Meijin title holder Amahiko Sato smiles after defending his title by beating shogi master Yoshiharu Habu in the 76th Meijin-sen tournament's 7th match at Tendo Hotel in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture, on June 20, 2018. (Mainichi)

TENDO, Yamagata -- Shogi master Amahiko Sato captured his third consecutive Meijin-sen tournament to defend his title by beating Yoshiharu Habu in the sixth game on June 20.

Sato, 30, won against 47-year-old Habu by 145 moves with a score of 4-2 to repeat as champion in the 76th Meijin-sen tournament's 7th match held at Tendo Hotel in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture, from June 19 to 20.

Sato thus became the seventh shogi player to win three Meijin-sen tournaments. The six other players include Habu. Sato will capture the title of the 20th lifetime Meijin if he wins two more Meijin-sen tournaments.

(Japanese original by Hideki Yamamura, Tokyo Cultural News Department)