Crimguy wrote (~3 days ago):
... On my 6th reading of My System lol and understand maybe 20% more than I did on my first reading. But I'm trying ;-D
My System
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X_PLAYER_J_X wrote (~28 minutes ago):
pfren wrote:
My first read of "My System" was back in 1976, when I was 17 y.o. and a Candidate Master (never got the title of National Master). I found this being an interesting read, although it was apparent to me that many things were written as a mere provocation. By that time, I also read Reti's "Modern Ideas In Chess" and a Petrosian games collection. Surely enough I have learned more from both of them than Nimzo- actually I don't believe he really wrote the book as a didactic text.
My Russian copy of "My System" is priceless because it is a collectors item. Apparently this is too hard for x_patzer to understand... ...
It is not hard for me to understand!
It is a collectors item because it is a classic!
People value it because it has value in it.
If the book was trash it would not be priceless.
You telling people not to read a classic is nonsense.
Every chess player should read it.
You believe they should not read it and instead read Reti's "Modern Ideas In Chess".
Well guess what I think they should read them all!
JM3000 wrote:
"In this forums I read a message of a master recomending reading pachman books on strategy (3 volume). ..."
Are Pachman books available in algebraic?
cats-not-knights wrote (~8 hours ago):
X_PLAYER_J_X wrote:
[...]
pfren wrote:
[...]
But leaving archival purposes aside, it's not hard to find something more useful to read...
There are other classics, e.g. Pachman's "Complete Chess Strategy" which are still a terrific read.
Pfren said don't read "My System"! You will not learn anything! Everything is wrong!
Mr. Pfren has only read it and bought 3 different copies of it including a priceless one!
What a Hypocrite!
As far I can understeand he siad nowdays there are better books for learning chess which is different from "don't read "My System"! You will not learn anything! Everything is wrong!" isn't ?
He didn't questioned the value of the book on his hystorical perspective, he really didn't spoke about it...
that said I do appreciate your point of view I think that My system has is value not only as a piece of chess hystory but for some of his contents, not all the contents just some of that.
I do believe is a fine book for starting to learn chess from zero. I'd like to remind that the book start explaining how the pieces moves...
Another thing that I liked and I still like today too it's the logical approach he use to define a strategy. I agree the book may have not been written with didactic pourposes, it may be a systematic collection of logic thoughts ordered from the begin to the end of the middle game (possibly without leaving any hole).
last the book was written around 90 years ago (should be 1925 right?) after the computer era there's nothing bad or shameful to call outdated some of his ideas.
dynamicchess1897 wrote (~8 hours ago):
cats-not-knights wrote:
X_PLAYER_J_X wrote:
[...]
pfren wrote:
[...]
But leaving archival purposes aside, it's not hard to find something more useful to read...
There are other classics, e.g. Pachman's "Complete Chess Strategy" which are still a terrific read.
Pfren said don't read "My System"! You will not learn anything! Everything is wrong!
Mr. Pfren has only read it and bought 3 different copies of it including a priceless one!
What a Hypocrite!
As far I can understeand he siad nowdays there are better books for learning chess which is different from "don't read "My System"! You will not learn anything! Everything is wrong!" isn't ?
He didn't questioned the value of the book on his hystorical perspective, he really didn't spoke about it...
that said I do appreciate your point of view I think that My system has is value not only as a piece of chess hystory but for some of his contents, not all the contents just some of that.
I do believe is a fine book for starting to learn chess from zero. I'd like to remind that the book start explaining how the pieces moves...
Another thing that I liked and I still like today too it's the logical approach he use to define a strategy. I agree the book may have not been written with didactic pourposes, it may be a systematic collection of logic thoughts ordered from the begin to the end of the middle game (possibly without leaving any hole).
last the book was written around 90 years ago (should be 1925 right?) after the computer era there's nothing bad or shameful to call outdated some of his ideas.
Besides the obvious, all of his ideas are outdated. You are better off buying a more modern book on tactics and srategy.
ipcress12 wrote (~8 hours ago):
Surely enough I have learned more from both of them than Nimzo- actually I don't believe he really wrote the book as a didactic text.
Different strokes for different folks. I often wonder if pfren is aware that much of what he writes are just his opinions and other people have different ones -- especially when it comes to learning materials.
When you say that some old book is still actual, you should always demonstrate the facts of its influence on the contemporary chess views. In almost every interview, the Grandmasters are asked to tell whom do they consider as their creative predecessors. Petrosian and Larsen always acknowledge Nimzowitsch in this case. Critics also noted Nimzowitsch's influence in their playing.
--Mikhail Tal
http://www.chess.com/blog/Spektrowski/mikhail-tal-foreword-to-aron-nimzowitschs-quotmy-systemquot-1972
[Bent Larsen] described himself as self-made, with only Aron Nimzovich's My System a major style influence.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/sep/17/leonard-barden-chess
GM Jacob Aagaard lists "My System" as the 9th best chess book of the 20th century. Reti's "Modern Ideas in Chess" was seriously considered but didn't make the cut. Petrosian's best games was not even mentioned.
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/blog/2855
I also wonder what pfren thinks "My System" is, if not a didactic text.
Americu wrote (~3 hours ago):
My System is NOT for beginners, and may even be too advanced for intermediate players.
bishop_whacker wrote (~84 minutes ago):
There's a newer, more modern version of My System by John Watson. I think it has chess strategy in it's title.
bishop_whacker wrote (~85 minutes ago):
Ah yes, Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy.
AntonioEsfandiari wrote (~84 minutes ago):
Someone does a YouTube series of My System part by part it's not bad. I think Silmans books cover everything that Nimzovich taught and then some though...
bishop_whacker wrote (~84 minutes ago):
Yeah I agree, check out Reassess your Chess and the Silman endgame course
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy by John Watson
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094414/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/smcs.pdf
How to Reassess Your Chess (4th ed.) by Jeremy Silman
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708095832/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review769.pdf
Silman's Complete Endgame Course by Jeremy Silman
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708103149/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review594.pdf
My System by Aron Nimzowitsch
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105648/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review600.pdf
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-108-of-eplus-books-part-2-nimzowitsch-classics
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/my-new-cds-and-somebody-elses-system
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/quality-books-reply
Dec 30, 2015
0
#94
I mainly like My System for its aesthetic quality, but the true appreciation of its context and the year it was crafted is purely esoteric. Also, the witty aphormisms make this entertaining to read. 
Dec 30, 2015
0
#95
DrSpudnik wrote:
I've never read My System. But I know most of the aphoristic bits of advice:
put a rook behind a passed pawn
the threat is stronger than the execution
passed pawns have a lust to expand
a thrust in the wings must be countered with a thrust in the center
There, now you don't have to waste any more time with it.
and yet the IQP and overprotecting the center, not to mention die blockade, you fail to mention.
Aug 7, 2016
0
#96
Now what happened to the thread 
spam virus of the shill ate all post?
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/my-system5?page=3
Just finish reading it from the start and you'll see a better results to your classical time control games :)
Aug 7, 2016
0
#98
Yeah this book was extremely helpful for me and has been for generations of chess players. Nimzowitsch was the 3rd best in the world at the time and he made a huge impact on the chess world with my system. The concepts he introduces will guide your thinking and will undoubtedly improve your game. That is if you are dedicated and don't just shrug it off as boring or weird. If nimzowitsch was still alive today he would probably beat all of you without his queen rook. Check out the book there are games where he gives his opponent these odds!
Aug 7, 2016
0
#99
As far as chess books go I'm only interested in the greats and my system definitely falls into that category. Don't settle for anything sub par or 'easy' you will only learn less.
"Just because a book contains lots of information that you don’t know, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be extremely helpful in making you better at this point in your chess development." - Dan Heisman (2001)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626180930/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf
My first read of "My System" was back in 1976, when I was 17 y.o. and a Candidate Master (never got the title of National Master). I found this being an interesting read, although it was apparent to me that many things were written as a mere provocation. By that time, I also read Reti's "Modern Ideas In Chess" and a Petrosian games collection. Surely enough I have learned more from both of them than Nimzo- actually I don't believe he really wrote the book as a didactic text.
My Russian copy of "My System" is priceless because it is a collectors item. Apparently this is too hard for x_patzer to understand... ...