Aron Nimzowitsch - by Per Skjoldager & Jørn Erik Nielsen (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

One of the greatest chess legends of all time, Aron Nimzowitsch (1886-1935), is best known for founding the Hypermodernism school of chess, which emerged after World War I to challenge the chess ideologies of traditional central European masters. This first full-scale biography of Nimzowitsch chronicles his early life in Denmark, his family and education, and his fascination with the game that would become the focus of his life. Also included are explorations of his tournament games and records, his dispute with influential chess teacher Siegbert Tarrasch, and his role in the development of Hypermodern Chess. With detailed accounts of nearly 450 games and the only narrative of Nimzowitsch from 1914 to 1924, a period formerly cloaked in mystery, this volume offers the most thorough profile available of one of chess's greatest innovators.

Review Quotes

"Skjoldager and Nielsen have produced a magnificent book which not only surpasses everything else we have ever seen on the subject of Nimzowitsch but also one which enjoys the extremely high production values typical of McFarland. The depth of research is apparent from the very first page...the book contains an excellent collection of games. This is the finest book written on Aron Nimzowitsch and the authors should be applauded for their efforts. In my opinion this is easily the best and most important chess book of 2012, a fascinating book on a fascinating man"-Chess; "at last we have a magnificent biography of the famous grandmaster, Aron Nimzowitsch. This volume tells his story up to 1924 in great detail...exhaustive"-British Chess Magazine; "an epic piece of work...splendid, meticulously researched...serves as a critical biography as well as a repository of nearly four-hundred fifty of the Master's games...a substantial reference volume which traces Nimzowitsch's life chronologically, while also providing a treasury of charts, drawings and photographs to bring this intriguing chess master into contemporary understanding...the most comprehensive treatment available of Nimzowitsch's life and work up to 1924...uncovers numerous sources that provide as full as possible a picture of this chess genius. This book will take an esteemed place in chess literature and is gratefully received"-IM John Donaldson (JeremySilman.com); "supremely well researched"-Edward Winter, Chess Notes; "fills in a big gap in the chess literature...this book has everything you could want and more.... The authors have produced a fine tribute to one of the founding fathers of Hypermodern chess. The physical qualities of this book are of the highest standard...beautifully and sturdily bound...will sit proudly on any shelf. This is a book for all lovers of chess history. Strongly recommended!"-Chess Today; "the first fully-fledged biography...produced by McFarland publishers in the impeccable way that they are known for. The authors have left no stone unturned to find a wealth of unknown material about the life and games of Nimzowitsch. Many interesting and beautiful old photographs adorn the well-written text. A great book"-New In Chess; "truly exceptional book"-Chesshistory.com, ; "merely opening this book might immediately raise the reader's pulse with beautiful page spreads, solid binding and a cover that feels inviting. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy, both for the scholarship I knew it would contain, and for the history it was sure to reveal about chess in a bygone era. Part biography and part games collection, this compendium captures a golden age of chess culture through the life of Aron Nimzowitsch, a progressive force in the growth of of twentieth century chess. Skjoldager...has unearthed and compiled a wealth of information about the first part of Nimzowitsch's life that is a rare combination of comprehensiveness and readability. This may be the most thorough treatment of Nimzowitsch and his times ever in print. This book has everything. Readers interested in early twentieth century chess will find hundreds of games to study. Stories are filled with colorful anecdotes. The book is filled with nostalgia, beauty and atmosphere. The feel of this book is very solid, and its font is easy on the eye, and looks appropriate. Printed in the U.S. on acid free archival stock, all pages are bound together in signatures for durability and permanence. Only the best books are still produced this way. There is far more scholarship in Skjoldager's book than the average reader might comfortably take in, it is exhaustive in its research and its revelations. Skjoldager and Nielsen have produced a significant work. It is wonderfully written and edited, and beautifully bound and produced. This tribute to Aron Nimzowitsch represents the spirit of traditional book publishing at its unqualified best"-Che

About the Author

Per Skjoldager is an IT contractor, chess historian and chess book collector. He lives in Fredericia, Denmark. The late Jørn Erik Nielsen was a former editor of Danish School Chess Magazine and Junior Chess Instructor. He lived in Aabenraa, Denmark.