藤井八冠 史上初タイトル戦20連勝［2024.2.8］

将棋の藤井聡太王将（竜王、名人、王位、叡王、王座、棋王、棋聖、21）が2月7・8の両日に行われた「囲碁将棋チャンネル 第73期ALSOK杯王将戦七番勝負」第4局で、挑戦者の菅井竜也八段（31）に勝利し防衛3連覇を達成した。シリーズ成績は4勝0敗。この防衛により、大山康晴十五世名人を超すタイトル戦20連勝の新記録を樹立。藤井王将は2020年のタイトル戦初登場以来、一度も敗退することなく大記録を更新することとなった。

2023年10月の史上初・八冠制覇からわずか4カ月。藤井王将がまたもや金字塔を打ち立てた。本シリーズの防衛により、藤井王将は故・大山康晴十五世名人が1963年の第22期名人戦から66年の第25期名人戦までに樹立したタイトル戦19連勝の記録を58年ぶりに更新し歴代単独1位の20連勝を達成。藤井王将は初めてのタイトル戦登場となった2020年第91期ヒューリック杯棋聖戦の戴冠以来、防衛・挑戦で一度も敗退することなく大偉業を達成してみせた。

　終局後、藤井王将は「そのことは意識はしていなかったですし、棋王戦も開幕しているので、そういったこと（記録など）は意識せず引き続き前を向いてやっていきたい」とコメントした。

　決着局となった本局は、後手の菅井八段が「三間飛車」を志向。力将棋となった一局で藤井王将が序盤から圧巻の構想力を披露した。広い視野と柔軟な発想でペースを握ると、立体的ながら無理のない自然な手を重ねてリードを拡大。中盤で突き放すと菅井八段の力を封じるように制圧、勝ちへとつなげた。対抗形シリーズとして注目を集めた今期の七番勝負は、藤井王将がはじめて王将位を獲得した東京・立川市でV3を達成。八冠達成後タイトル戦無敗記録を継続し、無傷の4連勝を飾ってシリーズを閉幕させた。

　藤井王将は現在、同学年の伊藤匠七段（21）を挑戦者に迎えた棋王戦コナミグループ杯五番勝負にも臨んでいる。第1局は持将棋となったため、2月24日に石川県金沢市で予定されている第2局でシリーズ先勝を飾るのはどちらか、大きな注目を集めることになる。さらに、今週末の10日には連覇と通算5度目の優勝を目指す朝日杯将棋オープン戦の準決勝・決勝も控えている。息つく間もなく次なる戦いの舞台へ。藤井王将の躍進はどこまでも止まらない。

　◆藤井 聡太（ふじい・そうた）　2002年7月19日、愛知県瀬戸市出身。中学2年生時の2016年10月に史上最年少で四段昇段、史上5人目の中学生棋士となる。2020年度の第91期棋聖戦でタイトル初挑戦。渡辺明棋聖（当時）を破り、17歳11カ月で最年少タイトルホルダーとなった。以降獲得と防衛を重ねて、竜王3期、名人1期、王位4期、叡王3期、王座1期、棋王1期、王将3期、棋聖4期の通算20期。棋戦優勝は10回。2023年度は第81期名人位の獲得により、20歳10カ月で最年少名人と史上2人目の七冠獲得を同時達成。さらに初挑戦した第71期王座戦五番勝負を制し、前人未踏の「八冠独占」を達成した。趣味は鉄道、チェス。

■英訳

In the "Igo Shogi Channel 73rd ALSOK Cup Osho Tournament Best of Seven" held on February 7th and 8th, Shogi player Sota Fujii, the current Osho (Ryuo, Meijin, Oui, Eiou, Oza, Kiou, Kisei, 21), achieved his third consecutive defense by defeating challenger Ryuya Sugai, an eighth dan player, in the fourth game. The series score was 4 wins and 0 losses. With this defense, Fujii set a new record of 20 consecutive victories in title matches, surpassing the 15th Meijin Yasuharu Oyama's record of 19 consecutive wins established from the 22nd Meijin Tournament in 1963 to the 25th Meijin Tournament in 1978, 58 years ago. Since his debut in title matches in 2020, Fujii has never suffered a defeat, achieving this remarkable feat.

Just four months after his historic octuple crown in October 2023, Fujii once again made history. With this defense in the current series, Fujii surpassed the record set by the late 15th Meijin Yasuharu Oyama, who achieved 19 consecutive wins in title matches from the 22nd Meijin Tournament in 1963 to the 25th Meijin Tournament in 1978, breaking the record after 58 years and achieving the all-time solo record of 20 consecutive wins. Since his coronation in the 91st Hulic Cup Kisei Tournament in 2020, Fujii has achieved this great feat without suffering a single defeat in defense or challenge.

After the game, Fujii commented, "I wasn't consciously aware of that, and the Kioh Tournament is also underway, so I want to continue to move forward without focusing on such things (records)."

In the decisive game, the eighth dan Sugai aimed for the "3rd File Rook" as the opponent. In this powerful game, Fujii demonstrated his overwhelming conceptual power from the opening. With a broad perspective and flexible thinking, he took control of the pace and expanded his lead by layering natural moves that were three-dimensional yet effortless. He then dominated Sugai's strength by shutting it down in the middle game, leading to victory. This season's Best of Seven, which attracted attention as a counter-series, saw Fujii achieve his third consecutive Osho title in Tachikawa City, Tokyo, where he first won the Osho title. Continuing his unbeaten streak in title matches after achieving his octuple crown, he closed the series with a flawless 4 wins.

Currently, Fujii is also facing Sho Ito, a seventh dan player of the same age, in the Konami Group Cup Best of Five Kioh Tournament. Since the first game ended in a hold, much attention will be focused on who will secure the first victory in the series in the second game scheduled for February 24th in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Additionally, this weekend on the 10th, he is preparing for the semi-finals and finals of the Asahi Cup Shogi Open, aiming for consecutive victories and his fifth overall victory. Without a moment to rest, he moves on to the next stage of battle. Fujii's ascent knows no bounds.

**Sota Fujii:** Born on July 19, 2002, in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture. In October 2016, during his second year of junior high school, he became the youngest ever to be promoted to fourth dan, becoming the fifth junior high school shogi player in history. In the 91st Kisei Tournament of the 2020 fiscal year, he made his first title challenge. He defeated Meijin Akira Watanabe (at the time) and became the youngest title holder at the age of 17 years and 11 months. Since then, he has accumulated and defended titles, including three Ryuo titles, one Meijin title, four Oui titles, three Eiou titles, one Oza title, one Kiou title, three Osho titles, and four Kisei titles, totaling 20 titles. He has won 10 shogi tournaments. In the 2023 fiscal year, he became the youngest Meijin and the second person in history to achieve a septuple crown at the age of 20 years and 10 months, by winning the 81st Meijin title. Additionally, he won the first title match, the 71st Oza Tournament Best of Five, achieving the unprecedented "eight crown monopoly." His hobbies include trains and chess.

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