Karolina Styczyńska Fortin

In the professional world of Shogi, obviously dominated by Japanese players, emerges the only foreign professional player: Karolina Styczyńska.

Born in Warsaw, Poland, she learned to play Shogi on the internet. Her great playing abilities caught the attention of the famous professional player Madoka Kitao, who invited her to increase her Shogi skills in Japan.

In Tokyo, she participated in the preliminary phase of the Ricoh Cup Oza – 女流王座 2012 tournament, managing to win, as an amateur player, a game against a professional player. She achieved the feat of winning against a professional in 2013 as well, again in the preliminary round of the Ricoh Cup Oza – 女流王座 tournament.

In June 2013, she was admitted to a “Training Group” of the Japan Shogi Association.

In 2015, she was promoted to 3-kyu. In 2015, she became 2-kyu, assuming the status of a professional player.

Promoted to 1-kyu in 2017, she managed to become 1-dan in 2021.

Between 2021 and 2022, due to personal reasons, Karolina Styczyńska obtained a temporary leave from professional activities.

On March 31, 2023, she officially retired from professional activities and returned to Europe. Her significant commitment to promoting Shogi worldwide through the internet remains unchanged.

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Milestones in her professional career:
October 1, 2015: 3-kyu
February 20, 2017: 2-kyu
April 1, 2017: 1-kyu
April 1, 2021: 1-dan
March 31, 2023: Retirement