Horst Böttger (chess composer)

Karl Pohlheim, Horst Böttger, Günter Schiller, Manfred Zucker , Karl-Heinz Siehndel, Helmut Klug and Fritz Hoffmann (from left to right) in Weissenfels in 1976

Horst Böttger (born May 23, 1937 in Zwönitz ) is a German chess composer .

Chess composition

According to his own statements, Böttger came to chess composition relatively late at the age of 30, initially as a solver in the Free Press and in chess . His first compositions appeared there later. The ten-move from Stefan Schneider , Deutsche Schachzeitung , 1956, 1st prize, inspired him and aroused his interest in composing chess problems. To date, he has published over 800 two-, three- and multi-drafts as well as self-matte and auxiliary matte tasks . 320 received awards. For a long time, the focus of his work was on multi-residents, and in the last few decades on auxiliary matting.

Böttger worked for ten years in the commission for problems and studies of the German Chess Association. In 1977 Böttger was appointed national referee for chess compositions. Since 1988 he has been an international judge for chess composition .

Horst Böttger
Free Press , October 2nd, 1987
Prize

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Checkmate in four moves

Solution:

1. Nf8? Rxf8 2nd Rb5 cxb5? 3. Qf3 Nd5 4. Qxf8 #
2.… axb5!

1. Nf6? Rxf6 2. Rb5 axb5? 3. Qa1 Sa4 4. Qxf6 #
2.… cxb5!

1. Rb5! threatens 2. Rb8 #
1.… cxb5 2. Nf8 Rxf8 3. Qf3 Nd5 4. Qxf8 #
1.… axb5 2. Nf6 Rxf6 3. Qa1 Sa4 4. Qxf6 #

Hörst Böttger formulated his credo at the end of his biography in the book Sachsendreier : "The essence of the chess player will only penetrate and gain knowledge, however, who has grown to love it, how one can essentially only penetrate into a matter of intellectual and practical life if you do it with devotion and love. "

Life

After completing his chemistry studies at the Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale) , Böttger worked in the Buna works for over 15 years . After returning to his hometown, he worked for another 17 years in the research laboratory of the pressboard and special board factory in Zwönitz.

He learned to play chess from his father at the age of eight. He played in the GDR league teams of Halle, Merseburg and Schkopau , later a few years in Zwönitz and in the ESV Nickelhütte Aue chess club .

Horst Böttger is married. He has a son and a daughter.

literature

• Sachsendreier, Böttger - Fiebig - Zucker Udo Degener Verlag Potsdam, 2008.

Web links

• Compositions by Horst Böttger (chess composer) on the Schwalbe's PDB server

Individual evidence

1. ↑ International judges for chess compositions