Oskar Korschelt
Encyclopedia
Oskar Korschelt was a German chemist and engineer who introduced the Asian strategy board game
of Go
to Europe, especially to Germany
and Austria
.
He was an industrial chemist working in the brewing industry. He arrived in Japan in 1875, teaching at Tokyo Medical School, which next year was merged into Tokyo University. In 1880 he gave up his academic position, then working on soil analysis for the Japanese government. He left Japan in 1884.
He learned about the game from Honinbo Shuho
while in Japan. It is reported that they played on a six-stone handicap. After his return he lived in Leipzig
.
He published a detailed article Das japanisch-chinesische Spiel Go, ein Konkurrent des Schach on Go in the journal Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Natur und Völkerkunde Ostasiens in 1880/1. This report contained detailed commentaries on expert games. A few years later he published a book based on articles Das "Go"-Spiel from 1884, drawing on several Japanese sources.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
of Go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
to Europe, especially to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
He was an industrial chemist working in the brewing industry. He arrived in Japan in 1875, teaching at Tokyo Medical School, which next year was merged into Tokyo University. In 1880 he gave up his academic position, then working on soil analysis for the Japanese government. He left Japan in 1884.
He learned about the game from Honinbo Shuho
Honinbo Shuho
, known also as Murase Shūho , was the first Japanese professional go player to have a reputation in the Western world.-Biography:A disciple in the Honinbo house, he founded the Hoensha institution and taught the game of Go to a German visitor by the name of Oskar Korschelt. Korschelt later was the...
while in Japan. It is reported that they played on a six-stone handicap. After his return he lived in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
.
He published a detailed article Das japanisch-chinesische Spiel Go, ein Konkurrent des Schach on Go in the journal Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Natur und Völkerkunde Ostasiens in 1880/1. This report contained detailed commentaries on expert games. A few years later he published a book based on articles Das "Go"-Spiel from 1884, drawing on several Japanese sources.