Overview
- Nagase Takuya defeated defending champion Fujii Sota in the opener of the 75th ALSOK Ousho best-of-seven played Jan. 11–12 at Kakegawa Castle’s tea room.
- A furigoma gave Nagase Black, and he opened with 2–6 pawn, steering the game into a kakugawari that he prepared deeply.
- Day 1 ended with Nagase sealing move 69; the envelope was opened on Day 2 to reveal 2–6 gold, setting the course for his continued initiative.
- Nagase pressed with a tsugifu pawn sequence and rapid piece mobilization that forced Fujii into more than two hours of thinking, drawing concern from officiating pro Hiroshi Kamiya.
- The two-day title match uses eight-hour clocks per player; attention now turns to the Fushimi Inari venue in Kyoto for Game 2 on Jan. 24–25.