22 Facts About Aron Nimzowitsch

Aron Nimzowitsch was a Latvian-born, Latvian-Danish chess player and writer.

Aron Nimzowitsch was the foremost figure amongst the hypermoderns and wrote a very influential book on chess theory: My System.

Aron Nimzowitsch won his first international tournament at Munich 1906.

Aron Nimzowitsch escaped being drafted into one of the armies by feigning madness, insisting that a fly was on his head.

Aron Nimzowitsch then escaped to Berlin, and gave his first name as Arnold, possibly to avoid anti-Semitic persecution.

Aron Nimzowitsch eventually moved to Copenhagen in 1922, where he lived for the rest of his life in one small rented room.

Aron Nimzowitsch obtained Danish citizenship and lived in Denmark until his death in 1935.

The height of Aron Nimzowitsch's career was the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Aron Nimzowitsch never developed a knack for match play, though; his best match success was a draw with Alekhine, but the match consisted of only two games and took place in 1914, thirteen years before Alekhine became world champion.

Aron Nimzowitsch never beat Capablanca, but fared better against Alekhine.

Aron Nimzowitsch even beat Alekhine with the black pieces, in their short 1914 match at St Petersburg.

When in form, Aron Nimzowitsch was very dangerous with the black pieces, scoring many fine wins over top players.

Aron Nimzowitsch is considered one of the most important players and writers in chess history.

Aron Nimzowitsch's works influenced numerous other players, including Savielly Tartakower, Milan Vidmar, Richard Reti, Akiba Rubinstein, Mikhail Botvinnik, Bent Larsen, Viktor Korchnoi and Tigran Petrosian, and his influence is still felt today.

Aron Nimzowitsch wrote three books on chess strategy: Mein System, 1925; Die Praxis meines Systems, 1929, commonly known as Chess Praxis; and Die Blockade, 1925, although much in this book is generally held to be a rehash of material already presented in Mein System.

Aron Nimzowitsch supplemented many of the earlier simplistic assumptions about chess strategy by enunciating in his turn a further number of general concepts of defensive play aimed at achieving one's own goals by preventing realization of the opponent's plans.

Aron Nimzowitsch's aforementioned game versus Paul Johner in 1926 is a great example of Nimzowitsch's concept of 'first restrain, then blockade and finally destroy'.

Aron Nimzowitsch was a leading exponent of the fianchetto development of bishops.

Aron Nimzowitsch would be understood only long after his death.

Aron Nimzowitsch pioneered two provocative variations of the Sicilian Defence: the Nimzowitsch Variation, 1.

Aron Nimzowitsch's paranoia was most evident when he dined in company.

Aron Nimzowitsch always thought he was served much smaller portions than everyone else.