Izumi Kobayashi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Izumi Kobayashi |
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|---|---|
| Full name | Izumi Kobayashi |
| Kanji | 小林泉美 |
| Born | June 20, 1977 Tokyo, Japan |
| Residence | Tokyo, Japan |
| Teacher | Koichi Kobayashi |
| Turned pro | 1995 |
| Rank | 7 dan |
| Affiliation | Nihon Ki-in |
Izumi Kobayashi (小林 泉美, Kobayashi Izumi, born June 20, 1977) is a famous professional player of the board game Go. She was born on June 20, 1977, in Tokyo, Japan. Go is a strategy game played with black and white stones on a grid. Izumi Kobayashi comes from a family of amazing Go players, and she has become one of the best herself!
Contents
Her Go Journey
Growing Up with Go
Izumi Kobayashi grew up surrounded by the game of Go. She even joked that she first played Go while still in her mother's tummy! Her family is full of top Go players. Her father, Koichi Kobayashi, is one of the most successful Go players in Japan. He has won many important titles.
Her grandfather, Kitani Minoru, was also a very important Go player. He was known as one of the greatest Go teachers ever. Izumi's mother, Reiko Kobayashi, was also a strong Go player. She won the All-Japan Women's Championship many times.
Becoming a Professional
Izumi Kobayashi became a professional Go player in 1995. This means she plays Go for a living and competes in big tournaments. She has worked hard to improve her skills. In 2004, she reached the rank of 6 dan. By 2021, she was promoted to 7 dan, showing her continued growth and mastery of the game.
Izumi Kobayashi is married to Cho U, who is also one of the top Go players in Japan.
Major Achievements
Winning Go Titles
Izumi Kobayashi has won many important Go tournaments. These wins are called "titles." Winning a title means you are the best player in that competition for that year. She has won nine major titles in her career.
| Title | Years Held |
|---|---|
| Current | 9 |
 Women's Honinbo |
2001–2003 |
| Women's Meijin |
2001, 2003, 2004 |
| Women's Kisei |
1998, 1999 |
| Women's Saikyo |
2005 |
| Defunct | 1 |
| Women's JAL Super Hayago |
2004 |
Runner-Up Finishes
Sometimes, Izumi Kobayashi made it to the final round of a tournament but didn't win the title. This is called being a "runner-up." It still shows she is one of the best players. She has been a runner-up nine times in different tournaments.
| Title | Years Lost |
|---|---|
| Current | 6 |
| Women's Honinbo |
1999, 2004 |
| Women's Meijin |
2000, 2002, 2005 |
| Women's Kisei |
2000 |
| Defunct | 3 |
| Women's Kakusei |
1996, 1999, 2001 |
