Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 7 - Chapter 3.3

  RETIREMENT PRESS CONFERENCE

“Called the Don of Naniwa, the man who has been the driving force behind Kansai Shogi for decades has suddenly called it a career,” says a female news anchor on TV all in one breath.

Ai Yashajin and I got to Shin-Kobe Station and decided to wait for Akira to pick her up at a café inside the station. They’ve got the news on.

“Earlier this afternoon, professional Shogi player Tatsuo Zaou (80) announced that he wishes to retire despite being younger than the retirement age set by the Shogi Association. Along with four title seasons to his name, Zaou 9-dan has also had a successful singing career. This was the scene at the Shogi Association.”

The picture changes to a location I know very well.

Tatsuo Zaou 9-dan sat facing a wall of reporters in the Kansai Association’s multipurpose room, microphone in his hand and refreshed look on his face.

“Why I’m callin’ in quits? I gotta say first and foremost my knees can’t take sittin’ on my ankles anymore. I was thinkin’ ’at I could still play once my brain got goin’, but it’s jus’ too painful.”

Zaou-sensei keeps talking through all the camera flashes going off one after another.

“Another reason’d be all this new computer Shogi don’ make a lick ’o sense to me. I jus’ don’ get it. Kinda like tryin’ to do a two-man comedy show in English and Japanese, it don’ feel right chargin’ people to watch. Recently we’ve had the youngest title holder ever, the youngest 3-dan and the first girl in the 3-dan division. That’s a lot ’o firsts, so Kansai’s got a lot goin’ for it. Seemed ’bout time for an old solider like me to hang up the helmet and ride off into the sunset.”

Then, his tone took a solemn turn.

“I wasn’ cut out for the dog-eat-dog stuff from the start. Winnin’ in Shogi meant kickin’ some poor feller to the curb, and ’at never sat well with me. Losin’ felt worse so I put up with it. After all, a player don’ eat if he don’ win, eh? No money. But I always wanted to enjoy Shogi without worrin’ ’bout wins and losses. Shogi puzzles have always been more fun than playin’ on a board …… So yea, I’d say ’at ’bout sums it up.”

He started taking questions after that.

“Sunday Newspaper. You have provided daily puzzles for the last 50 years and become the undisputed Shogi puzzle guru. Do you plan on continuing to submit puzzles?”

“I’m the one who should be askin’ ya if I can keep goin’.”

“Hanshin Sports. Zaou-sensei, you topped the charts as a singer and became famous for your professional wrestling commentary skills. Does announcing your retirement today mean you’re going to commit more time to those ventures ……?”

“Had ’bout enough ’o singin’. An’ I don’ recognize half the techniques wrestlers use these days, so commentatin’ ain’t gonna happen. Heck, I can’t even commentate on Shogi no more.”

That got a laugh from the media people.

Once the laughter died down, a voice I know very well came out of the screen.

“Shogi journalist Mato. You mentioned Shogi software in your earlier statement. What is your opinion on professionals who are adopting software strategies?”

“Part ’o me knows it’s the changin’ times.”

The Shogi veteran started to say in the same monotone voice as before.

“But I gotta say, I don’ think the Shogi world needs to follow this trend. Puttin’ their minds to work and findin’ the answer under their own steam is what made players so great, not ’cause they can work a computer. I’m worried goin’ too far that direction could brin’ the Shogi world to its knees. Don’ matter how strong the strats get, I don’ find Shogi interestin’ at all these days.”

“I see …… Thank you.”

“Ah, yea. There’s one more reason I decided to call it quits.”

Zaou-sensei said as if he remembered something.

“It surprised me to find that tryin’ to enjoy Shogi while takin’ the competition out of it ain’t no fun at all. Playin’ Shogi without tryin’ to win is ’bout as much fun as watchin’ horse races at home without puttin’ any money on the line. ’At was a big discovery. That don’ mean I ain’t gonna try to enjoy my last bout, mind ya.”

“Am I correct in assuming that means you want to win?”

“Well, ya wouldn’ be wrong.” 

That’s where the interview ended.

The news program switches to a different recording, one showing Chairman Tsukimitsu saying, “Even in retirement, I will be consulting Zaou-sensei as the director of the Kansai Shogi Association to receive his input on how Kansai Shogi should proceed from here.”

Honestly, after hearing what Zaou-sensei had to say …… I don’t know what to think.

Announcing his retirement is one thing, but his comments on software strategies almost felt like he was criticizing me personally.

But, I can’t let my own apprentice see that, so I just say, “…… His knees must be in really bad shape.”

“That reminds me, he did say sitting properly was painful during the New Year’s party.”

She sounds sympathetic, which is unusual for Ai.

“Grandp …… My grandfather also suffers from joint pain, especially on cold days.”

The news program sums up the report with this.

“This announcement means Zaou-sensei’s final Shogi match will be his C-2 placement match against another prominent Kansai Shogi player, Ryuo Yaichi Kuzuryu. Going against the player who prevented the Meijin’s Eternal Septuple Title and 100th title season last winter is sure to draw a great deal of attention from across the country.”