I was browsing through my local Barnes & Noble and finally came across this book, which had been recommended to me quite a while ago. My question: is it really worth the $30 for a "strong intermediate" (which I fancy myself to be)? I read Silman's Reassess Your Chess and besides a few suggestions on thinking processes, didn't see hardly anything I didn't already know. Would my experience be similar with Nimzowitsch's book?
The most instructive (and less controversial) part of the book is the elements in my opinion. If you feel like you already know enough about passed pawns, open files, the seventh rank, the outpost, pawn chains, pins, the endgame, basic stuff regarding the centre etc. then I doubt you would get your moneys worth.
You'd be far better off reading Best Lessons of a Chess Coach by Weeramantry. Excellent book, the only one I've seen so far that doesn't just tell you the usual stuff without enough examples e.g. the section on knight outposts has 5 master games where the knight outpost was the decisive factor. This is pretty typical of all sections.
Hi No1.
I've seen a few of your OTB games and self assessment is about right.
Reading the book will do no harm and you will pick up something from it.
Even if it's one thing that turns you into a better player then it has
been worth it.
As to value?
It's a mind thing. If you got the book for nothing would you read it?
So you pay $30 and say to yourself
"look I paid $30 for it so I am going to read it."
I hated the original, it was horrid.
Though I know I got the rule about a weakness not being a weakness
unless
from this book.
(Yasser Seirwan agrees in his introduction to the Hays edition - he
also thinks this book is a massive improvement and so do I)
The Hays version follows the original and makes it readable.
I have a German IM friend who was mortified when he saw the original
English translated version.
Other methods to obtain the book.
Check out your local libray borrow it and 'lose it', tell them you left
it on a bus. They rarely ask for the top price, if they do, find it again!
Check out 2nd book shops/ebay etc.
I'm still wanting 'Jornal of a Chess Master' - we can do a swap.
Nimzowitsch's My System is one of the very greatest chess books ever written. It is a masterpiece of the literature. Its historical importance is profound and enduring. In its day, it was path-breaking to the extent that it defined what we take for granted as the basic principles of modern chess today. No player well-tutored in the game can overlook it; most books written since rely on it; every player over 2100 will know what it contains.
Is it worth $30? No it isn't. Either it is priceless; or you should be able to pick up a copy second-hand or cheaper. The point is this. The book was written in 1925. It's a historical landmark in the game. Zillions of books have been written since which 'stand on the shoulders' of Nimzo's masterpiece. Many of these are better attuned to the needs of the practical player. Buy My System because you love the game and wish to own one of its treasures; buy it because you want to read Nimzo's radical critique of Tarrasch's doctrinaire treatment of the game. But don't buy it expecting an up-to-date primer on chess praxis
Originally posted by greenpawn34Well, it's not like I can't afford $30. It's merely a question of whether this particular $30 would be best spent now (when I'm trying to prepare for my two biggest tournaments of the year) on this book or on something else like a good repertoire book (maybe something on Anti-Sicilians).
Hi No1.
I've seen a few of your OTB games and self assessment is about right.
Reading the book will do no harm and you will pick up something from it.
Even if it's one thing that turns you into a better player then it has
been worth it.
As to value?
It's a mind thing. If you got the book for nothing would you read it?
So you pay $30 and ...[text shortened]... ok shops/ebay etc.
I'm still wanting 'Jornal of a Chess Master' - we can do a swap.
I don't use ebay and I'm too lazy to look around for a lower price.
Originally posted by no1marauderI'd personally recommend it. I'd also recommend working on and
Well, it's not like I can't afford $30. It's merely a question of whether this particular $30 would be best spent now (when I'm trying to prepare for my two biggest tournaments of the year) on this book or on something else like a good repertoire book (maybe something on Anti-Sicilians).
I don't use ebay and I'm too lazy to look around for a lower price.
through Laslo Polgar's 5334 Chess Problems.
I know it seems like something a "Strong Intermediate" may not
need, however I'm pretty solid that its useful all the way to Master
class.
-GIN
I only read it somewhere last year and although it contained nothing too spectacular, it was a good resume of what is important in a game of chess. I especially picked up the importance of overprotection & prophylaxis. It's in paying more attention to such little words that one improves...
Originally posted by no1marauderI had read half of the book when I was around 1700, and I had seen some stuff I didn't know. I think it would be much better if the book was designed like a bunch of positions and their analysis, because it wasn't the explanatory text that helped me but some interesting positions and the annotated games at the end.
I was browsing through my local Barnes & Noble and finally came across this book, which had been recommended to me quite a while ago. My question: is it really worth the $30 for a "strong intermediate" (which I fancy myself to be)? I read Silman's Reassess Your Chess and besides a few suggestions on thinking processes, didn't see hardly anything I didn't already know. Would my experience be similar with Nimzowitsch's book?
maybe "the reassess your chess workbook" is worth looking into. having a book that explains principles you already know might be redundant at your level, but trying to solve puzzles (of strategy and endgame, mostly) which are heavily analyzed for you to read after your own analysis is something that you can't go wrong with.
I must note I didn't go through the most important parts of the book (the ones heinzkat mentions) though. maybe it's worth it, don't know.
Originally posted by greenpawn34...or simply dl it and flip through before buying it 😉
Other methods to obtain the book.
Check out your local libray borrow it and 'lose it', tell them you left
it on a bus. They rarely ask for the top price, if they do, find it again!
Check out 2nd book shops/ebay etc.
Originally posted by no1marauderI loved it. I base a lot of my positional playing on that book. Then again, you're much stronger than I am.
I was browsing through my local Barnes & Noble and finally came across this book, which had been recommended to me quite a while ago. My question: is it really worth the $30 for a "strong intermediate" (which I fancy myself to be)? I read Silman's Reassess Your Chess and besides a few suggestions on thinking processes, didn't see hardly anything I didn't already know. Would my experience be similar with Nimzowitsch's book?
It's an entertaining read for a chess book and a classic. It's worth having and reading no matter how good you are.
Originally posted by agentrenoThat is a baby book compared to My System! It seems like it's written for young teenagers.
The most instructive (and less controversial) part of the book is the elements in my opinion. If you feel like you already know enough about passed pawns, open files, the seventh rank, the outpost, pawn chains, pins, the endgame, basic stuff regarding the centre etc. then I doubt you would get your moneys worth.
You'd be far better off reading Best Less ...[text shortened]... mes where the knight outpost was the decisive factor. This is pretty typical of all sections.
Originally posted by AThousandYoungI agree the way he presents a dialogue between a student and himself is a little patronising but I always find my first answer is similar to the students (i.e. wrong) and it really is comparable to having a coach at hand. My System is historic and a classic, obviously, but I stick by my recommendation to the OP given their circumstances. It is of more practical use if they are already familiar with the elements.
That is a baby book compared to My System! It seems like it's written for young teenagers.