The
Center
The prime means of achieving the goal of prophylaxis is to take command of the
center. Here Nimzowitsch
was strongly opposed to the "pseudo-classical school", represented by
Dr. Tarrasch, who argued that the
meaning of "command of the center" is to occupy the center with pawns.
The
new approach of Nimzowitsch was to strive for influence in the center by, to
quote himself, "firing" at it,
for instance by having your bishops posted on the long diagonals, or by applying
indirect influence, as in the
case of one of the openings introduced by him, the Nimzowitsch-Indian Defense,
where Black's bishop on b4
exerts pressure on the central square e4. On the other hand it is one of the
myths clinging to Nimzowitsch that
he was in favour of "narrow positions". If necessary, you must be able
to cope with such a position, but mobility
is to be preferred.
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