Two pros, $400,000, one Dragon King

Japan’s most prestigious shogi tournament, Ryu-oh, comes to Waikiki this week to crown a “Dragon King” and award $400,000 — the largest purse for any shogi tournament in history.

Shogi, often described as the Japanese version of chess, may not be well known in the United States, but in Japan, this traditional board game that originated in India has about eight million fans who play regularly, including 100 professional players whose matches are reported in the national Japanese media and streamed on the Internet. Much like chess, the coverage entails a detailed match recap of every move, which is studied by shogi enthusiasts.

The 27th Ryu-oh (meaning Dragon King) happens today and tomorrow, Oct. 16-17, at the Halekulani hotel, featuring a match-up between reigning Dragon King Toshiyuki Moriuchi and his challenger, Tetsuro Itodani, a 26-year-old rising star known for his aggressive style of play. Having grown up in the digital era, Itodani — one of the youngest professional shogi players — honed his style by playing multiple games online simultaneously.

Meanwhile, the seasoned veteran Moriuchi employs a more conventional style, and is known for his consistent, methodical play.

The two have met four times, and neither remembers the outcome of those previous matches. This will be the first time they are meeting in a best of seven series, which is expected to last eight hours.

To watch this high-stakes match, you can come to the Halekulani on Oct. 16 from 2-6 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. Admission is free and open to the public. A shogi workshop, led by professional shogi players from Japan, will be held at Waikiki Yacht Club on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.