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Aron Nimzowitsch

Aron Nimzowitsch Quotes

Chess master

Aron Nimzowitsch was a renowned chess master, born on November 7, 1886, and died on March 16, 1935. He was highly regarded in the chess community for his innovative style and the Nimzo-Indian Defense, which he developed.

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All Chess Strategy Moving Should Chess Pawns Endgame Giving Ifs Kings Pawns

Famous Aron Nimzowitsch Quotes

“Do not always be thinking of attack! Moves that safeguard your position are often far more prudent.”

Thinking Moving Position Prudent

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The threat is stronger than the execution.”

Stronger Threat Execution

Book:Aron Nimzowitsch 1928-1935: Annotated Games & Essays

Source: Aron Nimzowitsch 1928-1935: Annotated Games & Essays

“The beauty of a move lies not in its appearance but in the thought behind it.”

Inspirational Moving Lying Sports Behinds Beauty Appearance Chess

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“How can I lose to such an idiot?”

Funny Loses Ego Humorous Witty Idiot

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Even the laziest King flees wildly in the face of a double check!”

Faces Kings Chess Checks

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The defensive power of a pinned piece is only imaginary”

Pieces Chess Imaginary Tactics Chess Game Chess Pieces

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The passed Pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient”

Should Keys Police Metaphor Criminals Chess Sufficient Locks Tactics Surveillance Pawns Endgame Board Games Lock And Key Chess Pawns

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The isolated Pawn casts gloom over the entire chessboard”

Casts Chess Isolated Gloom Pawns Chess Pawns

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Ridicule can do much, for instance embitter the existence of young talents; but one thing is not given to it, to put a stop permanently to the incursion of new and powerful ideas.”

Ideas Young Given Can Do Powerful Existence One Thing Talent Instance Ridicule Young Talent

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Giving up the center must not here be regarded as illogical. Was happiness no happiness because it endured for just a short time? One cannot always be happy.”

Giving Giving Up Short Time Illogical Always Be Happy

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“How is it to be explained that something inside me revolts against the playing of obvious moves? Perhaps we may perceive the underlying reason in the fact that I derive satisfaction from seeking to reveal the concealed meaning of a position by means of maneuvering play and therefore I do not wish to see this satisfaction curtailed by a banal, more or less fortuitous decision. Naturally, this phenomenon is played out beneath the threshold of consciousness. The waking consciousness will, of course, in each individual case, give preference to the more rapid means of deciding the game.”

“How vain are our fears! I thought to myself. Sometimes we fear that which our opponent (or fate) had never even considered! After this, then, is it any longer worthwhile to rack one's brain to find new ghosts to fear? No, indeed: All hail optimism! - upon playing Hermanis Mattison after he overlooked an unusual knight manouevre.”

Sometimes Brain Psychology Fate Optimism Ghost Vain Opponents Unusual Worthwhile Knights Overlooked Hail Racks

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The great mobility of the King forms one of the chief characteristics of all endgame strategy. In the middlegame the King is a mere 'super', in the endgame on the other hand - on of the 'principals'. We must therefore develop him, bring him nearer to the fighting line.”

Hands Form Fighting Lines Kings Strategy Mere Chess Chiefs Characteristics Principal Mobility Endgame

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“It is a well known phenomenon that the same amateur who can conduct the middle game quite creditably, is usually perfectly helpless in the end game. One of the principal requisites of good chess is the ability to treat both the middle and end game equally well.”

Wells Ends Games Ability Known Middle Treats Chess Phenomenon Principal Helpless Well Known

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“In the middlegame, the king is merely an extra, but in the endgame, he is one of the star actors.”

Actors Stars Kings Chess Extras Endgame

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The main Objective of any operation in an open file is the eventual Occupation of the seventh or eighth Rank.”

Chess Objectives Operations Occupation Files

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The knight of QB3 is under obligation, the moment the enemy gives him the chance, of undertaking an invasion of the center by Kn-Q5.”

Giving Moments Night Chance Enemy Chess Obligation Invasion Knights Undertakings

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“No pawn exchanges, no file-opening, no attack.”

Chess Opening Files Pawns Chess Pawns

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“First restrain, next blockade, lastly destroy.”

Firsts Next Strategy Chess Blockades

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Strategically important points should be overprotected. If the pieces are so engaged, they get their regard in the fact that they will then find themselves well posted in every respect.”

Ifs Should Wells Important Facts Pieces Regard Strategy Chess Engaged

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“If in a battle, I seize a bit of debatable land with a handful of soldiers, without having done anything to prevent an enemy bombardment of the position, would it ever occur to me to speak of a conquest of the terrain in question? Obviously not. Then why should I do so in chess?”

Ifs Should Done Speak Bits Enemy Land Position Battle Strategy Soldier Chess Should I Conquest Handful Terrain

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“When I today ask myself whence I got the moral courage, for it takes moral courage to make a move (or form a plan) running counter to all tradition, I think I may say in answer, that it was only my intense preoccupation with the problem of the blockade which helped me to do so.”

Thinking May Problem Running Today Moving Form Asks Answers Moral Plans Tradition Strategy Chess Intense Preoccupation Moral Courage Make A Move Blockades

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Chess strategy as such today is still in its diapers, despite Tarrasch's statement 'We live today in a beautiful time of progress in all fields'. Not even the slightest attempt has been made to explore and formulate the laws of chess strategy.”

Has Beens Made Stills Today Beautiful Law Progress Fields Strategy Chess Statements Despite Live For Today Diapers

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Many men, many styles; what is chess style but the intangible expression of the will to win.”

Men Winning Style Expression Chess Intangible Will To Win

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“A thorough knowledge of the elements takes us more than half the road to mastership”

Half Elements Thorough Thorough Knowledge

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“The chess world is obligated to organize a match between the champion of the world and the winner of this Carlsbad tournament - indeed, this is a moral obligation. If the world of chess should remain deaf to its obligation, on the other hand, it would amount to an absolutely unforgivable omission, carrying with it a heavy burden of guilt.”

Ifs World Should Hands Moral Amount Guilt Burden Heavy Chess Obligation Winner Champion Championship Organize Deaf Tournaments Omission Moral Obligation Unforgivable Heavy Burdens

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

“Ridicule can do much, for instance embitter the existence of young talents.”

Young Can Do Existence Talent Chess Instance Ridicule Youngsters Young Talent

Author:Aron Nimzowitsch

About the Author

Born: November 7, 1886
Died: March 16, 1935
Known for: Chess master
Quotes: 27

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