My System - Walkthrough (Contents)
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
- On this page, where a chapter title has been given a Hyper-link, this means that chapter has been published and can be viewed by following the link. This message will remain here until all chapters are complete. - Sparty
So I've never read My System (Aron Nimzowitsch) before dispite owning a copy and playing chess for a good couple years.
One of the problems I have had, is that while reading it provides some positional examples, unless you have a chess board or game tool at hand, it can be difficult for some players (including myself) to visualise the journey of the soldiers in reaching a particular position.
For this reason, over the next few weeks/months, I will be writing a thouroughly abridged version of the text using the same examples from "My System" but with buttons that you can press and see whats going on, to perhaps better advance my own and others understanding of the game, from one of the greatest texts ever written on the game of Chess.
- Sparty
PS: I have checked the legality of what I am doing and everything seems to be in check (geddit?). I have used my own wording to describe games from a book published by an author that has been deceased for over 70 years, in order to avoid copyright infringement of modern day translations.
I provide elements of my own take on the work, but for all intesive purposes, this is "My System".
I reccomend purchasing a published version of My System in order to get the full lecture, parables, lessons, entertainment and analasis from the Grand Master Nimzowitsch himself.
I make no profit in producing this, except the satisfaction in knowing that it may help others to advance in the game of chess. Something I'm sure Nimzowitsch would have wanted.
If you have reason to believe that what I am doing infringes upon any copyrights or otherwise, then please message me so I can deal with the matter through the appropriate channels. Thankyou.
My System
Aron Nimzowitsch
(Abridged and edited by SPARTYCUS!)
CONTENTS
Part 1 - The Elements
1 - On the Center and Development
1. By development, we mean the strategic advance of the toops towards the border
2. A pawn move must not in inself be regarded as a developing move, but simply as an aid to development
3. A lead in development is ideal
4. Exchanging followed by a gain in tempo
5. Liquidation, followed by development or a bid for freedom
6. The center and its demobilizing force
6a. Surrendering of the center
7. Pawn grabbing in the opening
7a. A center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too much danger
1. Introduction, general comments
2. How open files occur
3.The goal of every operation on a file
4. Possible obstacleso operations down a file
5. Restricted advance on a file with the idea of giving it up for another file, or the indirect exploitation of a file - The file as a springboard
6. The outpost
3 - The Seventh and Eighth Ranks
1. Introduction, general comments
2. Convergent and revolutionary attacks on the 7th rank
3. The five special cases in the 7th rank
- The 7th rank "absolute" and passed pawns
- Doubled Rooks give perpetual check
- The drawing apparatus of Rook & Knight
- Marauding raid on the 7th rank.
- Combined play in the 7th and 8th ranks (flanking from the corner)
Games illustrating the first three chapters
4 - The Passed Pawn
1. Getting our bearings
2. Blockading Passed Pawns
2a. The first reason
2b. The second reason
2c. The third reason
3. The main and secondary functions of the blockading piece
4. The struggle against a blockading piece
5. Frontal attack by a king on an isolated pawn
6. Privileged Passed Pawns
7. When a Passed Pawn should advance
Games illustrating Passed Pawns
5 - Exchanging
1. We exchange in order to occupy or open a line without loss of time
2. We destroy a defender by exchanging
3. We exchange in order not to lose time retreating
3a. "He tries to sell his life as dearly as possible"
4. How and where exchanges usually take place
6 - The elements of endgame strategy
Introduction, general comments
1. Centralisation, Shelters and bridge building
2. The aggresively posted rook as a typical endgame advantage
3. Welding together isolated troops and the "General advance"
4. The "materialisation" of abstract concepts
7 - The Pinned Piece
1. Introduction, general remarks
2. The concept of a completely or partially Pinned Piece
3. The problem of unpinning
a) Challenging
b) Ignoring the threat or allowing our pawns to be broken up
c) The Reserves rush to unpin "peacefully"
d) Taking and keeping the options a,b and c
Games involving pins
8 - Discovered check
1. The degree of relationship between the "pin" and the "discovered check", defined more closely
2. The Windmill
3. Double check
9 - The Pawn Chain
1. General remarks and definitions
2. Attacking the Pawn chain
3. Attacking the Base as a strategic necessity
4. Transferring the rules of blockading to the Pawn chain
5. Surprise attack in comparison to positional welfare, as applied to chains
5a. The slow siege of the unprotected base
6. Transferring the Attack
Games to illustrate Pawn chains
