Tamura Hoju
| General information | ||
|---|---|---|
| also found as | 本因坊秀哉 Honinbō Shūsai Honinbo Shusai Shusai Shusai Meijin Shusai Honinbo Shusai Honinbo, Meijin |
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| korean | Soo-jae | |
| nationality |  Japan
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| born | 1874-01-01 | |
| died | 1940-01-18 | |
| go houses | Honinbo,head,21,1908,1940 |
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| rank | 9 | |
| pro status | Professional | |
| pid | 7901 | |
| biography | Honinbo Shusai, Meijin Born in 1874 in Tokyo, Japan. Died Jan. 18, 1940. 21st, and last, hereditary Honinbo. Birth name: Tamura Hoju. In 1884, became student in the Hoensha, and was said to have first played Murase Shuho at 13 stones. Professional shodan 1886; in 1891 he was of 3 dan strength, but that year left the Hoensha with plans to go to America, and also set his sights on a business career. In 1892 he returned to Tokyo, entered the House of Honinbo, and was recognized as 4 dan. 5 dan 1897; 6 dan 1900; 7 dan 1905. (In those days 7 dan was the highest rank an "ordinary" player could attain: 8 dan was considered "quasi-Meijin" status and 9 dan was the Meijin himself.) In those days, Shuei Meijin played all comers at the black/2 stone handicap, if that, but Tamura could rival him just playing black. In 1907, Shuei died, and the go world was split into factions backing Karigane Junichi and Tamura as his successor. Shugen, who briefly took over as Honinbo, recognized Tamura as the strongest player on the go scene, and in February 1908, Honinbo Shusai was born. The same year, he advanced to 8 dan. In March of 1914, he rose to Meijin (9 dan) status, the tenth player since the original Honinbo, Sansa, to do so. In 1924, participated in the establishment of the Nihon Kiin. In 1926 lead the Nihon Kiin in a rival match against the Kiseisha, defeating Karigane resoundingly in their personal encounter. (As Meijin, Shusai played white.) In 1936, transfered the Honinbo designation to the Nihon Kiin, and decided to retire. He understood the trend of the age, and lead the way for the new go world that was being born. Shusai never lost an important game, and was dubbed the "Invincible Meijin". He also trained many students, including Maeda Nobuaki 9 dan and Masubuchi Tetsuko 5 dan (teacher of Sakata Eio, Honorary Honinbo). | |
