Kimio Yamada

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Kimio Yamada
Full nameKimio Yamada
Kanji山田規三生
Born (1972-09-09) 9 September 1972 (age 51)
Osaka, Japan
ResidenceOsaka, Japan
TeacherYorimoto Yamashita
Turned pro1989
Rank9 dan
AffiliationNihon Ki-in, Kansai branch
Kimio Yamada
Medal record
Representing  Japan
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Guangzhou Men's Team

Kimio Yamada (山田 規三生, Yamada Kimio, born 9 September 1972) is a professional Go player.[1] A territorial player who is adept at invading and living within opponent's spheres of influence,[2] Yamada won his first major title, the Oza, in 1997.[1] He has two older brothers, Shiho Yamada and Wakio Yamada.[3]

Biography[edit]

Yamada began playing Go at the beginning of his school career. Two years later, he became a pupil of Yorimoto Yamashita, who adjudged Yamada to be a 6 dan amateur at the time. He was often praised for his extensive studying and deep reading. Yamada became a professional in 1989. In his first year as a professional, Yamada scored a record of 23 wins and six losses.[4]

Yamada won the "New Player Award" in 1992 and won his first title, the Shin-Ei, in 1993. He was also winner of the top Oteai section that same year.[3] Yamada won another young players tournament, the Shinjin-O, in 1997.[5] He continued at a winning rate of 80% – including an 18-game winning streak, for which he won an award – up until his first major title challenge: the Oza in 1997.[1] It was at that time the nickname, "King of Cool", was bestowed upon him by Go journalist John Fairbarn.[4]

He defeated title-holder Ryu Shikun three to one to claim his first major title, but then lost the title the following year to O Rissei.[6][7] In 1999, Yamada reached the semi-finals of the challenger tournament for the Oza.[8] He was invited to participate in the 1st Chunlan Cup in 1998.[9][10] In 1999, Yamada reached the semi-finals of the Samsung Cup, losing to Lee Chang-ho by resignation.[4] The following year Yamada reached the finals, but lost again to another Korean player, Yoo Changhyuk, three to one.[11]

Yamada won the 7 dan division of the 23rd Kisei tournament when he defeated Naoki Hane on 22 April 1999.[12] In the first round of the main tournament, Yamada defeated Hiroyuki Hiroe. In the second round, Yamada faced the previous Kisei runner-up, Norimoto Yoda, and lost.[13] While challenging for the Kisei title, Yamada reached the final of the 8th Ryusei in 1999, defeating Michihiro Morita.[14] At the end of 1999, Yamada finished 8th in the top prize winners with ¥23,627,000.[15] Yamada was a part of the Japanese team at the 1st Nongshim Cup in 2000. He was eliminated in his only game against Chang Hao.[16] In May 2000, Yamada was promoted to 8 dan.[17]

Yamada finished 15th in most prize money for 2001 with ¥12,919,960.[18] In 2003, Yamada won the award for most consecutive victories with 18. He won his 600th career game in 2004, the third fastest ever at 15 years and 6 months.[1] Three years later, Yamada won his 700th game, becoming the second fastest to reach 700 wins.[19] In 2004, Yamada reached the finals of the Gosei tournament, his first major title challenge in six years.[20] Yamada was the first player to be promoted from 8 dan to 9 dan for cumulative victories in 2006.[21] He challenged for the Honinbo title that same year, losing to Shinji Takao in six games.[22] Yamada challenged for the Oza title twice more in 2009 and 2010, losing both times to title holder Cho U.[5] He won the NHK Cup in 2010.[1]

Promotion record[edit]

Rank Year Notes
1 dan 1989
2 dan 1989
3 dan 1990
4 dan 1991
5 dan 1992
6 dan 1993 Winner of the Oteai.[3]
7 dan 1995
8 dan 2000
9 dan 2006 Promoted for winning 200 games as an 8 dan.[21]

Career record[edit]

  • 1989: 23–6
  • 1990: 23–6
  • 1991: 39–5
  • 1992: 35–10
  • 1993: 39–9
  • 1994: 40–10
  • 1995: 40–14
  • 1996: 40–12
  • 1997: 47–11 (most wins in Japan)
  • 1998: 47–19
  • 1999: 21–18[4]
  • 2000: 39–20[23]
  • 2001: 38–15[18]
  • 2002: 32–13 (through 4 October 2002)[24]
  • 2004: 33–21[25]
  • 2006: 35–23[26]
  • 2007: 33–18[27]
  • 2008: 31–18[28]
  • 2009: 29–20[29]
  • 2010: 25–25[30]
  • 2011: 17–3 (as of 26 June 2011)[31]

Titles and runners-up[edit]

Domestic
Title Wins Runners-up
Honinbo 1 (2006)
Oza 1 (1997) 3 (1998, 2009, 2010)
Gosei 1 (2004)
Ryusei 1 (1999) 1 (2004)
NHK Cup 1 (2010)
Shinjin-O 1 (1997)
Hayago Championship 1 (1994)
NEC Shun-Ei 1 (1996)
Shin-Ei 2 (1993, 1998)
Total 6 8
International
Samsung Cup 1 (2000)
Total 0 1
Career total
Total 6 9

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e 山田 規三生|財団法人日本棋院 (in Japanese). Nihon Ki-in. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  2. ^ Alexandre Dinerchtein (18 August 2009). "Archive: Yamada Kimio, 9-dan on IGS". gosensations.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "Yamada Kimio". gobase.org. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d John Fairbarn (19 June 2000). "KING OF COOL - YAMADA KIMIO". msoworld.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Yamada Kimio 9p". gogameworld.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  6. ^ "oza title, 45th edition, 1997". gobase.org. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  7. ^ "oza title, 46th edition, 1998". gobase.org. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Kato or Cho to challenge for Oza title". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  9. ^ "New international tournament launched by China". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  10. ^ "International: The 1st Chunlan Cup". msoworld.com. 24 October 1999. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  11. ^ "samsung cup, 5th edition, 2000". gobase.org. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  12. ^ "Kisei Tournament Individual Dan Championships". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  13. ^ "kisei title, 23rd edition, 1999". gobase.org. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Yamada wins Ryusei title". nihonkiin.or.jp. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  15. ^ "Top prize money winners of 1999". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  16. ^ "Korea wins 1st Nong Shim Spicy Noodles Cup". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  17. ^ "Yamada Kimio and Hane Naoki win promotion to 8-dan". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  18. ^ a b "2001 statistics". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  19. ^ "山田規三生九段が通算700勝達成【史上最高勝率・史上最短期間】". nihonkiin.or.jp. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  20. ^ "Yamada Kimio to challenge for Gosei title". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  21. ^ a b "History of Topics 2006". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  22. ^ "honinbo title, 61st edition, 2006". gobase.org. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  23. ^ "Most wins in 2000". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  24. ^ "Top winners". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  25. ^ "Most wins". nihonkiin.or.jp/english. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  26. ^ "Japanese win–loss 2006". igokisen.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  27. ^ "Japanese win–loss 2007". igokisen.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  28. ^ "Japanese win–loss 2008". igokisen.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  29. ^ "Japanese win–loss 2009". igokisen.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  30. ^ "Japanese win–loss 2010". igokisen.web.fc2.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  31. ^ "Japanese win–loss 2011". igokisen.web.fc2.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2011.