▁to ▁begin ▁in ▁that ▁city ▁on ▁March ▁ 6 . ▁K ats ura ▁had ▁been ▁condition ally ▁invited ▁to ▁play ▁at ▁the ▁world ▁championship ▁after ▁C och ran , ▁whose ▁bill i ard ▁par lor ▁was ▁hosting ▁the ▁tournament , ▁had ▁heard ▁of ▁her ▁br ill iance ▁from ▁M ats uy ama . ▁C och ran ▁was ▁an ▁ 8 - time ▁world ▁champion ▁having ▁won ▁the ▁world ▁crown ▁at ▁three - c ush ion ▁bill i ards ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁and ▁at ▁ 1 8 . 2 ▁b alk line , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁C och ran ▁sent ▁his ▁son , ▁W . ▁R . ▁( D ick ) ▁C och ran , ▁a ▁naval ▁officer ▁station ed ▁in ▁Japan , ▁to ▁investigate ▁and ▁received ▁back ▁a ▁g low ing ▁report ▁that ▁said ▁( poss ibly ▁to ▁C och ran ' s ▁anno y ance ), ▁" this ▁girl ▁is ▁better ▁than ▁you ▁are !" ▁Though ▁the ▁decision ▁was ▁ultimately ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁Bill i ard ▁Congress ▁of ▁America ▁as ▁tournament ▁spons or , ▁they ▁gave ▁C och ran ▁the ▁option ▁to ▁inv ite ▁her . ▁ ▁After ▁K ats ura ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁she ▁gave ▁a ▁private ▁exhibition ▁for ▁C och