Rating: 
Summary: Didn't Do The Trick
Review: I was rated somewhere around the 1600 mark, and I was determined to become a master strength player. Heeding the advice of countless chess enthusiasts, I bought this book.For three weeks straight, I stayed holed up in my house and studied this book inside and out. I played through the variations slowly, thoughtfully, letting all the subtleties sink into my deepest subconscious. When I was done, I took a week off, then I went through the book again, cover to cover. The following week there was a local tournament where I could test my newfound understanding of chess principles. The result? In my very first game, I fell for the Fool's Mate. In the next, I stumbled quickly to the Scholar's Mate. And in my final game, I was on the losing side of a 5-move where I lost my queen, rook, and a knight before being checkmated. My results were so bad that I was asked to leave the tournament so that "the good players could play more games." This may be a great book, but it didn't do much for my chess.
Rating: 
Summary: The mother of all chess books!
Review: Those who even have a passing knowledge of chess know that "My System" by Aron Nimzowitsch is *the* chess book. Like a giant black hole at the center of a galaxy, this book has a great gravitational pull in the chess space. Read any competent middle-game chess book (perhaps not the "Complete Idiot's guide to Chess") and you will invariably find references to "My System" and "Chess Praxis". My only recommendation would be for others to buy the cheaper one written in descriptive notation. The two books carried by Amazon are of similar quality (binding, paper and translation). Nimzowitsch originally wrote an entire chapter on the isolated Q4 pawn (an important subject no doubt). This means d4 for white and d5 for black in algebraic notation, but is translated as "Isolated pawn at d4" in the algebraic notation version. Nimzowitch is already being translated. There is no need to lose even more in the translation by translating descriptive notation to algebraic notation. Besides, this is chess. Smart people play chess. We can follow simple directions. So...save yourself some money by buying the descriptive notation version...
Rating: 
Summary: Make me into a Master!
Review: I have met hundreds of Grand-Masters over the years. Literally. I usually harangue the poor fellows, and pester them with zillions of questions. One of the questions I always ask is usually, "If I were to read one chess book, which one would you recommend?" Nine times out of ten, the answer is, "Read Nimzovich's, 'My System.'" One of my students recently presented me with a copy of this book, thinking I was not familiar with it. (Of course I had read it over 25 years ago!) I went through it again. Like all the GM's have told me, this book will make a MUCH BETTER player out of you! Its made Category I players into Masters, and turned Masters into GM's. One of the very often over-looked facts is that this book will teach you the FUNDAMENTALS of STRATEGY and PLANNING!! Get it. I can guarantee if you will spend just a little time with it, you will not be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: My System - A Great Book
Review: This book is a great help for all kinds of players. Although it might be a little above some peoples head, by reading it they can learn the ideas and then understand more as they improve. As for the vocabulary, it is a bit boring, but good reading. Great book for anyone of all levels. I first read it when I was fifteen years old and I loved it. Also, this version is in the new algebraic notation, not the old notation that is hard to understand.
Rating:
Summary: I Have a Really Old Copy
Review: I have a hardcover 1947 edition of this book which was reprinted in 1958 that i found at a used book store, so i decided to buy it. I haven't given the book a true reading yet however, but i did skim the pages and read some of the more interesting parts. I can clearly see that this book has a lot of valuable information for the player who wishes to advance to higher levels of play. I think the main reason i haven't sat down, read and played the examples given is the fact move orders are given in the old descriptive notation. It can be rather tedious and i tire quickly from it. I find the standard algebraic notation of today much easier to use. So, in essence, i would suggest getting the 21st Century edition. It's a 5 star book but i dropped it to 4 because of the old style being used, which i'm sure the 1979 edition uses as well.
Rating:
Summary: The "Mona Lisa" of chess books
Review: Nimzowich has a wonderful writing style: humorous and human, e.g. "Self-praise is only allowable when deserved recognition has been unjustly withheld; in all other cases, it is both in bad taste and demoralizing." That is about all I am fit to comment on: the book is a classic. Nimzowich expounds basic concepts of chess strategy, particularly the idea of the blockade, and provides numerous examples within the text, which are supported by a collection of games at the end. This IS an ideal book for any literate beginner, particularly as familiarity with his ideas distills the essence of the game down to several key principles. Nimzowich cuts through all the usual confusion, explaining the game in terms of his systematic approach to positional play.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book but makes difficult reading
Review: This is by far the best chess books I have ever read. This book is very good if you are keen on improving your overall understanding of positions. The author's emphasis on concepts like open files, 7th and 8th ranks, basic end game techniques like bridge buiding and peice coordination will give the readers a greater understanding of the game. Every concept is followed by discussion of the games. This book is a good buy just for the 40 odd games at the end of the chapters, each based on a concept discussed in the earlier chapters. The games of the great masters of the 20th century are a treat to follow. However, it makes for serious reading which involves time and effort.
Rating:
Summary: My System by a. nimzovich
Review: I improved my game at least 50% by reading this book. The ideas presented are as true and logical today as they were when the "stormy petrol" sat to a game. Only his bad health kept Nimzovitch from the world championship. His dry humor makes this book one of the most readable chess books you will ever own.
Rating:
Summary: Hard!
Review: This book is hard. If you are beginning chess, do not get this book until you can win some serious game against some serious players. If you are at an intermediate level, this book will teach you what you need to know to get ahead in the game of chess!
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy another opening book.
Review: Quite simply, if you are looking to improve your chess, you cannot do better than to read this book. This is not merely my own personal opinion. A while ago I met hit a sort of brick-wall in terms of improving my rating, and spent a long time looking at what strong players said was the best way to improve your game. Almost without exception, they recommended this book. I now regret that I did not study it more deeply years ago. The main reason was that I was frustrated by the descriptive notation in the copy that was loaned to me by a former National Champion. Now it is in algebraic rather than descriptive notation you have no excuse. It covers the most important elements of positional play, and despite what some people might have you believe, is written in an entertaining manner. Of course not everything in the book is correct, but being exposed to the ideas and ways of thinking presented can only be good for your game. If you are serious about improving your rating, your understanding of chess, and enjoyment of the game, get this book.
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