My System Examples

I've just begun going through My System for the third time.

This time I thought I would try to get some real-world examples from other players where they applied My System Principles to a position.

So, I will list the chapter sub-sections. If you have a game or know of a game that expresses what is being talked about, please share. It can be any game, and it can include things that are not yet listed.

There are a lot of these sub-sections, so please include which one the game represents.

I hope to go straight through the book over the next 2 weeks. So I will post these sub-titles as I come across them.

Part 1 Chapter 1 - On the Center and Development

1. By development, we mean the strategic advance of the toops to the frontier line.

2. A pawn move must not in inself be regarded as a developing move, but mearly as an aid to development.

3. To be ahead in development is the ideal to be aimed at.

4. Exchange with resulting gain of tempo

5. Liquidation, with consequent development or disembarrassment.

6. The center and its demobilizing force. SOme examples as to when and how the advance of the enemy center is to be met. On the maintenance and the surrender of the center.

6a. Surrender of the center.

7. On pawn huntin in the opening. Usually a mistake. Exceptional case of center pawns.

7a. A center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too much danger.

Part 1, Chapter 2 - On Open Files

1. Introductory. General considerations and some definitions.

An open file is one where there are no pawns.

2. The geneis of open files: By peaceful means. By assault. The objective

Post your pieces centrally, as long as youcan do safely - without inviting the advance of the 'pawn-roller'. Thus will your opponent be provoked into an exchange which will give you an open file.

3.The goal of every operation in a file. On some accompanying phenomena. Marauding raids. Enveloping operations.

The ideal which lies at the root of every operation in a file is the ultimate penetration by way of this file into the enemy's game, that is to say our own 7th or 8th rank.

4. The possible obstacles to be met whithin the line of operations.The block of graniteand how to mine it. The conception of protected and unprotected obstacles(pawns).The two mthods of conducting the attack against obstructing enemy pawns. The "evolutionary" and "revolutionary" attack.

As oiften as we attack, Black covers, so we now seek to obtain the upper hand by thinning the ranks of the defending forces, which can be done (a) by driving them away, (b) by exchange, (c)by shutting off one of the defending pieces.

5. The restricted advance in one file with the idea of giving up that file for another one.The indirect exploitation of a file. The file as a jumpting-off place.

6. The outpost. The radius of attack. With what piece should one occupy an advance position on a cetner file, and on a flank? change of roles and what this proves.

Knights and biships in the center, rooks on the flanks. An advanced post form a base for new attacks. An outpost provokes a weakening of the enemey's position in the file in question.

Part 1 Chapter 3 - The Seventh and Eighth Ranks

1. Introductory and general. Endgame or Middlegame. The choice of an objective . "Thou shalt not wander about!"

We are therefore disposed to regard the 7th and 8th ranks as endgame advantages, and this despite the fact that numerous games are decided by operations in these ranks in the middle game.

2. The convergent and the revolutionary attack in the 7th rank. The win of a point or pawn with acousitcal echo (Simultaneous check).

3. The five special cases in the 7th rank. (this section is full of great tactical ideas)

• "7th rank absolute" WIth passed pawns - WHen a rook has the king trapped on the back rank with no pieces to allow it to escape.
• Doubled Rooks give perpetual check.
• The drawing apparatus Rook + Knight
• The marauding raid in the 7th rank.
• Combined play in the 7th and 8th ranks.

Off to finish chapter 2. 

It might be more practical for people to post their own games where they know they followed something from a book.  There is no way to know if Carlsen made a move because he read it in "My System" or had other supporting ideas to make the same move.

Sure, that would be fine. 

If someone does it this way, please try to reference, to the best of your memory what area of the book it may have fallen under.

        https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=u-tube%2Fchess%2Fmy%20system

Thanks Ron. I've watched many of those videos. 

But I am more interested in games people here have actually played that, perhaps, can be discussed and used as examples.

      Ok, I wasn't sure if you were aware of them.

Wow! Looks pretty comprehensive.

If it weren't for these geniuses, chess would still be in the Stone Age and modern GMs only rated around 1900.

It is comprehensive in that it covers all the basics of modern chess play.

I plan to write a blog about my latest study of the book once I finish. But, I am finding it interesting how much of it has stuck in my mind and has been recalled either directly or indirectly on occasion during games.

For example, 7a. A center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too much danger.

This one I thought was my own 'discovery' until I read it again. It has saved me many-a-time from uncomfortable positions.

This forum post I made a month ago would not have happened if I had remembered this piece of advice: http://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-analysis/whats-the-point

(SOrry, I don't know what game it was, so I can't repost it here)

Not sure about that. Without something like this, the playing field would still be the same and there is a good chance the ratings spread would be the same. It's just that a 2100 WITHOUT My System, and subsequent material, knowledge would be weaker than a 2100 from a parallel universe where this material exists.

My System is a rather old book and probably very outdated. If you want to read a classic, much better Judgement and Planning in Chess by Euwe or Chess Fundamentals by Capablanca.

Theories about the center and development have changed a lot. If you are playing the openings by these principles whereas your opponent knows the exact moves in a certain opening you will be beaten. For example, there was an old principle, never capture the queen's knights pawn with your queen whereas the Poisoned Pawn of the Winawer and the Sicilian Najdorf are played at the top levels.

This isn't true.

Anyway, this thread is not about the usefullness of My System, but rather real-world examples of things learned from it.

You can't forget about general principles when playing openings. As it has been stated to death, blind memorizing is not the right way. And the principle about the poisoned pawn doesn't say "never" (no one does), but "be prepared to weather a huge storm".

I think the older the book with valid principles should be most noteworthy.  One shortcut to this is to take a more current book and then find parallels.  Seems like My System might be similar to Arnold Schoenberg's atonal set theory.  His theory of harmony alone mentions things we don't consider today.

I can't start this now, and I am not a premium member yet but maybe kleeof can start a group and I'll try find some parallels with a few games and My System. 

You might want to make the group a general name so any book written could have games referenced.  I remember Peter Tamburro did something like this way back when Kasparov was still around.  He had a New Jersey proboards forum and categorized things also.  It was a great resource.  Not sure if it is still around.

I read chapter 1 & 2 and have been trying to include the principals in my games.  I have found that it has helped me see beyond the next two moves and improved my plan (even my bad plans are more elaborate).

If you look at our party, you will find it in "my system" :  Part one. Chapter One. Paragraph 4     (1. d4d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.cd and  followed two ways... 3...N:d5)

By your logic, these books are also obsolete.  Seirawan and Silman books would also be obsolete.  Unless you are reading a book on the latest variations of the Berlin, you are obsolete.

My System is a great book.  Some principles are perhaps not as important as they seem to be (overprotection, for example), but they are all valid and instructive.

Here is a game I played today. From part 1, chapter 2 - 2. The geneis of open files: By peaceful means. By assault. The objective -Namely, using exchange to open a file.

SF says I should have taken that knight. But mainly I am happy that it occurred to me to exchange the LSB so I could get a line to the king.

Of course, I fumbled it away, missed a couple of mating opportunities, including an incredible mate in 7! and lost on time.

My System is my favorite book and helped me more than any other book I own . However I disagree that the H file is " Open " in post  14 . In fact its the only file that is NOT open .  An open file has no pawns in it .