Daichi Sasaki

Daichi Sasaki (佐々木 大地) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan.

Ssaki's has appeared in a major title match twice: the 94th Kisei title match and the 64th Ōi title match.

Sasaki was born in Tsushima, Nagasaki on May 30, 1995.

He learned shogi from his father when he was three years old.

As a third-grade elementary school student, he won the Grades 1 to 3 division of the 3rd All Japan Elementary School Student Kurashiki Ōshō Tournament in 2004.

Then, as a sixth-grade elementary school student in 2007, he finished reached the semi-finals of the 32nd Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament, but lost to fellow future professional Seiya Kondō.

The following year, Sasaki entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū as a student of shogi professional Kōichi Fukaura.

He was promoted to the rank or 3-dan in 2013, and obtained professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 2016 after finishing the 58th 3-dan League (October 2015March 2016) with a record of 12 wins and 6 losses.

Although Sasaki actually finished league play tied with several other players who also had 12 wins, his lower league seed meant he finished in third place and thus did not earn automatic promotion to the rank of 4-dan.

Third place, however, was good enough to earn him a second promotion point, and gave him the option to enter the professional ranks as a free class player.

Sasaki made his first appearance in a major title match in June–July 2023 when he challenged Sōta Fujii for the 94th Kisei title.

Sasaki lost the match 3 games to 1.

Sasaki's promotion history is as follows:

Sasaki received the Japan Shogi Association Annual Shogi Award for "Most Games Won" for the 2018–19 shogi year, and the “Most Games Played” award for the 2019–2020 shogi year.