |
| 4 | 1963 | Yasuharu Ōyama (4) | 4–2 | Hifumi Katō |
| 5 | 1964 | Yasuharu Ōyama (5) | 4–2 | Tatsuya Futakami |
| 6 | 1965 | Yasuharu Ōyama (6) | 4–0 | Daigoroh Satō |
| 7 | 1966 | Yasuharu Oyama (7) | 4–1 | Michio Ariyoshi |
| 8 | 1967 | Yasuharu Ōyama (8) | 4–1 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
| 9 | 1968 | Yasuharu Ōyama (9) | 4–2 | Michio Ariyoshi |
| 10 | 1969 | Yasuharu Ōyama (10) | 4–2 | Kazuyoshi Nishimura |
| 11 | 1970 | Yasuharu Ōyama (11) | 4–1 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 12 | 1971 | Yasuharu Ōyama (12) | 4–3 | Makoto Nakahara |
| 13 | 1972 | Kunio Naitō | 4–1 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
| 14 | 1973 | Makoto Nakahara | 4–0 | Kunio Naitō |
| 15 | 1974 | Makoto Nakahara (2) | 4–2 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 16 | 1975 | Makoto Nakahara (3) | 4–2 | Kunio Naitō |
| 17 | 1976 | Makoto Nakahara (4) | 4–2 | Osamu Katsuura |
| 18 | 1977 | Makoto Nakahara (5) | 4–2 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 19 | 1978 | Makoto Nakahara (6) | 4–1 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
| 20 | 1979 | Kunio Yonenaga | 4–3 | Makoto Nakahara |
| 21 | 1980 | Makoto Nakahara (7) | 4–0 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 22 | 1981 | Makoto Nakahara (8) | 4–3 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
| 23 | 1982 | Kunio Naitō (2) | 4–2 | Makoto Nakahara |
| 24 | 1983 | Michio Takahashi | 4–2 | Kunio Naitō |
| 25 | 1984 | Hifumi Katō | 4–3 | Michio Takahashi |
| 26 | 1985 | Michio Takahashi (2) | 4–0 | Hifumi Katō |
| 27 | 1986 | Michio Takahashi (3) | 4–0 | Kunio Yonenaga |
| 28 | 1987 | Koji Tanigawa | 4–1 | Michio Takahashi |
| 29 | 1988 | Keiji Mori | 4–3 | Koji Tanigawa |
| 30 | 1989 | Koji Tanigawa (2) | 4–1 | Keiji Mori |
| 31 | 1990 | Koji Tanigawa (3) | 4–3 | Yasumitsu Satō |
| 32 | 1991 | Koji Tanigawa (4) | 4–2 | Hiroki Nakata |
| 33 | 1992 | Masataka Goda | 4–2 | Koji Tanigawa |
| 34 | 1993 | Yoshiharu Habu | 4–0 | Masataka Goda |
| 35 | 1994 | Yoshiharu Habu (2) | 4–3 | Masataka Goda |
| 36 | 1995 | Yoshiharu Habu (3) | 4–2 | Masataka Goda |
| 37 | 1996 | Yoshiharu Habu (4) | 4–1 | Koichi Fukaura |
| 38 | 1997 | Yoshiharu Habu (5) | 4–1 | Yasumitsu Satō |
| 39 | 1998 | Yoshiharu Habu (6) | 4–2 | Yasumitsu Satō |
| 40 | 1999 | Yoshiharu Habu (7) | 4–0 | Koji Tanigawa |
| 41 | 2000 | Yoshiharu Habu (8) | 4–3 | Koji Tanigawa |
| 42 | 2001 | Yoshiharu Habu (9) | 4–0 | Nobuyuki Yashiki |
| 43 | 2002 | Koji Tanigawa (5) | 4–1 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 44 | 2003 | Koji Tanigawa (6) | 4–1 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 45 | 2004 | Yoshiharu Habu (10) | 4–1 | Koji Tanigawa |
| 46 | 2005 | Yoshiharu Habu (11) | 4–3 | Yasumitsu Satō |
| 47 | 2006 | Yoshiharu Habu (12) | 4–2 | Yasumitsu Satō |
| 48 | 2007 | Koichi Fukaura | 4–3 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 49 | 2008 | Koichi Fukaura (2) | 4–3 | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 50 | 2009 | Koichi Fukaura (3) | 4–3 | Kazuki Kimura |
| 51 | 2010 | Akihito Hirose | 4–2 | Koichi Fukaura |
| 52 | 2011 | Yoshiharu Habu (13) | 4–3 | Akihito Hirose |
| 53 | 2012 | Yoshiharu Habu (14) | 4–1[6] | Takeshi Fujii |
| 54 | 2013 | Yoshiharu Habu (15) | 4–1[7] | Hisashi Namekata |
| 55 | 2014 | Yoshiharu Habu (16) | 4–2–1[8][lower-alpha 2] | Kazuki Kimura |
| 56 | 2015 | Yoshiharu Habu (17) | 4–1[10] | Akihito Hirose |
| 57 | 2016 | Yoshiharu Habu (18) | 4–3[11] | Kazuki Kimura |
| 58 | 2017 | Tatsuya Sugai | 4–1[12] | Yoshiharu Habu |
| 59 | 2018 | Masayuki Toyoshima | 4–3[13] | Tatsuya Sugai |
| 60 | 2019 | Kazuki Kimura | 4–3[14] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
| 61 | 2020 | Sōta Fujii | 4–0[15] | Kazuki Kimura |
| 62 | 2021 | Sōta Fujii (2) | 4–1[16] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
| 63 | 2022 | Sōta Fujii (3) | 4–1[17] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
Records
- Most titles overall: Yoshiharu Habu, 18
- Most consecutive titles: Yasuharu Ōyama, 12 (1960-1971)
Notes
- ↑ Despite its name, Shimbun Sansha Rengō is currently formed by six newspapers: Hokkaido Shimbun, Tokyo Shimbun, Chunichi Shimbun, Kobe Shimbun, Tokushima Shimbun and Nishinippon Shimbun.[1]
- ↑ Game three ended in impasse after 178 moves and was officially recorded as a draw. This was the first drawn championship-round game in the history of the tournament. It was also the first time in 22 years that a championship-round game in one of the seven major title matches ended in impasse.[9]
References
- 1 2 3 王位戦について [About the Oi Tournament] (in Japanese). 新聞三社連合. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- 1 2 永世称号の規定はどうなっているのでしょうか。 [What are the requirements for lifetime titles?] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ↑ 物故棋士一覧 (1955年以降) [List of deceased professionals (from 1955)] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ↑ 棋士紹介: 中原誠 [Player introduction: Makoto Nakahara] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ↑ 棋士紹介: 羽生善治 [Player introduction: Yoshiharu Habu] (in Japanese). 日本将棋連盟. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Shōgi・Dai Gojūsanki Ōisen Fujii Shisutemu, Habu ni Oyobazu" 将棋・第53期王位戦 藤井システム, 羽生に及ばず [Shogi-53rd Ōi Match: Fujii System no match for Habu]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). August 28, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Habu Ōi Sanrenpa Tsūsan Jūgoki" 羽生王位3連覇 通算15期 [Habu Ōi wins title for 3rd consecutive time and 15th time overall]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- ↑ "Dai Gojugoki Oisen Habu ga Kachi Boei" 第55期王位戦 羽生が勝ち防衛 [55th Oisen: Habu wins and defends title]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Ōisen Daisankyoku wa Jishōgi ni Hisei no Kimura, Nebatte Seiritsu" 王位戦第3局は持将棋に 非勢の木村, 粘って成立 [Kimura hangs on in an inferior position as game three of the Ōi match ends in impasse.]. Kobe Shimbun (in Japanese). August 6, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Habu Ōi ga Bōei, Gonen Renzoku Tsūsan Jūnanakime" 羽生王位が防衛, 5年連続通算17期目 [Habu Ōi defends title for 5th consecutive year and 17th time overall]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). August 27, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Habu ga Taitoru Bōei, Kimura Hachidan Yaburu, Shōgi Ōisen Dai Nana-kyoku" 羽生がタイトル防衛 木村八段破る 将棋王位戦第7局 [Shogi Ōi Match Game 7: Habu defends title by defeating Kimura 8d]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ↑ Yamamura, Hideki (August 30, 2017). "Sugai, Hatsu Taitoru no Ōi Kakutoku, Shikkan no Habu wa Nikan ni" 菅井, 初タイトルの王位獲得 失冠の羽生は2冠に [Sugai wins Oi match for first title, Habu defeated and loses title to become 2 crown]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ↑ "Ōi Dashu de Toyoshima Nikan ni; Shōgi, Hitori Ichi Taitoru Kuzureru" 王位奪取で豊島二冠に 将棋, 1人1タイトル崩れる [Toyoshima captures Ōi title to become 2-crown, and ends period of each major title being held by different person]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). September 27, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ↑ "「Chūnensei no Hoshi」Yonjūrokusai・Kimura ga Shin Ōi Shōgi Sainenchō Hatsu Taitoru" 「中年の星」46歳・木村が新王位 将棋最年長初タイトル [’Middle-age star’: 46-year-old Kimura is the new Ōi title holder; becomes oldest player to win major title for first time.]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ↑ "Sota Fujii becomes youngest shogi player with two major titles". Japan Times. JiJi Press. August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ↑ "Fujii Ōi ga Taitoru Bōei Toyoshima Nikan ni Yonshō Ippai" 藤井王位がタイトル防衛 豊島二冠に4勝1敗 [Fujii Ōi defends title by defeating Toyoshima 2-crown 4 games to 1]. Jiji Press (in Japanese). August 25, 2021. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ↑ Maruyama, Susumu (September 6, 2022). "Fujii Sōta Gokan ga Ōisen Sanrenpa Tsūsan Taitoru Jikki, Reikidai Sainenshō" 藤井聡太5冠が王位戦3連覇 通算タイトル10期, 歴代最年少 [Sōta Fujii 5-crown defends Ōi title to win the title for the third consecutive year; Fujii also becomes the youngest person to win 10 major titles overall]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved September 7, 2022.
External links
- Japan Shogi Association, Tournament information: Oi Tournament (in Japanese)