The Blockade: Die Blockade

This edition of "The Blockade" is a completely new translation. It's a much better rendering than the Chess Enterprises edition from 33 years ago = 1980. It is also produced as a genuine paperback book with normal binding. Not the cheap and chintzy fold and staple binding used in the older edition. Treat yourself - you'll like it.

This short book analytically deconstructs the blockade as Nimzowitsch understood at the time. As this book was written before 'My System', Nimzowitsch's understanding of the topic wasn't as accurate as it was later (as a theoretical textbook, 'My System' generally has more accurate analysis) but Nimzowitsch was exploring a new concept, discovering it's importance. I found the analytic deconstruction of the blockade to be useful for understanding how Nimzowitsch sees the position when he is applying the concepts. It's worth mentioning that this book is only 38 pages long, not counting the german translation (available in the first half) and the appendix (which is longer than the official book). The appendix shows four articles written by Nimzowitsch, mostly on his developing ideas (partially covered in 'My System' but some in more detail), some annotated games, and countering Tarrasch.I recommend this book to adults who want to supplement 'My System' to better understand conceptually the blockade. For adults especially, I recommend supplementing the classics with modern analytic books on similar topics, to obtain more accurate analysis and more examples, while still studying the classics to understand where the ideas were discovered and how they were seen by the pioneers. Children won't need this book because their superior intuitive learning will allow them to understand 'My System' as a standalone without needing as much analytic deconstruction. It would probably better for children to cover more ground than to study a book on a single element.

Have your Nimzo twice over! Here is the original German publication in algebraic (L=laufer=bishop, S=springer=knight, etc.) plus a thoroughly modern translation in Figurine Algebraic Notation. Also included are several published articles by Nimzowitsch revealing his near precognitive apprehension of the coming era of subtly profound positional play. A superb re-release of a perennially relevant chess classic.