As a chess player, Aron Nimzowitsch (1886-1935) belonged to the very best. In his peak years the Latvian-born maestro was ranked third in the world behind Capablanca and Alekhine.
However, Nimzowitsch will first and foremost be remembered as the founder of the Hypermodern movement and the author of two undisputed masterpieces, unique landmarks in the history of chess.
In My System, he expounded his theories of prophylaxis, blockade and much more, while providing ground-breaking insights in pawn structures. In the sequel Chess Praxis, Nimzowitsch demonstrated how he had successfully tested his theories in his games.
Without reading Nimzowitsch your chess education cannot be complete. Perhaps not all of his convictions have stood the test of time, but even today, any chess student will deepen his understanding while enjoying the author’s insights and witticisms.
Part of the charm of Nimzowitsch’s prose was his idiosyncratic use of the German language, which has been very carefully preserved in Robert Sherwood’s new translation.
Added in this edition are the influential essays The Blockade and On the History of the Chess Revolution 1911-1914.
