My System: 21st Century Edition

Rating:
Summary: Bible comparison an insult to Nimzo
Review: I found this book to be the most useful of all chess books I own and not that hard to read if you have a reasonable grasp of english.
However I am somewhat amused by many reviewers comparison with the bible, which I have read some of and found to be quite absurd. Two better analogies in my opinion would be Darwins origins of species or Karl Marx's Das kapital for the simple reason that it lays out clearly for the first time scientific theories and general princples which attempt to explain the subject at hand in a thorough and reasoned manner. Although my system is rather easier and more enjoyable to read than either of these works.
Highly recommended nicely printed/bound as well.

Rating:
Summary: How to Win Ugly
Review: There are football teams which win by grinding out "four yards in a cloud of dust," and there are other teams which win with the trick play and the hail Mary pass. Nimzovich specialized in the "four yards in a cloud of dust" win.

In this book Nimzovich tells his system for the plodding win. Employment of his principles won't result in flashing wins, but it can improve your won-lost ratio.

Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: I only gave the book 3 stars, but don't get me wrong i really do like the book. Its just that this book is meant to be read and then forgotten. (read other reviews, much of this knowledge although GOOD TO KNOW is not an absolute truth, and you will find youreself in situations where you will need to know when to think for youreself)

The book quality for this edition is excellent. If you must have this book get the 21st century edition. The older fred reinfeild book is almost unreadable! i tried getting cute by buying that book since its cheaper, but boy it makes you work so hard to understand what he is talking about!! the newer version is easily worth the price for its readability. ( plus the older one is smaller, chunkier, and the quality is not even close! you have been warned!!)

p.s i also recomend reading anything on Capablanca after this book. He was the most dominant player during Nimzovich's time, and I am sure he learned ALOT from studying "the Chess Machine"

Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: This along with Chess Praxis is one of the all time best selling chess books. Writing a review of this book is almost like trying to review the Holy Bible but here goes...

If anyone has an original copy of this book in good condition, please contact me ([e-mail]). I not only enjoy playing chess but I also collect chess books. I have many rare and out of print books. At the time I first read the book I was not rated high enough to fully understand it. If you are not rated at least 1900 then you should be reading a chess tactics puzzle book or something along those lines. Chess is 95% tactics but when you are ready to learn the strategic and positional side of chess then you are ready for this book. I am still not good enough to say I fully understand everything in this book. If you want an easy to read book then this is not the book. If you want a book with ideas and techniques that are easy to grasp than this is not your book. If you are about to reach Master level (or collect classic chess books) than this is the book for you.


Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: This book, together with Chess Praxis, are excellent for the 1500-1600 rated player who wants to become Class A or Expert in short order. An insight on every page.

(Silman is a hack. It's like comparing a Mercedes to a Yugo.)