I'm reading Aron Nimzowitsch manuscript titled MY SYSTEM. I enjoy the book so far. One concept I don't understand is his idea of "Surrendering the Center."

What is surrendering the center?

Why is it effective/ What is the point of employing this tactic.

Thank you!

It is shorthand for "surrenders the pawn center" by giving up one's center pawn.  For example, after 1 e4 e5  2 Nf3 Nc6  3 d4, the Scotch Game, when Black plays exd4 he is "surrendering the center."  In this case he does so because it cannot be reasonably maintained.  In other situations, like the Philidor Defense or the Steinitz Defense to the Ruy Lopez, Black may be able to maintain his Pe5, since he has played ...d6 and also either ...Nc6 or ...Nd7 to reinforce.  In such cases, it is a different decision to "surrender the center" with ...e5xd4, but still may be the correct one.  Black hopes to gain play on the half-open e-file against the White Pe4, and possibly to use the e5 square for his pieces at some point.  A Knight may land there, or the King Bishop "see" a diagonal through it.

The alternative strategy in these cases would be to defend the Pe5 and try to maintain it, a so-called "strong point strategy" which has its own benefits and drawbacks.  The Closed Ruy Lopez after 1 e4 e5  2 Nf3 Nc6  3 Bb5 a6  4 Ba4 Nf6  5 0-0 Be7  6 Re1 b5  7 Bb3 d6 and the several main lines which follow - the Smyslov, the Chigorin, the Breyer, etc. - depend on this idea.  Which is best depends on the exact position, and to some extent the personal style of the player.

So when Nimzowitsch refers to "surrendering the center," he refers only to the pawn presence.  The player who "surrenders" will then attempt to control the center with his piece play, as opposed to the physical pawn presence.  It cannot simply be abandoned, lest the opponent establish a positional preponderance to match his pawn advantage, and cut our position in two.  Therefore the act of "surrendering the [pawn] center" is invariably followed up by attempting to both utilize the open lines and squares for our own pieces and to attack the opponent's pawn center more directly.

It might be described as trading a static (but presumably safer) position for more dynamic chances.

Wow...that makes so much sense.

Thank you!