Editing Shogi (section)

== Tournament play ==
[[File:WOSC-2013.jpg|thumb|2013 World Shogi Open Championship (amateur) tournament in [[Minsk]]]]

There are two organizations for shogi professional players in Japan: the JSA, and the {{nihongo|{{Interlanguage link multi|Ladies' Professional Shogi-players' Association of Japan|ja|3=日本女子プロ将棋協会|vertical-align=sup}} |日本女子プロ将棋協会|nihon joshi puro shōgi kyōkai}}, or LPSA. The JSA is the primary organization for men and women's professional shogi<ref name="F&H" /> while the LPSA is a group of women professionals who broke away from the JSA in 2007 to establish their own independent organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://joshi-shogi.com/2011/09/28/enkaku.pdf |title=Enkaku|script-title=ja:沿革|trans-title= LPSA History|publisher=日本女子プロ将棋協会 (Ladies' Professional Shogi-players' Association of Japan)|access-date=26 June 2014|language= ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031152603/http://joshi-shogi.com/2011/09/28/enkaku.pdf|archive-date=31 October 2012}}</ref> Both organize tournaments for their members and have reached an agreement to cooperate with each other to promote shogi through events and other activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shogi.or.jp/topics/2014/06/post-1000.html|title=Nihon Joshi Puro Shōgi Kyōkai (LSPA) to Gōisho Teiketsu|script-title=ja:日本女子プロ将棋協会 (LPSA)と合意書締結|language=ja|trans-title=Agreement signed with LPSA|publisher=日本将棋連盟 (Japan Shogi Association)|date=2 June 2014|access-date=26 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703063811/http://www.shogi.or.jp/topics/2014/06/post-1000.html|archive-date=3 July 2014}}</ref> Top professional players are fairly well-paid from tournament earnings. In 2016, the highest tournament earners were [[Yoshiharu Habu]] and [[Akira Watanabe (shogi player)|Akira Watanabe]] who earned ¥91,500,000 and ¥73,900,000. (The tenth highest earner, [[Kouichi Fukaura]], won ¥18,490,000.)<ref>https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2017/02/201610.html (accessed 2017 Feb 19)</ref>

The JSA recognizes two categories of shogi professionals: {{nihongo|Professional |棋士|kishi}}, and {{nihongo|Female Professional|女流棋士 |joryūkishi}}. Sometimes ''kishi'' are addressed as {{Nihongo|seikishi|正棋士}}, a term from [[Go (game)|Go]] used to distinguish ''kishi'' from other classes of players. JSA professional ranks and female professional ranks are not equivalent and each has their own promotion criteria and ranking system. In 2006, the JSA officially granted women "professional status". This is not equivalent, however, to the more traditional way of "gaining professional status", i.e., being promoted from the {{nihongo |"Shoreikai System"|奨励会}}: leagues of strong amateur players aspiring to become a professional. Rather, it is a separate system especially designed for female professionals. Qualified amateurs, regardless of gender, may apply for the "Shoreikai System" and all those who successfully "graduate" are granted ''kishi'' status; however, no woman has yet to accomplish this feat (the highest women have reached is "Shoreikai 3 ''dan'' league" by [[Kana Satomi]] and [[Tomoka Nishiyama]]), so ''kishi'' is [[de facto]] only used to refer to male shogi professionals.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.shogi.or.jp/faq/index.html#kisen|title=Yoku Aru Goshitsumon: Naze, Dansei wa "Kishi" na no ni, Josei wa "Joryūkishi" to Naru no Desuka |script-title= ja:よくあるご質問：なぜ、男性は「棋士」なのに、女性は「女流棋士」となるのですか。|language=ja|trans-title=FAQ: Why are men referred to as "kishi" and women referred to as "joryūkishi"? |publisher= 日本将棋連盟 (Japan Shogi Association)|access-date=28 June 2014}}</ref>

The JSA is the only body which can organize tournaments for professionals, e.g., the eight major tournaments in the [[titleholder system]] and other professional tournaments. In 1996, [[Yoshiharu Habu]] became the only ''kishi'' to hold seven major titles at the same time. For female professionals, both the JSA and LPSA organize tournaments, either jointly or separately. Tournaments for amateurs may be organized by the JSA and LPSA as well as local clubs, newspapers, private corporations, educational institutions or municipal governments for cities or prefectures under the guidance of the JSA or LPSA.

Since the 1990s, shogi has grown in popularity outside Japan, particularly in the [[People's Republic of China]], and especially in [[Shanghai]]. The January 2006 edition of {{nihongo|''Kindai Shogi''|近代将棋}} stated that there were 120,000 shogi players in Shanghai. The spread of the game to countries where Chinese characters are not in common use, however, has been slower.

===In Europe===

[[File:Shogi nidan.JPG|thumb|Amateur shogi certificate for 2 dan]]

{{Expand section|date=January 2018}}

European shogi tournaments vary in format, including both individual and team competitions. Major events are typically held annually, attracting players of all skill levels. The tournaments often feature different time controls, ranging from classical formats to faster-paced variants like blitz shogi. Notable tournaments include the European Shogi Championship and various national championships.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-06 |title=FESA - Federation of European Shogi |url=https://fesashogi.eu/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |language=en-US}}</ref>

{{As of|November 2017}}, there were over 1,200 active players in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|author=Andreas Neumaier |url=http://www.shogi.net/fesa/index.php?mid=5 |title=FESA home page - Ratings |publisher=Shogi.net |date=2018-05-20 |access-date=2018-06-05}}</ref>