I've previously resisted on buying this book. After all, I have tons of books already on the middlegame. Including what I think is the best of them all - "Simple Chess" by Michael Stean. I mean, what can someone who have long ago turned into dust teach me that more modern authors could not?

But lately, I felt as if I needed something new. To understand positional chess so to speak.

There have been times when I needed to formulate a plan. All is well if the game proceeds along some lines I know well.. e.g. The opponent king is stuck in the center - so open lines now!, etc..

But there are some quiet positions. Positions where I need to improve slowly and I, I just dont know what to do. (But didnt I just said I would'nt study until I master my thinking process? Err.. I might have been too hasty on that account.)

Fortunately, I recently I got a PDF copy of 'My system' and I couldn't stop laughing. Its a very funny book.
The price is worth it just for the style of writing alone. If the man is to be believed, why, he practically invented chess :)

The only real thing I don't like is that people "re-translates" it because it is "too hard" to understand.

It is a very bad thing to do I think. How would you like it if someone put words into your mouth because they couldn't understand what your talking about?

I'm aware the printers of the book try to reach a mass audience, but poor Mr. Nimzo must be rolling on his grave right now.

I mean, would you try to dumb down Shakespeare? Or if you for example, saw a work of art like Picasso's "Jacqueline a Mantille Sur Fond Rouge" would you perhaps add a little bit of color here, a red dash in there, a tiny pink blot somewhere so people can "understand" it better?

Distasteful.

Anyway I'm off to search for the edition as close to the original as possible.

-cheers-