ARON NIMZOWITSCH (born Nov-07-1886, died Mar-16-1935, 48 years old) Latvia (federation/nationality Denmark) [what is this?] Aron Nimzowitsch was born in Riga, Latvia (then part of the Russian Empire) in 1886. He came to prominence in the chess world just before the First World War. He finished joint second with Rudolf Spielmann, half a point behind Akiba Rubinstein, at San Sebastian (1912). He was Russian Champion in 1913 (jointly with Alexander Alekhine) at St. Petersburg. Like Alekhine and others, he fled Russia after the 1917 Russian revolution. He initially moved to Berlin. In 1922, he finally settled in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he lived for the rest of his life. Nimzowitsch won a string of international events in the mid-1920s which led him to challenge Jose Raul Capablanca to a world championship match in 1925, but negotiations dissolved after monetary backing could not be found. He took first place at Copenhagen (1923), Dresden (1926), Karlsbad (1929) and Frankfurt (1930). Nimzowitsch's chess theories flew in the face of convention. He had a lengthy and bitter conflict with Siegbert Tarrasch over which ideas constituted proper chess play. While Tarrasch refined the classical approach of Wilhelm Steinitz, that the center had to be controlled and occupied by pawns, Nimzowitsch shattered these dogmatic assumptions, and proposed the controlling of the center with pieces from afar. In this way, the opponent is invited to occupy the center with pawns which thus become the targets of attack. This idea became known as the hypermodern school of chess thought. Nimzowitsch, along with other hypermodern thinkers such as Richard Reti, revolutionized chess with their argument that controlling the center of the board matters more than actually occupying it. Nimzowitsch is also a highly-regarded chess writer, most famously for his controversial 1925 book My System, which is considered a classic by some prominent modern players but derided by others. Other books include Chess Praxis, which further expounds the hypermodern idea, and the seminal work The Blockade (Die Blockade in German), which explores the strategy implied by his famous maxim, "First restrain, then blockade, finally destroy!" As a profound opening theoretician, Nimzowitsch has left a legacy of variations, many of which are still popular today. The Nimzo-Indian Defense (1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 e6 3.♘c3 ♗b4) is one of the best-respected defenses to 1.d4, to such an extent that most players avoid it with 3.Nf3 or 3.g3. He played a key role in the development of two important lines in the French Defense: the Winawer Variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.♘c3 ♗b4) and the Advance Variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5). His name is also attached to the Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein (B29) Variation (1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 ♘f6), the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (1.♘f3 followed by 2.b3), the Nimzowitsch Defense (1.e4 ♘c6), and the Nimzo-English (1.c4 ♘f6 2.♘c3 e6 3.♘f3 ♗b4). He suddenly took ill at the end of 1934, and died of pneumonia three months later on March 16, 1935 in Copenhagen. Wikipedia article: Aron Nimzowitsch Last updated: 2023-06-27 11:05:43

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page 1 of 29; games 1-25 of 713  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. A Nimzowitsch vs NN 1-0 18 1896 Riga B01 Scandinavian 2. E Schroeder vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1 20 1903 Cafe Kaiserhof offhand game C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense 3. B Blumenfeld vs A Nimzowitsch 1-0 29 1903 Berlin C45 Scotch Game 4. Tarrasch vs A Nimzowitsch ½-½ 71 1904 Offhand game D07 Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense 5. E Cohn vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1 30 1904 14th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier A C41 Philidor Defense 6. Vidmar vs A Nimzowitsch 1-0 48 1904 14th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier A D02 Queen's Pawn Game 7. A Nimzowitsch vs W Hilse 1-0 65 1904 14th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier A C27 Vienna Game 8. B Gregory vs A Nimzowitsch 1-0 36 1904 14th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier A A30 English, Symmetrical 9. P Kaegbein vs A Nimzowitsch 1-0 42 1904 14th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier A D07 Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense 10. A Nimzowitsch vs Duras 1-0 55 1904 14th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier A B15 Caro-Kann 11. A Nimzowitsch vs L Forgacs 0-1 52 1905 Austro-Hungarian championship C45 Scotch Game 12. A Nimzowitsch vs Schlechter 0-1 26 1905 Austro-Hungarian championship B22 Sicilian, Alapin 13. H Wolf vs A Nimzowitsch ½-½ 34 1905 Austro-Hungarian championship C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense 14. L Forgacs vs A Nimzowitsch   0-1 34 1905 Austro-Hungarian championship C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense 15. A Nimzowitsch vs Albin 1-0 38 1905 Austro-Hungarian championship B02 Alekhine's Defense 16. A Nimzowitsch vs Spielmann 1-0 42 1905 Nimzowitsch - Spielmann, 1st Match C45 Scotch Game 17. A Nimzowitsch vs Spielmann 1-0 20 1905 Cafe Orlando di Lasso offhand C44 King's Pawn Game 18. Spielmann vs A Nimzowitsch 1-0 19 1905 Nimzowitsch - Spielmann, 1st Match B15 Caro-Kann 19. A Nimzowitsch vs Spielmann   1-0 35 1905 Nimzowitsch - Spielmann, 1st Match C45 Scotch Game 20. A Nimzowitsch vs Spielmann ½-½ 36 1905 Nimzowitsch - Spielmann, 1st Match C45 Scotch Game 21. A Nimzowitsch vs K Satzinger   1-0 35 1905 1st simul B22 Sicilian, Alapin 22. A Nimzowitsch vs Fr Teltscher 1-0 28 1905 1st simul B20 Sicilian 23. A Nimzowitsch vs D Przepiorka ½-½ 25 1905 Barmen Meisterturnier B B22 Sicilian, Alapin 24. Spielmann vs A Nimzowitsch 1-0 30 1905 Barmen Meisterturnier B C25 Vienna 25. A Nimzowitsch vs L Forgacs 0-1 33 1905 Barmen Meisterturnier B C45 Scotch Game  page 1 of 29; games 1-25 of 713

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 59 OF 76 ·  Later Kibitzing> Apr-07-10    sneaky pete: An example of what can happen when black tries to develop his pieces, while leaving the central pawns at home. click for larger view Froim Simchowitsch, 1924. White to play and draw. Apr-07-10    Alphastar: The solution is 1. Nf7 Re8 (Rf8 is answered by 2. Rf3+ Kg6 3. Ne5+ with a draw by perpetual by shuffling the rook around) 2. Nd6+! exd6 3. Rf3+ Ke6 4. Re3+ Kf7 5. Rxe8 Kxe8 6. a3! Ra8 7. Kd2 Bb7 8. Ke2 Kf7 9. Kf1! (9. f3?? Rh8 and the rook penetrates) Rh8 10. Kg1! Kf6 11. f3 12. Kf5 g3 = and white has a fortress. The black king and bishop can't do anything and white moves his king from g1-g2 all the time, and if black switches his rook to the e-file white moves from f1-f2. May-08-10    suenteus po 147: Another tournament collection highlighting a stellar Nimzowitsch finish: Game Collection: Frankfurt 1930 May-23-10    whiteshark: Quote of the Day < When a farmer loses a suckling pig through illness, he mourns not only the little pig, but also the good food he has gambled on it. > -- Aron Nimzowitsch Quiz: Topic/Chapter? Aug-10-10    whiteshark: Quote of the Day < There is no such thing as an absolutely freeing move. A freeing move in a position in which development has not been carried far always proves illusory, and vice versa, a move which does not come at all in the category of freeing moves can, given a surplus of tempi to our credit, lead to a very free game. > -- Nimzowitsch Is that understood? :D Aug-10-10    FHBradley: <whiteshark:> Clear as daylight in Moscow! :-) Aug-10-10    whiteshark: <FHBradley> Inhaling the obvious (that is the air you just have seen right in front of you). Aug-11-10    whiteshark: Quote of the Day < The old dogmas, such as the ossified teaching on the center, the worship of the open game, and in general the whole formalistic conception of the game, who bothers himself today about any of these?> -- Nimzowitsch Well, every dogma has its day. Aug-11-10    Check It Out: My dogma got ran over by my karma. Aug-12-10    whiteshark: <Check It Out: My dogma got ran over by my karma.> I like that! :D Aug-12-10    whiteshark: Quote of the Day < We engage one wing, or the obvious weakness in it, and thus draw the other enemy wing out of its reserve, when new weakness will be created on that reserve wing, and so the signal is given for systematic manoeuvring against two weaknesses. > -- Nimzowitsch Happy Nimzo-Weeks on ceegee.com Aug-21-10    OhioChessFan: < When a farmer loses a suckling pig through illness, he mourns not only the little pig, but also the good food he has gambled on it. > An important economic principle known as opportunity costs. The suckling he chose to buy costs not only the purchase price, but all the other foregone opportunities he could have used that money on. Nov-07-10    parisattack: Happy Birthday to the Stormy Petrel of chess! Nov-07-10    AgentRgent: For changing chess, both mine and the world's, forever, today is a momentous day. Happy birthday! Nov-07-10    visayanbraindoctor: Birthday of Nimzo! Author of the the most influential book for newly-learning chess players throughout history, My System! Nov-08-10    TheFocus: Ah, Nimzowitsch. I first met him through Blockade!. Such an influential book on my early style. Then My System and Chess Praxis. Next year we should see the appearance of a new biography by Danish historian Per Skjoldager. It should include every game of Nimzowitsch's with many new games. Jan-11-11    chancho: <thegoodanarchist> Nimzowitsch suffered from heart trouble but died from Pneumonia in 1935 after suddenly getting ill towards the end of 1934. He was bed ridden for three months when he passed away on March 16, 1935 Source: The Oxford Companion To Chess. Feb-08-11    Penguincw: < "There is no such thing as an absolutely freeing move. A freeing move in a position in which development has not been carried far always proves illusory, and vice versa, a move which does not come at all in the category of freeing moves can, given a surplus of tempi to our credit, lead to a very free game." > Very long quote by Aron Nimzowitsch. Feb-09-11    Penguincw: < "The old dogmas, such as the ossified teaching on the center, the worship of the open game, and in general the whole formalistic conception of the game, who bothers himself today about any of these? "> Another long quote by Aron Nimzowitsch. Feb-09-11    Shams: That dogma don't hunt. Feb-10-11    Penguincw: < "We engage one wing, or the obvious weakness in it, and thus draw the other enemy wing out of its reserve, when new weakness will be created on that reserve wing, and so the signal is given for systematic manoeuvring against two weakness." > Wow.Third day in a row that Aron Nimzowitsch has made a quote! Mar-25-11    candide1500: I had an interesting conversation with a master friend of mine the other day that I thought he would share. We were talking about why the 'positional exchange sac' seemed to get so much more attention in chess literature than other sacs (a queen for a rook and minor piece specifically) which are actually less of a material investment. To my surprise, he thought 'blockade' had a lot to do with it. Positional exchange sacs tend to seek to conquer a square of a certain color and rob the enemies pawn mass of its dynamic potential (Nimzowitsch!) while other sacs are harder to classify and don't fit as nicely into books. Really the only author I can think to tackle the subject is Hansen ('The Queen is a fairly overrated piece') and even he really didn't try to draw any generalizations about when such exchanges are warranted. I wondered if any Kibitzers had any ideas? Apr-17-11    vellerup58: Biography about Aron Nimzowitsch has been announced by McFarland http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.... May-07-11    Penguincw: Quote of the Day < "An important rule for the beginner is the following: if it were possible to develop the pieces without the aid of pawn moves, the pawnless advance would be the correct one, for, as suggested, the pawn is not a fighting unit until in the sense that his crossing of the frontier is to be feared by the enemy, since obviously the attacking force of the pawns is small compared with that of the pieces." > Wow. Nimzowitsch always has long quotes. May-07-11    MrToad: Good posts - generally relating to the way chessplayers can become 'blinkered' in their outlook on the game. Sometimes you have to play against the rules ie when the position demands it. Be your own person ... or, in this case, chessplayer! There is more to be found on this subject in John Watson's "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy" and I have drawn heavily on this book in a post in my "Celebrate Chess" blog at: http://celebratechess.blogspot.com/... John Watson's text has been described by GM Simen Agdestein as one which "may have as much influence on our future understanding of the game as Nimzowitsch's MY SYSTEM had". He shows how chess has evolved since Nimzowitsch - without in any way denigrating Nimzowitsch's powerful and beneficial impact. Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 76) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 59 OF 76 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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