Johannes Kohtz

John Kohtz ( born July 18, 1843 in Elbing, † October 5, 1918 ) was a German composer and chess with Carl Kockelkorn founder of the New German School of chess composition.

Kohtz and Kockelkorn

John Kohtz moved with his parents to Cologne. There he met Carl Kockelkorn know. Even as students were occupied with the two chess compositions. Wilhelm Kufferath enabled them to publish his own compositions at the age of 17 years in the Sunday papers for chess fans. The two composers especially liked Philipp Kletts tasks.

Kohtz and Kockelkorn agreed in their views about the chess composition agree so much that they released all the tasks as a community works after a short time. Rumors that individual compositions have also been published as a community works, made in 1870 Kohtz an end to that stated in the chess newspaper that the two friends composed together on the board at each task.

After Kohtz and Kockelkorn in 1903, half a year after Arthur Gehlerts first attacks had issued against Bergers Old German School, her important book The Indian problem, it came to discussions with Johann Berger, the founder of the old German school. This correspondence of Kohtz was printed in the German weekly chess. Berger held in the German chess magazine about it. Kohtz argued better arguments that the New German School replaced the old German school. The discussion was interrupted by the First World War.

After the death Kockel grain on July 16, 1914 Kohtz continued to publish under the name of both authors. A 1911 published task was named later founded the German Composers' Union " The Swallow" ( qv).

The Romans

One of the most fruitful ideas of composition, the Kohtz and Kockelkorn formulated and transpose, is the so- called Roman. It goes back to a four Züger of 1905, the had dedicated to living in Rome President of the Italian Chess Federation, Augusto Guglielmetti the authors. In Romans, a black defender is directed by a pre-plan to a parallel, on him is an analogous defense available. This is associated with damage to, is able to use the white.

Counter 1 De2? with the intention Ld3 2nd and 3rd Dc2 matt defended the black runners: 1 ... Bg5! 2 Ld3 Lxe3!

Therefore directs white with the preliminary design

1 Sb7 - d6! ( 2 Se4 threatens matt)

The runner on a parallel:

1 ... Le7xd6

He is now an analogous defense available:

2 Df2 - e2 - f4 Bd6

But coupled with damage: The defender can be beaten (whipped Romans ), a new mat is possible.

3 e3xf4 Kc3xd4 4 De2 - e5 with pattern Matt.

The " Roman parallelogram " is described here through the fields e7 - g5 - f4 - d6.

Private

John Kohtz studied in Berlin and Karlsruhe. He worked as a senior engineer of a factory for railway wagons in Elbing and Königsberg. Beginning in 1901, lived as a pensioner Kohtz in Dresden and met Arthur Gehlert. His chess book collection was handed over after his death, according to testamentary disposal of the Saxon State Library in Dresden. His grave stone is located in the Urnenhain Dresden- Tolkewitz.