Interview with Keisuke Fukuchi

20 June 2019
Written by Daniel Turunen

We are pretty sure that everyone notified that Keisuke Fukuchi won the WOC 2018. We got many wishes to do an interview with Keisuke. He is the, so far, youngest World Champion. Kunihiko Tanida had the old "record" since WOC 1982, when he won WOC as 15th year old. 
I met Keisuke already 2015, at Ouza-sen in Mito. I saw Keisuke play a real good game against Hideshi Tamenori. Already then I understood that this guy will one day play WOC. He had already won the Japan Youth final twice, 2014 and 2015. The year after he met Masaki Wada, and Wada won and played WOC 2016 in Mito. The year after he again played final, this time he hade a close game against Akahiro Takahasi. Takahashi won and ended as runner-up in WOC 2017 in Belgium. 
2018 he played his fifth youth final, and won the game. Then in Prague, Czech republic, he show the Othello world that it is a new Othello generation banging at the door and want to take over. 
Here is the interview with Keisuke, written by Daniel Turunen and Tad Maehata. 
/Benkt Steentoft

Interview with Keisuke Fukuchi

WOF: How old are you?

あなたは何歳ですか？

Fukuchi: I’m 11 years old.

11歳です。

 

WOF:  When did you first encounter the game Othello?

WOF: do you have any episode when you encountered the Othello game?

オセロに出会ったのは何歳ですか？そしてその出会いに何かエピソードがありますか？

Fukuchi: [When I was] 6 years old.

This was my encounter with Othello.

When my mother recomended Othello; I played with her in kindergarten on summer vacation.

6歳です。

幼稚園の夏休みに、お母さんにオセロを勧められて一緒に遊んだのがきっかけです。
 

WOF: Does your family also play Othello?

家族はオセロをプレーしますか？

Fukuchi: No, they hardly play Othello.

ほとんどしません。

WOF: Has Othello changed your life?

オセロはあなたの生活（人生）を変えましたか？

Fukuchi: Yes.

As I first encountered Othello; it fascinated me. While I was tryng to get stronger, Othello became essential for me. I will keep playing Othello even if I grow up.

はい。

オセロに出会い、その魅力にはまり、強くなろうと努力するうちに、僕にとって無くてはならない存在になりました。大人になってもずっと続けていくつもりです。

 

WOF: What other hobbies do you have besides playing Othello?

他に何かオセロ以外の趣味はありますか？

Fukuchi: I became interested with the history of Japan these days.

最近、日本史に興味を持つようになりました。

 

WOF: What are your plans going forward with othello?

Do you have any dreams for your life in the future?

貴方のオセロでの今後の予定は？

また将来の夢は何かありますか？

Fukuchi: I hope to participate in the world championship, and win the tournament again.

Also I’m interested to be a commentotor as well as teaching Othello in the near future.

近い将来、再び世界選手権に出場し優勝することです。

いずれオセロの解説や指導もしてみたいです。
 

WOF: Do you enjoy playing other games?

オセロ以外の他のゲームも楽しんでいますか？

Fukuchi: I don’t do anything else..

何もやっていません。

 

WOF: Do you have any tips or words of encouragement for people just getting started with Othello?

オセロを始める人々に何か励ましの言葉やアドバイスはありますか？

Fukuchi: At first I think that you can win little game, but I believe that practicing steadily and reveiwing the game score and book, will make you stronger step by step.

最初は勝つことが少ないと思いますが、地道に練習し対局の棋譜を振り返ることで、だんだん強くなれると思います。

 

WOF: Do you have any Othello openings you prefer over others?

オセロゲーム前半で好きな定石や展開はありますか？

Fukuchi: 虎大量（Tora-tairyou:Tiger theory）and Logistello theory.

虎大量やロジステロ流などです。

 

WOF: Do you have any Othello openings you try to avoid?

ゲーム前半で苦手な定石や展開はありますか？

Fukuchi: Nothing in particular.

特にありません。

 

WOF: Do you have a favourite color(in Othello)?

オセロの石の色は、どちらが好きですか？

Fukuchi: White if anything.

どちらかというと白です。
 

WOF: Do you have any tips on how to best prepare for Othello tournaments?

大会に向けての準備でいいアドバイスがありますか？

Fukuchi: To prepare in advance and study the standard move you intend to use in the game.

大会で使おうと思う定石を事前に用意して研究しておくこと。

 

WOF: Do you have any tips or tricks regarding staying focused during a tournament?

大会中に集中力を保つためのヒントかコツは何かありますか？

Fukuchi: Be confident in yourself and stay calm even if the game is inadvantaged to you.　

自分に自信を持ち、劣勢になっても慌てず平常心を保つこと。

 

WOF: Do you, or would you like to, play tournaments with other rules and/or board formats?

ちょっと違うルールだったり、違う盤面のオセロをやる事がありますか？またやりたいと思いますか？

Fukuchi: I don’t want to play it in particular.

　　特にやりたいと思いません。

WOF: Whats your most memorable moment in Othello?

オセロでの一番の思い出は何ですか？

Fukuchi: When I won the world Othello Championship 2018 last year!　

昨年の世界選手権で優勝したことです。
 

WOF: Are there any other Othello players that you look up to?

Are there any other people that have been especially inspiring in your life?

How have you been inspired with these othello persons?

尊敬するオセロプレーヤーはいますか？誰ですか？どういう影響をあなたに与えましたか？

Fukuchi: Mr. Suekuni, 9th Dan.

I like his style of playing, in which he keeps thinking and trying to vary the moves throughout the game, not relying on memorization, and tries to confuse his opponent by playing tricky moves.

末國九段です。
暗記に頼らずその都度考えながら常に変化を仕掛け、相手の予期せぬ手を打って惑わす棋風が好きだからです。

　　

WOF: Are there any persons except othello players who have been inspireing in your life?

How have they inspired you ?

オセロ関連の人以外で刺激を受けた人がいますか？どう影響されましたか？

Fukuchi: I don’t have anyone special.

特にいません。

 

March 13 2019