Masataka Gōda

In 2014, Gōda won the 64th Ōshō title by defeating Watanabe 4 games to 3. At 44 years old, he became the oldest first-time winner of the Ōshō title. The following year, 23 years after winning his first major title, he completed his first successful major title defense by defeating Habu 4 games to 2. However, in 2016, Gōda was defeated by Kubo 4 games to 2 and lost his Ōshō title.

In 2011, Gōda won the 37th Kiō title by defeating Toshiaki Kubo 3 games to 1. He was unable to successfully defend his Kiō title the next year, losing to Akira Watanabe 3 games to 1.

On October 3, 2007, Gōda defeated Yoshinori Satō [ja] to become the 36th shogi professional to win 600 official games, and on October 17, 2015, he defeated Masayuki Toyoshima to become the 18th shogi professional to win 800 official games.

Gōda won his next major title in 1998, defeating Nobuyuki Yashiki 3 games to 0 to win the 69th Kisei title. He was unable to retain the title the following year, losing to Tanigawa 3 games to none. In 2001, he regained the Kisei title by narrowly defeating Yoshiharu Habu by 3 games to 2. However, the following year he was again unable to defend his title, losing to Yasumitsu Satō by the same score of 3 games to 2.

Gōda has finished in the "Top 10" of the JSA's year-end prize money and game fee rankings [ja] eighteen times since 1993.

Gōda's first appearance in a major title match came in May 1992 when he challenged Kōji Tanigawa for the 60th Kisei title. Although Goda lost the match 3 games to 1, he was at the time only the second 4-dan to be the challenger for a major title. Later in September of that same year, Gōda and Tanigawa met once again in the 33rd Ōi title match, with Gōda winning the match 4 games to 2 to become the first 4-dan to win a major title. In December 1992, Gōda met Tanigawa for the third time in the 61st Kisei title match, with Tanigawa winning by the score of 3 games to 0, with one game ending in impasse.

In December 1982, he entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under guidance of shogi professional Noboru Ōtomo [ja]. He was promoted to the rank of apprentice professional 1-dan in May 1985, and obtained professional status and the rank of 4-dan in February 1990.

Masataka Gōda (郷田 真隆, Gōda Masataka, born March 17, 1971) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a former major title holder, having won the Ōi, Kisei, Kiō and Ōshō titles throughout his career.

Gōda was born on March 17, 1971, in Suginami, Tokyo. He learned how to play shogi from his father when he was three years old.