Aaron Nimzowitsch - My System & Chess Praxis (K-5122)

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 .

Dear Chess Friend,

We at New In Chess are very proud of this new edition of Aron Nimzowitsch’s undisputed masterpieces. Let me give you a few reasons why I think this book deserves a place on every chess player’s bookshelf:

1. We have all heard that Nimzowitsch’s writing is special and original, but unless you read German you have never really been able to fully enjoy his elegant, profound, precise, opinionated and witty prose. Robert Sherwood’s brilliant new translation finally gives you the real Nimzowitsch in English.

2. Studying Nimzowitsch is an essential part of a full chess education. I'am not just talking about his historical role in founding the Hypermodern movement and all that. Nimzowitsch’s writings are incredibly instructive, full stop. Now you are able to learn from this great teacher and deepen your understanding of the game while often being thoroughly amused.

3. This edition not only contains My System and Chess Praxis, but also Nimzowitsch’s important essays The Blockade and On the History of the Chess Revolution 1911-1914. That’s all his classics combined in one tome!

4. It is very competitively priced. At only €26,95 (for 576 pages) it is a truly great deal compared to buying Nimzowitsch’s major works apart.

By the way, don’t take my word for the quality of this new translation, this is what famous chess author IM John Watson had to say: “Robert Sherwood has finally succeeded in rendering Nimzowitsch faithfully, something earlier translations have failed to do. Sherwood’s translation is fluent, engaging and a pleasure to read."

Do you need to study this book from cover to cover to get your money’s worth? Not at all, because Aron Nimzowtisch is one of those authors you can savour by the chapter, by the game or even by the paragraph. Dip in, be illuminated and enjoy!

Best wishes,

Allard Hoogland