11 Facts About Kenji Kobayashi

Kenji Kobayashi is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan.

Kenji Kobayashi is a former director of the Japanese Shogi Association.

Kenji Kobayashi entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school in 1972 at the rank of 6-kyu under the guidance of professional shogi player Susumu Itaya.

At first, Kenji Kobayashi pursued his apprenticeship at the Japan Shogi Association's school in Tokyo; however, he soon began to have health problems, and moved to Nagoya to study under Itaya as a uchi-deshi.

Kenji Kobayashi was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 1-dan in 1974 and obtained full-professional status and the rank of 4-dan in December 1975.

Kenji Kobayashi became the 40th professional to win his 600th official game when he defeated Kaishu Tanaka in Meijin Class C1 tournament play on June 9,2009.

In March 2018, Kenji Kobayashi finished the 76th Meijin Class C2 league with a record of 3 wins and 7 losses, earning a second consecutive demotion point which meant he was only one point away from automatic demotion to "Free Class" play.

Kenji Kobayashi never appeared in a major title match, but he won two non-major shogi championships during his career: the Young Lions in 1977 and the Hayazashi Senshuken in 1994.

Kenji Kobayashi received the Japan Shogi Association's "Best New Player" and "Technique Award" Annual Shogi Awards.

Kenji Kobayashi received the association's "25 Years Service Award" in 2000 for being an active professional for twenty-five years and the "Shogi Honor Award" in 2009 for winning 600 official games.

Kenji Kobayashi served on the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors as a director from 1999 to 2004.