Aron Nimzowitsch – The Father of Hypermodernism

Aron Nimzowitsch (1886–1935) was a revolutionary chess thinker. While contemporaries like Capablanca played intuitively, Nimzowitsch sought to discover the "hidden laws" of chess strategy.

It was a school of thought led by Nimzowitsch, Réti, and Breyer. They argued that occupying the center with pawns early on (Classical style) created targets. Instead, they preferred to control the center from a distance with pieces.

Nimzowitsch taught that a Knight is the best blockader of a passed pawn. He famously said, "The passed pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient."

He had a bitter intellectual feud with Siegbert Tarrasch. Tarrasch believed in rigid rules (like "always occupy the center"). Nimzowitsch believed in exceptions and "mysterious" moves.

Published in 1925, it is arguably the most influential chess book ever written. It gave names to concepts players use today: Prophylaxis, Overprotection, and the outpost.

Against Saemisch (Copenhagen 1923), he created a position where his opponent had a full board of pieces but could not move a single one without losing instantly.

He created the Nimzo-Indian (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4), proving that pinning the Knight to control e4 was better than occupying the center with ...d5.

His greatest tournament triumph. He won clear first ahead of Capablanca, Spielmann, Rubinstein, and Vidmar.

He defined this as the art of preventing the opponent's threats before they happen. This concept heavily influenced World Champions like Petrosian and Karpov.

He proved that stopping enemy pawns physically (with a piece) was crucial to positional play.

The idea of defending a strong point (like e5) more times than necessary, not out of fear, but to give your pieces a central focal point.

He was a pioneer of the Queen's Indian Defense, using the fianchetto of the Queen's Bishop to control the center.

He played 1.e4 Nc6, a provocative opening that challenges White's center immediately with pieces.

His second book, demonstrating his theories in practice through his own best games.

Another major tournament win, scoring 8.5/9 and crushing Alekhine in their individual encounter.

A famous (possibly apocryphal) quote attributed to him after losing a blitz game, showcasing his eccentric and nervous personality.

He often played moves like ...Re8 or ...Rg8 in closed positions, placing Rooks on closed files to discourage the opponent from opening them later.

He revolutionized how to play locked pawn structures (like the French Advance), teaching players to attack the base of the pawn chain.

In the late 1920s, he was considered the #2 or #3 player in the world and a likely challenger for Alekhine, though the match never happened.

Born in Riga, he moved to Denmark and became a Danish citizen, leading their chess scene for decades.

He loved the White side of the French Advance Variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5), using it to demonstrate his space advantage theories.

Tigran Petrosian, the 9th World Champion, is often called the spiritual heir to Nimzowitsch for his mastery of prophylaxis.

He was known for doing calisthenics in the tournament hall and complaining about opponents smoking (even when they weren't lit!).

He played 1.b3 (Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack) frequently, aiming to control the center from the flank.