Rating: 
Summary: The Bible
Review: In my sense of things the book is to be regarded as "The Bible" because it lays down everything you should know before entering heaven 'as in mastery'. Although myself being a mix between christian and atheist, I still understand the main ideas of the bible and it's common morals. "My System" subjects itself to be the Bible of the chess world by explaining important views such as the 7th and 8th ranks and they must be defended and attacked at all costs. Passed pawn strategies as well as the main ideals of blockading, not only passed pawns of course. Alas, knight outposts that protect and defend the center by covering important strategic points. Although I haven't read the whole book yet, matter of fact I am only half way through. By reading only this far, My online rating has increased 800 fold, from intermediate to expert, in a week since I started reading it. To really get anything out of it you must study each and every example he gives you as well as try to lay down the terminology he uses. I suggest having a chess board right in front of you while reading as well as some caffeine and try to get everything you can possibly can out of it.
Rating: 
Summary: A classic with shortcomings
Review: Nimzowitch was probably in the top five in the world in the late 1920s, and an original thinker. This book presents a number of important strategical ideas that all chessplayers should know, e.g. blockade, weak colour complexes. Nimzo had a number of catchy terms which help people remember them, e.g. a passed pawn's lust to expand, absolute 7th rank. The book also contains instructive annotated games.But there are a few problems, some of which are pointed out in John Watson's fine book "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy: Advances since Nimzowitsch": Nimzo's tempo counting lessons are the height of naivety -- Watson showed simple ways for black to get a good game despite being many tempi down. Nimzo's idiosyncratic lines of the advance French give Black an easy game as Watson shows, by a well-timed ...f6. As Watson also points out, this attack at the head of the pawn chain is effective quite often, despite Nimzo's counsel to attack pawn chains at the base. To be fair, this is often the right strategy. Overprotection has never gained the support of most grandmasters. Nimzo's famous dxc5 in the advanced French against Salwe is alleged to be revolutionary and contrary to the alleged dogmatism of the Tarrasch school, and even Watson concurs. But they both overlook that Tarrasch himself had pointed out that this gives white a good game, which is why he played ...cxd4 against Paulsen many years before. Nimzo even presents this game in a fairly favorable light. Overall though, this is a very handy book for club players up to say 1800-2000, although it's debatable whether this is better than the Euwe/Kramer two volume set or Pachman's trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Just all in one!
Review: Brilliancy! I was a very bad player. I just used to play, and tried to win, but I couldn't, cause I never used the right plan. This book will teach will the right way to the right plan. Overprotection, blockade, isolani, topics that you never heard about. Overprotection seems like a mysticism, there isn't a logical explanation for this (maybe you are developing your pieces), but just works. I only gave some shallow ideas about some topics, and he got amazed! I live in Brazil and didn't have any problem shipping! Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT book for the intermediate player
Review: When you get the very basics of chess down this is the next book for you - if you are intermediate level player, 1500+. The first few chapters are rather easy to read but as you go on it gets more difficult especially if you can't follow a few chess lines in algebraic form and a few basic concepts. The book is divided in three parts: elements, positional play and annotated games, to illustrate the points the author is trying to make in the first two sections. In part two the author combines concepts from the first part to illustrate how positional play works. This book will teach invaluable information you need to know about pawn structure and positional elements. Philidor said, "pawns are the soul of chess." This is well known concept but is it really? Can you capitalize on your opponents weak pawn structure or position when there is little or no tactical play? My Sytem will give you the necessary "exposure" to some chess concepts you will need to know about to defeat a higher rated opponent that will not allow you bombard his position tactically. I say "exposure" because this book can not cover all the bases of positional play and strategy alone and will not make you a master rated player right away. Other books written more recently will reinforce the concepts of positional play and pawn structure as well as cover new concepts Nimzowitsch did not cover. I have over ten books and by far this has been the most helpful in terms of improving the skills of a intermediate player (me). Even an advance player can profit from this book if only as a refresher course on pawn play and positional play. Other books I recomend are: by john Nunn, secrets of positional play; and Drazen Marovic, dynamic pawn play in chess.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic, but better, more modern books available
Review: I'll give this book 3 stars because it's a classic, sure, but there are newer books covering the same things, which are done much better. Check out Jeremy Silman's book "How to Reassess Your Chess", it covers all the same things that Nimzowitsch does, but with a more modern approach.
Rating:
Summary: Best Chess Improvement Book Ever!
Review: If you're really, truly ready to finally improve and win more at chess, then this is the book for you!
The first 9 chapters are dedicated to the "elements" of chess strategy (such as open files, the 7th rank, the passed pawn). In the chapters that follow, the reader will study positional chess strategy from the "college" level (higher learning) to build a true understanding of 'when to do what'. In addition, the author, Nimzowitsch, uses analogies to help the reader understand the idea he's trying to get across (example: "A passed pawn is a criminal that must be kept under lock and key."; "... but before attacking, we must first give that knight a stiff dig in the ribs"). This book forces the reader to look and think about chess [strategy] in a totally different and beneficial way. Recommended for intermediate players: USCF ELO 1500+ (not beginners).
Rating:
Summary: Classic, but better, more modern books available
Review: I'll give this book 3 stars because it's a classic, sure, but there are newer books covering the same things, which are done much better. Check out Jeremy Silman's book "How to Reassess Your Chess", it covers all the same things that Nimzowitsch does, but with a more modern approach.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for any serious chess player!
Review: This book is an all time classic. It is a must-read for any serious chess player (meaning any player that aspires to play competitively and/or is interested in raising their rating). This book covers in detail virtually all of the fundamental positional knowledge that a player needs to ultimately become master; outposts, open files, 7th & 8th ranks, isolated pawns, pawn chains, doubled pawns, isolated pawn couple, hanging pawns, weak pawns, bishop-pair, etc. etc. It also contains 50 complete annotated games for study which illustrate the themes of the book. This book is probably best suited for players rated 1400 - 2000 (USCF). If your rating is below 1400, you should focus on tactics and endgames. If it is above 2000, then this book will probably not provide too much new information for you. However, you may want to get it just for the game collection. This book is a landmark in the history of chess literature. A word of warning - this book is excellent, but it is hard work to complete it. It is a book that should be re-read every time you gain another 150 rating points or so. I am on my 5th time to read through the book (approximately 550 rating points change) and I continue to learn new things even now.
Rating:
Summary: A little dated, but---
Review: You can't get better than the best. Like Reassess your Chess today, Nimzovichs book brings Master Stratefys down to the level to where a normal intermediate player can finally understand and enjoy chess. A must on every chess lovers library shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Difficult to read book
Review: I purchased this book because everyone was speaking how great it was. When i got it though, i found it almost impossible to read, it is not very nicely printed and the English Niveau is high. Since i am not a native English speaker that makes it difficult. Another thing i have to say is that the diagrams are easy. Most of the stuff i already know so i didnt bother to look at it. This book just didnt have that magnet to me. I really dont see why most people reward it with 5 stars !? There are much better books now a days and this book surely ISNT THE BIBLE OF CHESS!!
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