1. On the Center and Development
Contains a short introduction and what the less advanced student must know about the center and about development.
Nimzovich states the elements of chess-strategy as (1) The center. (2) Play in open files. (3) Play in the 7th and 8th ranks. (4) The passed Pawn. (5) The pin. (6) Discovered check. (7) Exchanging. (8) The Pawn-chain.
The eight elements above, including "Elements of End Game Strategy," each represent one chapter of the first half of the book. The second part of book is on positional play and might be more advanced ("higher learning") than the first half.
The "frontier line," as Nimzovich calls it, is represented by Diagram 1, a horizontal line is drawn through the middle of the board separating it into the top half and the bottom half. Diagram 2 shows the "mid-point" (more commonly referred to as the center) which are the squares e4, e5, d4, and d5.
§1. By development is to be understood the strategic advance of the troops to the frontier line.
"Both armies seek to reach the frontier as quickly as possible in order to penetrate into enemy territory." Developing one, two, three pieces is not development--all pieces must be developed. Development should be done in "democratic spirit." "How undemocratic for instance, it would be to let one of your officers go for a long walking tour, whilst the others kicked their heels together at home and bored themselves horribly. No, let each officer make one move only, and ... dig himself in."
§2. A Pawn move must not in itself be regarded as a developing move, but merely as an aid to development.
If it was possible to develop pieces without using Pawn moves, this would be the correct action. The reasoning behind this is that the Pawn is not a fighting piece--the enemy does not fear the Pawn crossing the frontier. However, and this is important, developing without using Pawns is not possible because "the enemy Pawn-center, thanks to its inherent aggressiveness, would drive back the pieces which we had developed. For this reason we should, in order to safeguard the development of our pieces, first build a Pawn-center."
The following is an example: 1. Nf3 Nc6 2. e3 ("...still regard the advance as Pawn-less in our sense.") e5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4?
4 ... d5 "...the Black Pawns have a demobilizing effect."
5. Bb3 "bad at the outset, a piece moved twice."
5 ... d4 "and White is uncomfortably placed, at any rate from the point of view of the player with little fighting experience."
To further illustrate this lesson, Nimzovich uses a second example in which he played against an amateur. Nimovich played with the white pieces and started the game without the rook on a1.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6
"Black has now lost the center, and in addition, by neglecting to play 4 ... d6, he allows White's center too much mobility; his development may therefore rightly be described as Pawn-less, or, more strictly, one which has become Pawn-less.
7. d5 Ne7 8. e5 Ne4 9. d6 cxd6 10. exd6 Nxf2 11. Qb3
"and Black, who is completely wedged in by the P at d6, succumbs to the enemy assault in a few moves, in spite of the win of a Rook.
11 ... Nxh1 12. Bxf7+ Kf8 13. Bg5.
Black resigns.
The last three paragraphs of §2 are very instructional in explaining what does section is all about. Pawn moves should only be made when "they either help occupy the center, or stand in logical connection with its occupation; that is to say a Pawn move which protects its own or attacks the enemy center." In my own understanding, control of center is strongly, if not completely, associated with having the developed pieces. Pawn moves are needed in order establish this control (But remember what Lasker said "in the opening one or two Pawn moves, not more"). Nimovich then mentions something I think is very important: flank Pawn moves should be seen as a loss of time. However, if the position is closed, this only applies to the limited extent because "contact with enemy is not complete, and development proceeds at a slower tempo."
"Speed in development is the very first law. Every piece must be developed in one move. Every Pawn move is to be regarded as a loss of time, unless it helps to build or support the center or attack the enemy's center."
§3. To be ahead in development is the ideal to be aimed at.
Nimzovich describes development as running a race against someone. We have to make our opponent lose time by making moves which also attack one of his pieces which has already moved. The most obvious example is the Scandinavian, 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3
It is Black's move and he would like to develop one of his pieces but he has to move his queen out of the way and thus lose a move.
§4. Exchange with resulting gain of tempo.
"The moves just given show in the compactest form a maneuver which we may call a compound one." What this means is that playing 2. exd5 is the first part of the maneuver and the second part is 3. Nc3. It is "compactest" because it is done in only two moves. More examples are given.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. cxd5!
3 ... Nxd5 (3 ... Qxd5 4. Nc3) 4. e4; "so that in either case White with his 4th move will have made a developing move of full value, which Black will be forced to answer by wandering about."
Another example:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nf6 3. fxe5! Nxe4 ("forced, otherwise Black would be a Pawn down with no equivalent for it"); 4. Nf3 (Stops Qh4+)
4 ... Nc6 5. d3 ("the logical complement of exchange PxP). 5 ... Nc5 6. d4 Ne4 7. d5 Nb8
"White will have the opportunity of gaining more tempi." 8. Bd3 or 8. Nbd2. (Concerning 8. Nbd2) The exchange of the time-devouring Knight at e4 for newborn Knight at d2 means loss of tempo for Black, since with the disappearance of the Knight there will be nothing on the board to show for them."
Another example (with an intermezzo):
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3!
Qe6 ("the exchange maneuver") 5. fxe5 Qxe5+ "comes into consideration for White, since the square e4 must be looked on as an exposed place for the Black Queen." "White is apparently not able to make use of the position of the Black Queen. In reality, however, the check can only be regarded as an intermezzo." 6. Be2 (Qe2 is better), "and after all gains tempi at the cost of the Black Queen by" Nf3 and d4. An example is 6. Be2 Bg4 7. d4 (7. Nf3 Bxf3!) 7 ... Bxe2 8. Ngxe2 Qe6 9. 0-0, "and White has 5 tempi to the good (both Knights and a Rook developed, the Pawn occupies the center, and the King is in safety), whereas Black can show but one visible tempo, namely the Queen on e3; and this tempo, too, will later on be doubly or even trebly lost; since the Queen will have to shift her ground more than once (she will be chased away by Nf4, etc), so that White's advantage is equivalent to at least five tempi. Exchange, intermezzo, gain of tempo; the exchange and the gain of tempo are related, the intermezzo alters nothing."
§5. Liquidation, with consequent development or disembarrassment.
"...when one's development is threatened with being held up, one must adopt a radical cure, and one must adopt a radical cure, and on no account try to remedy matters." Here's an example:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 d5? 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Bb4.
"For the moment Black has been able to hold his own ground, the Queen has not had to move away; but after" 6. Bd2 "Black would still appear to be in some embarrassment for the retreat of the Queen, who is now again threatened, would cost a tempo. The right course, therefore, is to exchange" 6 ... Bxc3 7. Bxc3 and again 7 ... exd4 ("anything but a protecting move, such as, e.g., ... Bg4, or a flight move, such as ... e4; in the development stage there is no time for this"); 8. Nxd4 Nf6. The tension in the center has been relieved and Black is not behind in development at all. This is the main characteristic of a complete liquidation: relief of tension in the center along with the exchange.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 d5? 4. Bb5! creating the Nxd5 threat.
The move (A) 4 ... Bd7 does not work and loses after 5. exd5 Nxd4 6. Bxd7+ Qxd7 7. Nxd4 exd4 8. Qxd4 a valuable Pawn.
(B) 4 ... Bg4 also fails after 5. h3! Bxf3 (5 ... Bh5? 6. g4 Bg6 7. Nxe5) 6. Qxf3 (from here the Queen exercises a decisive influence on the center) Nf6
7. exd5 e4 (in order not to lose the pawn) 8. Qe3! Qxd5 9. c4 and White is left with a much better position.
(C) 4 ... dxe4 "and he liquidates thus since his means do not allow him the luxury of maintaining a position of instability in the center. The continuation might be" 5. Nxe5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. 0-0 (7. Nc3 Bb4 8. 0-0 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Ne7 10. Qg4 0-0 11. Nxc6 Nxc6 12. Qxe4 Re8 13. Qf3 Na5 and the maneuvering begins. Black will play c6 and will take advantage of the weak squares c4 and d5 by Nc4 and Qd5. According to Nimovich Black is better. "Thus timely liquidation has brought back into the right track the second player's questionable process of development.") Bd6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Nc3 f5 "Black has satisfactory development and does not stand badly."
Giuoco Piano example:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2
"and now the Black Bishop is under the slight threat of Bxb4+ followed by Qb3+, etc. On the other hand the White center Pawns are very strong, and it is absolutely necessary to break them up." 7 ... d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Bxb4 Ndxb4 10 Qb3 with a better position for White. The correct continuation after 7 ... Bxd2 is 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Qb3 "Black makes himself secure by the strategic retreat" 10 ... Nce7 "with an equal game. White has the freer position, Black has the strong point d5.
An exchange can be an excellent "weapon" and serves as the basis for the typical maneuvers analyzed above:
(1) "Exchange followed by a gain of tempo."
(2) "Liquidation followed by either a developing move or a freeing move."
Exchanging must be done carefully. A typical beginner's mistake is to exchange a piece that has moved several times for a piece which has never moved. Here's an example:
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
3 ... Bc5? 4. cxd4 Bb4+ 5. Bd2! Bxd2+ 6. Nxd2 White is three tempi ahead!
§6. The center and its demobilizing force. Some examples as to when and how the advance of the enemy center is to be met. On the maintenance and the surrender of the center.
Nimzovich explains: "As has already been mentioned, a free and mobile centre constitutes a terrible attacking weapon, since the threatened advance of the central pawns would drive back the opponent's pieces. However, in all such cases it depends on whether the knight which is driven off is in fact driven 'from pillar to post' or whether it will manage to find a good position or make good use of its tempi."
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 (the Pawn will advance win the Black knight moves to f6) 3. c3 Nf6! 4. e5
4 ... Ne4! 5. Bd3 d5! (5 ... Nc5? 6. cxd4 Nxd3+ 7. Qxd3 White is four tempi ahead).
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 Nf6! 4. e5 ("this would not be the right moment to play the knight to d5, since the poor distributed soul would not know much rest) 4 ... Nd5 5. Qxd4 (5. Bc4 Nb6 with the bishop losing a tempo) 5 ... c6 6. Bc4 Nb6 7. Nf3
White tempi: 6. Black tempi 2 or 1.5 because the knight is no better posted here on b6 than it was on f6, and c7-c6 is hardly worth a full tempo since it is not a move by a central pawn."
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 (wasteful) 3. Nf3 Nf6! 4. e5 (4 ... Ne4 "would lead to stability, since there would come the immediate" 5. d3 Nc5? 6. d4, etc,; "but, exceptionally, the h5-square turns out to be an appropriate square (usually squares on the edge of the board are unfavorable for knights)," 4 ... Nh5 5. d4 d5 "in order to force an exchange of the White king's pawn which has moved twice for the Queen's Pawn which has only moved once, and Black's position is not a bad one."
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 (the plan is to attack the Black centre in order to disrupt his opponent's mobilisation) 4 ... Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5
6 ... d5 (6 ... Ne4? 7. Bd5) 7. Bb3 Ne4 the knight holds his position.
"Example of the knight maintaining its position:" 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 Nf6! 4. e5 Ne4! 5. Bd3 d5! 6. cxd4. Black can develop and attack at the same time, for example with 6 ... Nc6 (6 ... c5 works too but 6 ... Bb4+? leads to 7. Bd2 forcing Black into a tempo-losing exchange) 7. Nf3 Bg4.
"In any case, it is more prudent to keep the centre intact. We might manage to hold up the advance of the pawn mass as it grinds forward (a Pawn roller) by the correct moves by the knight which we have demonstrated. However such a method of play is difficult, and moreover the Pawn roller does not need to move forward at once, but its possible advance constitutes a permanent threat which will hang over our heads."
"So, So, as long as it is possible to do so without any other disadvantage, hang on to the centre."
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 (more aggressive is 3 ... Bc5) 4. d4
Best course of action for Black: 4 ... d6 5. dxe5 dxe5 "White's centre is immobile. What is meant is protection by a pawn (of course not 4 ... f6 which would be a horrible mistake, the c4-g8 diagonal would be decisive); after all, a pawn is a born defender. If a piece is called under attack, it feels itself to be restricted, whereas in a similar position the pawn feels really at home. Moreover, in our case protection by a piece, perhaps 4 ... Nf6?, would be limited to the protection of the pawn itself rather than the more abstract concept of the centre, e.g. 4 ... Nf6? 5. dxe5 Nxe5 6. Nxe5 Bxe5. The exchange followed the line of our rule: exchange, win a tempo; so 7. f4 wins a tempo."
6a. Surrendering the centre.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4! (3 ... d6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 Black cannot castle anymore and will have trouble linking the rooks). 4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd3 d5 "But by doing so, Black would only have solved a part of the problem, namely the minor issue of the g8-knight which was so hard to develop; but he would not have solved the problem of the centre as such. For that to happen, the following conditions have to be met:
(1) If you have allowed your opponent to establish a free and mobile centre pawn, then that pawn must be considered dangerous criminal (a 'runaway'): all your chess fury must be directed again it. This leads by force to the following condition:
(2) The Pawn must either be executed (d7-d5 then dxe4 must be prepared for) or imprisoned; so we either condemn the criminal to death or to a life sentence in prison. Or else there is a neat combination of both by which we first sentence it to death and commute that sentence to lifelong imprisonment; or, what is more usual, we restrain the e4-pawn until it is quite crippled (backward) and then we show what we are made of and carry out the sentence of death by playing d7-d5 and then dxe4. The restraint would be introduced by 4 ... d6 and carried forward by Nf6, Be7, 0-0, Re8 and Bf8, keeping a close watch on any possible advance. White, on the other hand, will bet all on making the e-criminal mobile, by playing at the correct moment f2-f4 and Re1, etc."
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 d6 5. Be2 Nf6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. f4!
8 ... Re8 (8 ... d5 9. e5) 9. Be3 Bf8 10. Bf3 Bd7
"The mobilization is finished for both sides, White wishes to force through e4-e5 and Black is resisting it." "The process of restraint is a difficult one; it seems easier (but only in cases when that is suitable) to kill off the mobile centre pawn."
Scotch Game: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6! 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5.
F. Lee - Nimzovich (Ostend 1907): 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nbd2 Nbd7 4. e4 e5 5. c3 Be7 6. Bc4 0-0 7. 0-0
7 ... exd4! 8. cxd4 d5! 9. Bd3 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 Nf6 12. Bd3 Nd5 13. a3 Nf6 and because of the "sickly" Pawn on d4 Black has a better postion.
Yates - Nimzovitch (Baden-Baden): 1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 (3. e5 Nd5 4. c4 Nb6 5. d4 d6 6. e6 fxe6) 3 ... d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. d4 Bf5 6. a3 g6 7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Ba2 Bg7 9. Be3 e5!
Black played more for execution rather than restraint. 10. Qe2 0-0 11. dxe5 Bg4 and Nimzovich won the Pawn and had a freer game.
§7. On Pawn hunting in the opening. Usually a mistake. Exceptional case of center Pawns.
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