Shogi, an Old Game with New Heroes

Shogi is a strategy board game played by two persons. It involves flat pieces arranged on a 9-square X 9-square board. With knights, foot soldiers, generals and a king whose imminent capture ends the game, it can be compared to chess. A Japanese traditional game, it is played today the same way it was played in the 16th century.
Professional shogi players are ranked, and the ranks are called “dan”. A certain number of wins is required before a player can have professional status. It is the victories that count, not the age of the player. Recently, a 4th “dan” professional player named Sota Fujii has been making headlines, for two reasons.
The main reason for the headlines is, Mr. Fujii has been undefeated since turning professional last year. That means 29 straight victories against other professional players. A string of victories that long is unprecedented. The second reason is, at age 14, he is still in junior high school.
In related news, makers of shogi boards are experiencing a burst of prosperity. Parents are buying shogi sets for their children. What a wonderful gift: a game that can be played without electricity, and one that requires another human being with whom to play.