[2][3] Abe rapidly progressed through the apprentice school,[2] being promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1983 and then obtaining full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in June 1985, just 3 years and 7 months after becoming an apprentice.
[2][3] In 1986, Abe participated in a special three-game match against Yoshiharu Habu called the ""Young Prodigy 3-game Clash" (天才少年激突三番勝負, Tensai Shōnen Gekitotsu Sanban Shōbu), which was a special project pitting the most promising young professional from Western Japan (the 17-year-old Abe) against the most promising young professional from Eastern Japan (the 15-year-old Habu).
[2] Abe's first shogi championship as a professional came in 1993 when he defeated Hiroki Nakata 3 games to 2 to win the 12th All Nihon Pro [ja].
Abe advanced to the title match by defeating his 12th All Nihon Pro opponent Nakata 2 games to 1 to win the best-of-three challenger playoff.
[11] In addition, Abe received the JSA's "Shogi Honor Award" in 2007 for winning 600 games as a professional, the "25 Years Service Award" in 2010 for being an active professional for 25 years, and the "Shogi Honor Fighting-spirit Award [ja]" in 2020 for winning 800 games as a professional.