Imaizumi (a former 3-dan professional shogi apprentice) was the first amateur to become a professional player via the Professional Admission Test (プロ編入試験 puro henyū shiken) in 2014.[2][3]
Imaizumi received the Japan Shogi Association's Masuda Award for the 2007–2008 shogi season for his idea of playing "R-32" on move one as gote in the opening. He was the first apprentice professional to win the award.[5][6][7][8]
^Wada, Chitose (December 8, 2014). 今泉健司さん, プロ棋士に合格「可能性にふたをしないかぎり, 年齢は関係ない」 [Kenji Imaizumi becomes shogi professional: "Age is not a factor as long as the possibility to do so is not taken away"]. The Huffington Post Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved March 20, 2020.