Photo/Illutration Kana Satomi, a five-title holder, plays the first match in the "kishi" transfer examination in Kansai Shogi Hall in Osaka on Aug. 18. (Pool)

Female shogi queen Kana Satomi lost in the first round in her bid to break the gender barrier and become the first woman eligible to compete among the top professional male shogi players.

Satomi, 30, a five-title holder, squared off against Kenshi Tokuda, 24, a 4-dan player, at Kansai Shogi Hall in Osaka on Aug. 18. She lost in 127 moves in the opening match of a best-of-five tournament.

After the game, she remained undaunted, while acknowledging the attention that her history-making effort is generating. 

“I’m delighted that people are paying attention to me," Satomi said. "I’ll play the next and subsequent rounds by preparing well.”

She is taking the examination to join the group of top professional shogi players known as "kishi." Until now, the ranks of kishi have been dominated by men.

If she wins three matches, she passes the examination. She then will be promoted to 4-dan and become the first female kishi.

Currently, Satomi holds the status called "joryu-kishi" (female kishi). Those female shogi players are allowed to compete only among themselves in principle, except for some tournaments.

Regardless of gender, those who graduate from Shoreikai, the professional training school operated by the Japan Shogi Association, can become a kishi player.

Players must become shodan (1-dan) before becoming 21 and reach 4-dan before turning 26 to graduate Shoreikan.

No woman has graduated from Shoreikai and become a kishi player.

Satomi attended the school from 2011 to 2018. She was promoted to 3-dan, becoming the first woman to do so, but she had to leave the school due to the 26-year age limit.

Satomi is aiming to become a kishi player this time by taking the transfer examination.

Satomi has participated in tournaments where female players are allowed to compete with kishi. She marked 10 wins and four losses, which qualified her to take the transfer examination.

To take the examination, a player is required to score 10 or more wins in tournaments against kishi players and achieve a winning percentage of 65 percent or more. Only four men became kishi by passing the transfer examination.

Her first opponent of the ongoing tournament, Tokuda, made his debut this spring and is a promising player with 12 wins and 1 loss in official tournaments.

Satomi countered his flexible moves with her favorite strategy, using the central rook. But she was defeated by Tokuda.

The second round will be held on Sept. 22 and Satomi will face off against Reo Okabe, 23, a 4-dan player.

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