Masahiko Urano

Masahiko Urano
Native name	浦野真彦
Born	(1964-03-14) March 14, 1964 (age 60)
Hometown	Osaka Prefecture
Nationality	Japanese
Career
Achieved professional status	October 19, 1983(1983-10-19) (aged 19)
Badge Number	162
Rank	8-dan
Teacher	Sutekichi Nakai [ja] (8-dan)
Meijin class	Free
Ryūō class	6
Websites
JSA profile page

Masahiko Urano (浦野 真彦, Urano Masahiko, March 14, 1964) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan.

Early life and apprenticeship

Urano was born in Osaka Prefecture on March 14, 1964.[1] In October 1977, he was accepted into entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the tutelage of shogi professional Sutekichi Nakai [ja]. He was promoted to 1-dan in 1990 and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in October 1983.[2]

Shogi professional

Urano won his 400th game as a professional in February 2005.[2]

In March 2017, Urano voluntarily declared himself as a free class player, thus leaving the Meijin tournament league. During the 75th Meijin Class C2 League season (April 2016–March 2017), Urano lost all ten of his games and received a demotion point as a result.[3] This was a continuation of a series of poor results in Meijin Class League play—73rd Meijin Class C1 (1 win and 9 losses)[4] and 74th Meijin Class C1 (2 wins and 8 losses)[5]—and rather than risk automatic demotion to free class play, Urano decided to do so of his own accord.[6]

Promotion history

The promotion history for Urano is as follows:[7]

• 6-kyū: 1977
• 1-dan: 1980
• 4-dan: October 19, 1983
• 5-dan: April 1, 1987
• 6-dan: April 1, 1989
• 7-dan: April 1, 1996
• 8-dan: September 14, 2012

Awards and honors

In 2008, Urano received the Japan Shogi Association's "25 Years Service Award" for being an active professional for twenty-five years.[8]

Published works

Urano has authored several books and DVDs on shogi strategy and tsume shogi; some of these are as follows.

• Komatta Toki ni Yaku ni Tatsu Shōgi Kakugen Mame Jiten 困ったときに役に立つ将棋格言豆事典 [Handy Dictionary of Shogi Proverbs] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Mynavi Books. 2009. ISBN 978-4-8399-0189-9.
• Shodan ni Naru Tame no Shōgi Benkyōhō 初段になるための将棋勉強法 [How to Study Shogi to Become a 1-dan] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Byakuya Shobō. 2011. ISBN 978-4-8619-1699-1.
• Tsumi Tesuji DVD Bukku 詰手筋DVDブック [Tsumi Tetsuji DVD Book] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Rook Books. 2018. ISBN 978-4-9089-3701-9.

References

1. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Urano Masahiko" 棋士データベース: 浦野真彦 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masahiko Urano] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
2. "Kishi Meikan: Hachidan Urano Masahiko" 棋士名鑑: 八段 浦野 真彦 [Player Directory: Masahiko Urano 8-dan]. 平成26年版 将棋年鑑 2014 (Shogi Yearbook: Heisei 26 (2014) edition) (in Japanese). MyNabi Publishing/Japan Shogi Association. 2014. p. 558. ISBN 978-4-8399-5175-7. Retrieved December 5, 2019 – via Google Books.
3. "Dai Nanajūgoki Meijinsen･Jun'isen Shīkyū Nikumi" 第75期名人戦･順位戦 C級2組 [75th Meijin Ranking League: Class C2] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
4. "Dai Nanajūsanki Meijinsen･Jun'isen Shīkyū Ichikumi" 第73期名人戦･順位戦 C級1組 [73rd Meijin Ranking League: Class C1] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
5. "Dai Nanajūyonki Meijinsen･Jun'isen Shīkyū Ichikumi" 第74期名人戦･順位戦 C級1組 [74th Meijin Ranking League: Class C1] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
6. "Nisenjūnananendo kara no Furīkurasu Tenshutsusha" 2017年度からのフリークラス転出者 [Players moving to free class from April 2017] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. March 31, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
7. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Urano Masahiko Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 浦野真彦 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masahiko Urano Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
8. "Kishi Dētabēsu: Urano Masahiko Sonota Hyōshō" 棋士データベース: 浦野真彦 その他表彰 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Masahiko Urano Other Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved December 5, 2019.

External links

• Japan Shogi Association official profile page (in Japanese)
• ShogiHub: Urano, Masahiko
• Masahiko Urano on Twitter
• Tiny dictionary of Shogi proverbs [1] ISBN 4839901899
• How to study shogi to become a Shodan [2] ISBN 4861916992