Keiichi Sanada

Keiichi Sanada (真田 圭一, Sanada Keiichi; born October 6, 1972) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan. He is a former director of the Japan Shogi Association.

Keiichi Sanada
Native name	真田圭一
Born	(1972-10-06) October 6, 1972 (age 52)
Hometown	Yachiyo, Chiba
Nationality	Japanese
Career
Achieved professional status	April 1, 1992(1992-04-01) (aged 19)
Badge Number	202
Rank	8-dan
Teacher	Shigeyuki Matsuda [ja] (9-dan)
Meijin class	C2
Ryūō class	5
Websites
JSA profile page

Early life and apprenticeship

Sanada was born on October 6, 1972, in Yachiyo, Chiba.^[1] In 1985, he entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school when he was twelve years old at the rank of 6-kyū as a student of shogi professional Shigeyuki Matsuda [ja]. He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1988, and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 1992.^[2][3]

Promotion history

Sanada's promotion history is as follows:^[4]

• 6-kyū: 1985
• 1-dan: 1988
• 4-dan: April 1, 1992
• 5-dan: April 1, 1994
• 6-dan: October 1, 1997
• 7-dan: March 1, 2005
• 8-dan: October 25, 2016

Titles and other championships

Sanada's only appearance in a major title match came in 1997 when he was the challenger for the 10th Ryūō title.^[5]

Awards and honors

Sanada received the Japan Shogi Association Annual Shogi Award for "Best New Player" in 1997.^[6]

JSA director

Sanada served on the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors from 1999 until 2003.^[2] He was elected for his first two-year term as a director at the association's 50th General Meeting in May 1999,^[7] and then re-elected to a second two-year term at the association's 52nd General Meeting in May 2001.

Personal life

Sanada's wife Ayako is a retired female shogi professional.^[3]