Tokyo (HEROZ, inc.) – HEROZ, inc. (“HEROZ”), providing mobile applications with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Masayuki Mochizuki (“Mochy”), who is the world’s No.1 professional backgammon player, have signed a sponsorship agreement. From here on, HEROZ will be the official partner of Mochy.
Mochy is the very first professional backgammon player as Japanese, becoming the champion in Japan after only 2 years of his career. He also became the first Asian ever to win the world championship in 2009 and to rank No.1 in the world ranking, Giants of Backgammon, in 2010 and 2014. Furthermore, Mochy wins world competitions held in Texas and Munich in 2014, and carries the hope from the society for even more success. While taking part in various competitions worldwide, he belongs to JBL (Japan Backgammon League) and makes great efforts to spread backgammon in Japan and around the world by taking initiatives to organize and manage tournaments and meetings.
～ We will continue to challenge in the world ～
AI x mobile as the key concept, HEROZ takes on the challenge in the world stage, providing mobile applications with AI function such as Shogi Wars and other new apps in various fields. BackgammonAce is one new app released in 2014 with the world-class AI function, allowing online match-ups all around the world. Thanks to all backgammon players, fans and users, BackgammonAce is ranked the first among free board games in UK and Germany etc, popular in 150 and more countries today.
HEROZ has been encouraged and sympathized with Mochy, who strongly believes in himself, never gives up and keeps on challenging in the world as in the saying “every night comes to an end”, and pushes himself to the edge to see how tough humans can be. Mochy, at the same time, also sympathized with HEROZ’s concept and the way of thinking, which is how the agreement has come into effect.
From here on, HEROZ will support Mochy’s activities and progress as his official partner, and will co-operate with his promotion activities of backgammon, while at the same time he will wear jackets of BackgammonAce during world’s competitions and events he will take part in, recommend BackgammonAce, and promote the app around the world.
■Mochy’s comment
I’m so excited to make the sponsorship agreement with HEROZ. I think I am the first generation of backgammon players who have gained skills and become strong taking advantage of AI, which has changed the level and environment of backgammon dramatically. I am sure that the current backgammon level is at the highest ever in the human history. And now that I have world class AI as my partner beside me, there is nothing for me to worry.
This year, I have already planned over 10 competitions abroad. I will do my utmost to receive many titles and surprise the world with HEROZ. I will also continue to compete with my rivals and seek how far humans can go challenge.

■About Mochizuki (Mochy)
Born on January 9, 1979. Grown up in Tokyo. The first Japanese professional backgammon player. Mochy has won competitions in the world since 2003, World Championship in 2009 (the first Asian player ever) and Europe Championship in 2012. He has been ranked No.1 in the world ranking, Giants of Backgammon, in 2010-2011 and 2014-2015 (the first Asian player ever). In 2014, he participated in 14 International competitions, among which he received first place in 2 competitions in Texas and Munich and ended up getting a prize in all 10 other competitions. He is currently the captain of the selected team consisting of world’s best players and is also active around the world, devoting to promoting backgammon.
■About Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games in the world expected to have over 300million players worldwide. It is gradually becoming popular in Japan nowadays as an intellectual, cool, and exciting game. Mochy and 2 other Japanese players have won the world championship up-to-date.
■About BackgammonAce
BackgammonAce is a backgammon app that provides comfortable, speedy and free online match-ups with the use of world-class AI. With fantastic graphics and clean user interface, it allows players to play with anyone anywhere around the world. It is ranked No.1 among board games in UK and Germany and is popular in 70 and more countries.
-App Name ： BackgammonAce
-Price ： free（optional item charging）
-Compatibility ：　iOS 5.0 or after (iPhone or iPad),Android 2.3 or after
-Apple AppStore： https://itunes.apple.com/app/backgammonace/id687202428
-Google Play ： https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.heroz.backgammon
-Official web ： http://pr.heroz.jp/backgammon/
-Catch-phrase : Never give up as long as there’s even a 1% chance to win.
■This sponsorship agreement will once again be announced by Mochy on 25 January during the program of Shogi Wars on Niconicolive.
・Name : The 2nd Shogi Wars Ohsho Last Day Live
・Airdate : at 19:00, 25 January, 2015　(JST)
・URL : http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv206141595
* All company, product, and service names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.
【About HEROZ, inc】
HEROZ is a company providing mobile apps using Artificial Intelligence (AI), which aims at offering services in the world with the concept “Surprising in mind”. It has developed over 200 apps provided to 25 million and more users. It is one of the biggest service providers in Japan today, and will keep on offering services and collaboration activities actively with the key word, AI　x mobile.
【Contact Information】
Name of company：HEROZ, inc.
URL： http://heroz.co.jp/
Email：press@heroz.co.jp
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Additional Materials:
http://heroz.co.jp/press/20150123backgammonace/20150123backgammonace_en.pdf