Yutaka Hani, a third-year student in the Faculty of Law who belongs to Okayama University Shogi Club, won second place in the 2017 Student Master Championship hosted by the All Japan Student Shogi Association held in a hotel in Tokyo from May 27-28.

Thirty-two student amateurs who qualified through regional competitions participated in the championship. There was fierce competition throughout the tournament. Despite it being his first time to participate, Hani advanced to the final game. Unfortunately, he came in second after losing to Hayata Fujioka from University of Tokyo, who recently was in the news for playing against the youngest professional shogi player in Japan, Sota Fujii (fourth-dan).

Afterwards, Hani looked back on the results and was fired up for the next competition, stating, “I would like to win the Team Tournament that will be held next September and seek my revenge there.”