Kazushiza Horiguchi (堀口 一史座, Horiguchi Kazushiza, born February 28, 1975) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan.
Early life and apprenticeship
Horiguchi was born in Tokyo Metropolis on February 28, 1975.[1] He learned shogi around the age of ten after seeing a shogi set at his grandparents' house.[2] Horiguchi entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school as a pupil of shogi professional Hatasu Itō [ja] at the rank of 6-kyū in 1988. He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1991, and entered the 3-dan League in 1993.[2]
Horiguchi came close to obtaining full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in the 17th 3-dan League (April 1995 – September 1995), but lost his last round game to future fellow professional Kimura Kazuki to miss out on promotion. The following league season, however, Horiguchi finished with a record of 14 wins and 4 losses in the 18th 3-dan League (October 1995 – April 1996) to win the league and earn promotion to the rank of 4-dan.[2][3]
Horiguchi's only shogi championship to date came in 2002 when he defeated Masataka Sugimoto 3 games to 1 to win the 20th Asahi Open [ja]; he was, however, unable to defend his championship the following year, losing to Kōichi Fukaura by the same score in the finals of the 21st Asahi Open.[2][3][5][6]