Yuta Iyama
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese professional Go
player
.
, Iyama became the first professional of the Heisei period. He began playing Go at the age of five and reached the rank of 3 dan amateur a year later. It was at this time Kunio Ishii
became Iyama's teacher, with the two playing thousands of games online. He won the national elementary school championship twice, in 1997 and 1998. Iyama became an insei
in October 1998 and challenged for a professional spot in 2001. He lost to Kohei Kawada. The following year, he challenged again and passed the qualifying test. At the time, Iyama was the fourth youngest professional behind Cho Chikun
, Utaro Hashimoto
and Satoshi Yuki
.
Iyama was promoted to 2 dan on 4 September 2002. During the China-Japan Agon Cup
in 2002, Iyama played an unofficial match with Chen Yaoye
. Iyama lost the match by resignation. In June 2003, Iyama was promoted to 3 dan for his performances in the Oteai
. Nearly two years later, Iyama was promoted to 4 dan under the newly revised promotion rules.
He met his rival, Daisuke Murakawa
, a fellow player from the Kansai
region, in the final section of the 30th Shinjin-O
. Taking white, Iyama went on to win by 5.5 points. Iyama won the first major game of his career when he defeated Cho U
by resignation in the 20th Agon Cup
. He would go on to win the tournament, becoming the youngest title holder in Japanese history at 16 years and five months. The previous holder of the record was Cho Chikun
, who won the Shin-Ei
, a tournament open to young players only, at 17 years. As a result of winning the tournament, Iyama was directly promoted to 7 dan and became the youngest 7 dan in Japanese Go.
Before winning the Agon Cup, Iyama won the Nakano Cup, a privately-sponsored unofficial tournament, and unsuccessfully challenged for the Shinjin-O
title, losing to Kim Shushun
. Iyama was a member of the Japanese team at the 6th Asian New Star Match
, where he won one match. Japan finished in third place behind South Korea
and China
. Iyama participated in the China-Japan Agon Cup
in 2006, losing to Gu Li
by resignation.
Iyama won two awards for his performance during the 2005 season: the New Star award the an award for having the highest winning percentage (75.47%). In August 2006, Iyama made it to the last game of the 61st Honinbo
preliminary stage. Facing Cho Sonjin
(a former Honinbo), Iyama took black and lost by resignation. Had Iyama won, he would have been the youngest participant of the Honinbo league at 17 years. Three months after his unsuccessful Honinbo league bid, Iyama participated in the first edition of the Daiwa Cup
, an internet tournament. Iyama qualified for the main tournament, but was unable to challenge for the title.
Iyama won his second official tournament when he defeated Kenichi Mochizuki
in the Shinjin-O
final. In September 2007, Iyama reached the challenger final of his first major title, the Tengen
. Taking black, Iyama lost to Keigo Yamashita
by 1.5 points and was unable to challenge title-holder Rin Kono
. Iyama qualified for his first international tournament, the 21st Fujitsu Cup
, by defeating Kanketsu Rin and Michihiro Morita
in the preliminary stages. In the main tournament, Iyama defeated Taiwanese representative Zhou Junxun
, but lost to Korea's Lee Sedol
in the second round.
In March 2008, Iyama participated in the 1st Yugen Cup, a tournament pitting veteran professionals against newly promoted youngsters. He finished in 6th place, but won all six of his games. Iyama reached the final round of the preliminary tournament for the 13th LG Cup
, but was unable to make the final tournament. No other Japanese players qualified.
Two months later, in July 2008, Iyama won the 33rd Meijin
league. At the age of 19, Iyama became the youngest ever challenger for the Meijin title and the youngest challenger for any of the major titles. He broke a record held by Cho Chikun, who challenged for the Oza
title in 1976 at the age of 20 years. As a result of winning the league, Iyama was directly promoted to 8 dan. Iyama's title bid was unsuccessful as he lost in seven games to title-holder Cho U
.
A few days after earning the right to challenge for the 33rd Meijin, Iyama defeated Cho U in the final of the 1st Daiwa Cup Grand Champion, an internet tournament for winners of the other Daiwa Cup tournaments. Iyama was also a part of the Japanese team at the 1st World Mind Sports Games
. While challenging for the Meijin title, Iyama faced Cho u again, this time in the Oza
challenger finals. Iyama took black and lost by resignation.
A month later, in October 2008, Iyama reached another challenger finals. He faced Norimoto Yoda
in challenger finals of the 33rd Kisei
and lost by resignation. In March 2008, Iyama participated in the inaugural BC Card Cup as one of Japan's two representatives, Cho Chikun being the other. Chikun was knocked out in the first round by Paek Hongsuk
, but Iyama won two games in a row against Kim Seongjae and On Sojin. Iyama came up against Cho Hanseung
in the third round and was eliminated by the Korean representative.
That same month Iyama participated in two unofficial tournaments, the Yugen Cup, which he won, and the RICOH Rengo Cup. Iyama and partner Xie Yimin lost to Naoki Hane
and Keiko Kato in the final of the Rengo Cup. Iyama also won the Kido "Outstanding Player" award for his performances during the 2008 season.
Iyama was one of four Japanese participants at the 14th LG Cup, where he won his first game against Yun Junsang and lost his second game against Lee Chang-ho
. Iyama also reached the challenger finals of the 34th Gosei, but eventually lost to Satoshi Yuki
by 1.5 points.
After losing the Meijin the previous year, Iyama won the Meijin league again in July 2009 and earned the right to challenge Cho U. He went undefeated in the league, becoming the fourth player in the modern-era to go undefeated in the Meijin league. Two months later Iyama qualified for his first Honinbo
league.
Iyama lost the first game of his Meijin challenge, but then went on to win four in-a-row. As a result, Iyama broke three records: youngest major title winner, youngest Meijin and youngest 9 dan, breaking records set by Cho Chikun, Rin Kaiho
and his opponent in the Meijin finals, Cho U. Iyama also won the Ryusei
title, televised on the date of the final Meijin match.
In December 2009, Iyama participated in his first Nongshim Cup. He was the third Japanese player and lost his game to Xie He
, who won five straight games before losing to Naoki Hane. Iyama led the Japanese most wins list in 2009 with a record of 43 wins and 14 losses. Iyama was also awarded the Shusai Prize for his performances during the 2009 season. In February 2010, Iyama lost the final of the 5th Daiwa Cup
to Rin Kono.
In May, Iyama reached the challenger finals for the 65th Honinbo, but lost to Keigo Yamashita. As a result for finishing runner-up of the NHK Cup in 2010, Iyama was qualified for the 22nd Asian TV Cup
. He lost to Lee Chang-ho in the first round. Iyama was also a representative of the Japanese team at the 16th Asian Games
. In October 2010, Iyama was invited to the World Meijin
tournament along with Gu Li and Lee Chang-ho. Iyama finished in third place. Iyama then defended his Meijin title in straight wins against Shinji Takao
.
In 2010, Iyama won the third most prize money in Japan with 56,482,000 Yen
. He unsuccessfully challenged Cho U for the Kisei title in 2011. Iyama won his second major title, the Judan
, in 2011.
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
player
Go players
This page gives an overview of well-known players of the game of Go throughout the ages. The page has been divided into sections based on the era in which the Go players played and the country in which they played. As this was not necessarily their country of birth, a flag of that country precedes...
.
Biography
Born in OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Iyama became the first professional of the Heisei period. He began playing Go at the age of five and reached the rank of 3 dan amateur a year later. It was at this time Kunio Ishii
Kunio Ishii
is a professional Go player.- Biography :Ishii became an insei in 1954, then a professional in 1956 under the guidance of his teacher Hokosawa Senjin. By 1978, he was at the highest rank of order, 9 dan. Although he competed in countless tournaments during his time, he was never able to win any...
became Iyama's teacher, with the two playing thousands of games online. He won the national elementary school championship twice, in 1997 and 1998. Iyama became an insei
Insei
In Japan, an ' is a student at an institution, usually a graduate school. The word may also refer to a student of Go at the Nihon Ki-in or the Kansai Ki-in seeking to become a professional player....
in October 1998 and challenged for a professional spot in 2001. He lost to Kohei Kawada. The following year, he challenged again and passed the qualifying test. At the time, Iyama was the fourth youngest professional behind Cho Chikun
Cho Chikun
Cho Chihun 25th Honinbo Honorary Meijin is a professional Go player. His total title tally of 71 titles is the most in the history of the Japanese Nihon Ki-in. Cho is the only player to hold the top three titles—Kisei, Meijin, and Honinbo—simultaneously which he did for 3 years in a row...
, Utaro Hashimoto
Utaro Hashimoto
was a professional Go player.- Biography :Hashimoto became a pro in 1922 when he was 15. He would win the Honinbō 3 times before finally reaching 9p in 1954. He founded the Kansai Ki-in in 1950.- Titles and runner-ups:...
and Satoshi Yuki
Satoshi Yuki
is a Japanese professional Go player.- Biography :Yuki won the NHK Cup in 2010 for the second time in a row, becoming the third player after Eio Sakata and Norimoto Yoda to do such. He was selected as a representative of the Japanese team at the 16th Asian Games. In 2010, Yuki reached the final of...
.
Iyama was promoted to 2 dan on 4 September 2002. During the China-Japan Agon Cup
China-Japan Agon Cup
The China-Japan Agon Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The China-Japan Agon Cup is a tournament where the current Agon Cup/Ahan Tongshan Cup title holders from China and Japan play each other.-Past winners:...
in 2002, Iyama played an unofficial match with Chen Yaoye
Chen Yaoye
Chen Yaoye is a professional Chinese Go player.- Biography :...
. Iyama lost the match by resignation. In June 2003, Iyama was promoted to 3 dan for his performances in the Oteai
Oteai
The was a tournament used in Japan, by the Nihon Ki-in and Kansai Ki-in, to determine the ranking of its go professionals on the dan scale. It was instituted in the 1920s soon after the Ki-in was set up in 1924. Initially it was run in Spring and Autumn sessions in Tokyo, with the pros brought...
. Nearly two years later, Iyama was promoted to 4 dan under the newly revised promotion rules.
He met his rival, Daisuke Murakawa
Daisuke Murakawa
is a professional Go player.- Biography :Murakawa was still just a 6th grader when he became a professional Go player at the Kansai Ki-in. He was only one month older than Cho Chikun, making him the second youngest professional in Japan. This also made him the youngest Kansai Ki-in professional,...
, a fellow player from the Kansai
Kansai
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
region, in the final section of the 30th Shinjin-O
Shinjin-O
The Shinjin-O is a professional Go competition.An annual Japanese tournament, it has been held continuously since 1976.- Format :...
. Taking white, Iyama went on to win by 5.5 points. Iyama won the first major game of his career when he defeated Cho U
Cho U
Cho U Kisei, Oza is a professional Go player. He currently ranks 6th in the most titles won by a Japanese professional; his NEC Cup win in 2011 put him past his teacher Rin Kaiho and Norimoto Yoda. Cho is the only player in history to have held five of the top seven major titles...
by resignation in the 20th Agon Cup
Agon Cup
The Agon Cup is a Go competition.-Biography:The Agon Cup is a Go competition used by the Japanese Nihon Kiin. It was started in 1994 by Agon Shu. The name was originally the "Acom Cup" but it changed its sponsor in 1999 and became the Agon Cup...
. He would go on to win the tournament, becoming the youngest title holder in Japanese history at 16 years and five months. The previous holder of the record was Cho Chikun
Cho Chikun
Cho Chihun 25th Honinbo Honorary Meijin is a professional Go player. His total title tally of 71 titles is the most in the history of the Japanese Nihon Ki-in. Cho is the only player to hold the top three titles—Kisei, Meijin, and Honinbo—simultaneously which he did for 3 years in a row...
, who won the Shin-Ei
Shin-Ei
-Outline:The Shin-Ei was a Go competition held where players under the age of 30 and 7 dan would compete in.-Past winners:...
, a tournament open to young players only, at 17 years. As a result of winning the tournament, Iyama was directly promoted to 7 dan and became the youngest 7 dan in Japanese Go.
Before winning the Agon Cup, Iyama won the Nakano Cup, a privately-sponsored unofficial tournament, and unsuccessfully challenged for the Shinjin-O
Shinjin-O
The Shinjin-O is a professional Go competition.An annual Japanese tournament, it has been held continuously since 1976.- Format :...
title, losing to Kim Shushun
Kim Shushun
Kim Shushun , also known as Kin Hidetoshi, Kim Shujun, or Kim Sujun, is a professional Go player.- Biography :...
. Iyama was a member of the Japanese team at the 6th Asian New Star Match
Asian New Star Match
The Asian New Star Match is a Go competition.-Outline:This tournament is a team tournament between China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Each team has 8 players. They compete against another team. Whoever wins the most games out of that match gets one win overall. The players must also be under a...
, where he won one match. Japan finished in third place behind South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Iyama participated in the China-Japan Agon Cup
China-Japan Agon Cup
The China-Japan Agon Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The China-Japan Agon Cup is a tournament where the current Agon Cup/Ahan Tongshan Cup title holders from China and Japan play each other.-Past winners:...
in 2006, losing to Gu Li
Gu Li
Gu Li is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Gu Li is currently the #1 ranked Chinese player by the Zhongguo Qiyuan. He became a pro in 1994 when he was only 12. In 2006, he won the 10th LG Cup and became the youngest Chinese player to ever win a major international title; as a result,...
by resignation.
Iyama won two awards for his performance during the 2005 season: the New Star award the an award for having the highest winning percentage (75.47%). In August 2006, Iyama made it to the last game of the 61st Honinbo
Honinbo Tournament
The Honinbo is a Go competition.-Outline:It is the oldest Go title in Japan. Sponsored by Mainichi Shimbun, the Honinbo pays out ¥32 million . The holder is challenged by whoever wins the round robin league. Players can get into the round robin league by going through many preliminary tournaments...
preliminary stage. Facing Cho Sonjin
Cho Sonjin
Cho Sonjin is a professional Go player.Cho spent 12 years in South Korea before deciding to leave and become a professional in Japan, accomplishing his goal two years later. He was promoted to 9 dan in 1998. In 1999, he defeated Cho Chikun in the Honinbo, ending Chikun's 10 year run with the...
(a former Honinbo), Iyama took black and lost by resignation. Had Iyama won, he would have been the youngest participant of the Honinbo league at 17 years. Three months after his unsuccessful Honinbo league bid, Iyama participated in the first edition of the Daiwa Cup
Daiwa Cup
The Daiwa Cup full name Daiwa Securities Cup Net Igo Open is a Go competition.-Outline:The Daiwa Cup is sponsored by Daiwa Securities Group. The format of the tournament is a round robin with 4 leagues and 4 players in each league. Games are played on Saturday and Sunday nights on the Nihon Ki-in...
, an internet tournament. Iyama qualified for the main tournament, but was unable to challenge for the title.
Iyama won his second official tournament when he defeated Kenichi Mochizuki
Kenichi Mochizuki
is a Japanese voice actor.-Television animation:*F-Zero GP Legend *Otogi-Jushi Akazukin *Teen Titans *Transformers: Cybertron *Naruto *Soul Eater -Tokusatsu:...
in the Shinjin-O
Shinjin-O
The Shinjin-O is a professional Go competition.An annual Japanese tournament, it has been held continuously since 1976.- Format :...
final. In September 2007, Iyama reached the challenger final of his first major title, the Tengen
Tengen (Go)
Tengen is the name of a Go competition in Japan.The name Tengen refers to the center point on a Go board.The event is held annually, and has run continuously since its inauguration in 1975....
. Taking black, Iyama lost to Keigo Yamashita
Keigo Yamashita
is a professional Go player. Yamashita adopted the name Honinbo Dowa after winning his first Honinbo title in 2010.-Biography:A student of Yasuro Kikuchi, Yamashita turned professional in 1993. He won the 19th Kisei 2 dan division in 1994. Yamashita reached the challenger finals of the Tengen in 1999...
by 1.5 points and was unable to challenge title-holder Rin Kono
Rin Kono
is a Japanese professional Go player.- Biography :Rin Kono grew up as one of Koichi Kobayashi's students. He became a professional when he was 15 in 1996. He was promoted to 8 dan after beating Keigo Yamashita to win the Tengen in 2005...
. Iyama qualified for his first international tournament, the 21st Fujitsu Cup
Fujitsu Cup
- Outline :The Fujitsu Cup is an international competition. Fujitsu and Yomiuri Shimbun host the oldest international Go competition. The players are picked as follows:* The top 3 players from the previous year's competition* 7 players from Japan...
, by defeating Kanketsu Rin and Michihiro Morita
Michihiro Morita
is a professional Go player.- Titles & runners-up :-External Links:**...
in the preliminary stages. In the main tournament, Iyama defeated Taiwanese representative Zhou Junxun
Zhou Junxun
Zhou Junxun is a Go player.-Biography:Zhou was born in Taipei, Taiwan. Unlike other Taiwanese Go players, he stayed and became a professional in Taiwan. Zhou became a professional in 1993. He would later advance to 7 dan in 1997, then finally 9 dan in 1998...
, but lost to Korea's Lee Sedol
Lee Sedol
Lee Sedol is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank.-Biography:Many regard Lee Sedol as one of the strongest players of all time. Lee was born in Korea in 1983 and studied at the Hanguk Kiwon. He ranks third in career titles with 37, behind Cho Hunhyun and Lee Chang-ho...
in the second round.
In March 2008, Iyama participated in the 1st Yugen Cup, a tournament pitting veteran professionals against newly promoted youngsters. He finished in 6th place, but won all six of his games. Iyama reached the final round of the preliminary tournament for the 13th LG Cup
LG Cup (Go)
LG Cup World Baduk Championship is a Go competition.- Outline :The LG Cup is sponsored by the LG Group of Korea. The LG Cup was created after the Kiwang title from Korea was abolished. There are 16 players who compete in a preliminary, and another 16 players are invited...
, but was unable to make the final tournament. No other Japanese players qualified.
Two months later, in July 2008, Iyama won the 33rd Meijin
Meijin
Meijin , literally translated, means "Brilliant Man." It is the name of the second most prestigious Japanese Go Tournament. It also refers to a traditional Japanese title given to the strongest player of the day during the Edo period.- The tournament :...
league. At the age of 19, Iyama became the youngest ever challenger for the Meijin title and the youngest challenger for any of the major titles. He broke a record held by Cho Chikun, who challenged for the Oza
Oza
is a title in Go. The association that holds this title is the Japanese Nihon Ki-in.-Outline:Recently, the format for the tournament was changed to a best of five. The challenger is decided in a tournament of 16 players, other than the title player. The winner's purse is ¥14 million .-Past winners...
title in 1976 at the age of 20 years. As a result of winning the league, Iyama was directly promoted to 8 dan. Iyama's title bid was unsuccessful as he lost in seven games to title-holder Cho U
Cho U
Cho U Kisei, Oza is a professional Go player. He currently ranks 6th in the most titles won by a Japanese professional; his NEC Cup win in 2011 put him past his teacher Rin Kaiho and Norimoto Yoda. Cho is the only player in history to have held five of the top seven major titles...
.
A few days after earning the right to challenge for the 33rd Meijin, Iyama defeated Cho U in the final of the 1st Daiwa Cup Grand Champion, an internet tournament for winners of the other Daiwa Cup tournaments. Iyama was also a part of the Japanese team at the 1st World Mind Sports Games
World Mind Sports Games
The first World Mind Sports Games were held in Beijing, China from October 3 to 18, 2008, about two months after the Olympic Games. They were sponsored and organised by the International Mind Sports Association with the General Administration of Sport of China and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of...
. While challenging for the Meijin title, Iyama faced Cho u again, this time in the Oza
Oza
is a title in Go. The association that holds this title is the Japanese Nihon Ki-in.-Outline:Recently, the format for the tournament was changed to a best of five. The challenger is decided in a tournament of 16 players, other than the title player. The winner's purse is ¥14 million .-Past winners...
challenger finals. Iyama took black and lost by resignation.
A month later, in October 2008, Iyama reached another challenger finals. He faced Norimoto Yoda
Norimoto Yoda
is a professional Go player.-Biography:Yoda is a student of Takeo Ando. He has won 34 titles so far in his career, the sixth highest in Japan. He became a professional in 1980, and reached 9 dan in 1993...
in challenger finals of the 33rd Kisei
Kisei
The Kisei is a Go competition. The title, meaning go sage in Japanese, was a traditional honorary appellation given to a handful of players down the centuries. The element ki can also apply to shogi, and there were also recognized kisei in the shogi world.-Background:Kisei is a Go competition...
and lost by resignation. In March 2008, Iyama participated in the inaugural BC Card Cup as one of Japan's two representatives, Cho Chikun being the other. Chikun was knocked out in the first round by Paek Hongsuk
Paek Hongsuk
Paek Hongsuk is a professional Go player.-Biography:Paek became a professional in 2000. He was promoted to 5 dan in 2006. He won his first title, the SK Gas Cup, in 2006. Also in 2006, he reached the quarter finals of the Samsung Cup before losing to Lee Chang-ho.-Promotion record:-Titles and...
, but Iyama won two games in a row against Kim Seongjae and On Sojin. Iyama came up against Cho Hanseung
Cho Hanseung
Cho Hanseung , also known as Jo Hanseung is a professional Go player.- Biography :Cho turned professional in 1995. He was promoted to 7 dan in 2004, and 8 dan in 2005, 9 dan in 2006.- Titles & runners-up :...
in the third round and was eliminated by the Korean representative.
That same month Iyama participated in two unofficial tournaments, the Yugen Cup, which he won, and the RICOH Rengo Cup. Iyama and partner Xie Yimin lost to Naoki Hane
Naoki Hane
is a professional Japanese 9 dan Go player currently affiliated with the Nihon Ki-in. He is both the son, and student, of Yasumasa Hane, who is also a professional 9 dan of the Nihon Ki-in.- Titles and runners-up :-Promotion record:-Awards:...
and Keiko Kato in the final of the Rengo Cup. Iyama also won the Kido "Outstanding Player" award for his performances during the 2008 season.
Iyama was one of four Japanese participants at the 14th LG Cup, where he won his first game against Yun Junsang and lost his second game against Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...
. Iyama also reached the challenger finals of the 34th Gosei, but eventually lost to Satoshi Yuki
Satoshi Yuki
is a Japanese professional Go player.- Biography :Yuki won the NHK Cup in 2010 for the second time in a row, becoming the third player after Eio Sakata and Norimoto Yoda to do such. He was selected as a representative of the Japanese team at the 16th Asian Games. In 2010, Yuki reached the final of...
by 1.5 points.
After losing the Meijin the previous year, Iyama won the Meijin league again in July 2009 and earned the right to challenge Cho U. He went undefeated in the league, becoming the fourth player in the modern-era to go undefeated in the Meijin league. Two months later Iyama qualified for his first Honinbo
Honinbo Tournament
The Honinbo is a Go competition.-Outline:It is the oldest Go title in Japan. Sponsored by Mainichi Shimbun, the Honinbo pays out ¥32 million . The holder is challenged by whoever wins the round robin league. Players can get into the round robin league by going through many preliminary tournaments...
league.
Iyama lost the first game of his Meijin challenge, but then went on to win four in-a-row. As a result, Iyama broke three records: youngest major title winner, youngest Meijin and youngest 9 dan, breaking records set by Cho Chikun, Rin Kaiho
Rin Kaiho
Rin Kaiho is a professional Go player.-Biography:Rin Kaiho was born in Shanghai, China. He was a student of Go Seigen when Go brought him to Japan in 1952. He was a promising player who won his first title at the age of 23, the Meijin. He is also part of the 1200 win group...
and his opponent in the Meijin finals, Cho U. Iyama also won the Ryusei
Ryusei
-Biography:The Ryusei is a Go competition used by the Japanese Nihon-Kiin. It was started in 1991 and is a fast go tournament. The tournament consists of four sections. The winner from each section, along with the player who won the most games in each section play in a single knockout tournament....
title, televised on the date of the final Meijin match.
In December 2009, Iyama participated in his first Nongshim Cup. He was the third Japanese player and lost his game to Xie He
Xie He (Go)
- Career record :*2006: 58 wins, 25 losses.*2007: 37 wins, 17 losses.*2008: 47 wins, 24 losses.*2009: 29 wins, 23 losses.*2010: 51 wins, 21 losses.- Titles and runners-up :-References:...
, who won five straight games before losing to Naoki Hane. Iyama led the Japanese most wins list in 2009 with a record of 43 wins and 14 losses. Iyama was also awarded the Shusai Prize for his performances during the 2009 season. In February 2010, Iyama lost the final of the 5th Daiwa Cup
Daiwa Cup
The Daiwa Cup full name Daiwa Securities Cup Net Igo Open is a Go competition.-Outline:The Daiwa Cup is sponsored by Daiwa Securities Group. The format of the tournament is a round robin with 4 leagues and 4 players in each league. Games are played on Saturday and Sunday nights on the Nihon Ki-in...
to Rin Kono.
In May, Iyama reached the challenger finals for the 65th Honinbo, but lost to Keigo Yamashita. As a result for finishing runner-up of the NHK Cup in 2010, Iyama was qualified for the 22nd Asian TV Cup
Asian TV Cup
The Asian TV Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The Asian TV Cup is the oldest continental tournament, dating back to 1989. The winners and runner up's of the biggest hayago competitions from Asia battle in the biggest hayago tournament of all.-Past winners:-See also:*...
. He lost to Lee Chang-ho in the first round. Iyama was also a representative of the Japanese team at the 16th Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
. In October 2010, Iyama was invited to the World Meijin
World Meijin
The World Meijin is an invitational Go competition consisting of one player each from China, Japan, and South Korea.-Outline:The tournament consists of three players. One of the three players is given a bye. The remaining two players play a match, with the winner progressing to the final...
tournament along with Gu Li and Lee Chang-ho. Iyama finished in third place. Iyama then defended his Meijin title in straight wins against Shinji Takao
Shinji Takao
is a Japanese professional Go player.- Biography :Shinji Takao is one of Japan's best Go players. He turned professional in 1991. He won the Honinbo tournament in 2005 by a half point in the last game...
.
In 2010, Iyama won the third most prize money in Japan with 56,482,000 Yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
. He unsuccessfully challenged Cho U for the Kisei title in 2011. Iyama won his second major title, the Judan
Judan (Go)
The Judan —which can be translated as "10 dan"—is a Go competition in Japan. It is one of the seven major professional titles.-Biography:...
, in 2011.
Promotion record
Career record
- 2006: 34–14
- 2007: 44–11
- 2008: 48–21
- 2009: 43–14
- 2010: 34–21
- 2011: 42–18 (as of 17 November 2011)
Titles and runners-up
| Domestic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Wins | Runners-up |
| Kisei Kisei The Kisei is a Go competition. The title, meaning go sage in Japanese, was a traditional honorary appellation given to a handful of players down the centuries. The element ki can also apply to shogi, and there were also recognized kisei in the shogi world.-Background:Kisei is a Go competition... |
1 (2011) | |
| Meijin Meijin Meijin , literally translated, means "Brilliant Man." It is the name of the second most prestigious Japanese Go Tournament. It also refers to a traditional Japanese title given to the strongest player of the day during the Edo period.- The tournament :... |
2 (2009, 2010) | 2 (2008, 2011) |
| Tengen Tengen (Go) Tengen is the name of a Go competition in Japan.The name Tengen refers to the center point on a Go board.The event is held annually, and has run continuously since its inauguration in 1975.... |
1 (2011) | |
| Judan Judan (Go) The Judan —which can be translated as "10 dan"—is a Go competition in Japan. It is one of the seven major professional titles.-Biography:... |
1 (2011) | |
| Agon Cup Agon Cup The Agon Cup is a Go competition.-Biography:The Agon Cup is a Go competition used by the Japanese Nihon Kiin. It was started in 1994 by Agon Shu. The name was originally the "Acom Cup" but it changed its sponsor in 1999 and became the Agon Cup... |
2 (2005, 2011) | |
| Ryusei Ryusei -Biography:The Ryusei is a Go competition used by the Japanese Nihon-Kiin. It was started in 1991 and is a fast go tournament. The tournament consists of four sections. The winner from each section, along with the player who won the most games in each section play in a single knockout tournament.... |
2 (2009, 2011) | |
| NHK Cup | 1 (2010) | |
| Shinjin-O Shinjin-O The Shinjin-O is a professional Go competition.An annual Japanese tournament, it has been held continuously since 1976.- Format :... |
1 (2007) | 1 (2005) |
| Total | 9 | 5 |
| Continental | ||
| China-Japan Agon Cup China-Japan Agon Cup The China-Japan Agon Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The China-Japan Agon Cup is a tournament where the current Agon Cup/Ahan Tongshan Cup title holders from China and Japan play each other.-Past winners:... |
1 (2005) | |
| Bosai Cup Bosai Cup The Bosai Cup is an invitational Go competition consisting of one player each from China, Japan, and South Korea.-Outline:The tournament consists of three players. One of the three players is given a bye. The remaining two players play a match, with the winner progressing to the final... |
1 (2011) | |
| Total | 1 | 1 |
| Career total | ||
| Total | 10 | 6 |