Overprotection: securing important points in advance

In short

In a pawn chain d4–e5, the pawn on d4 supports the pawn on e5. So far Black attacks d4 only once. Even so, White places a rook, a bishop and a knight so that they all protect d4. Nimzowitsch calls this protection in advance overprotection.

Here Nimzowitsch speaks of inward prophylaxis. For him, it is dangerous if your pieces have no contact with the important points of your position. Overprotection creates this contact before the opponent applies pressure.

The reward often comes later. The strong point becomes a source of energy for its overprotectors. They are well placed and quickly ready for other tasks. Nimzowitsch compares this to a blockader that unexpectedly finds a lot to do on its square.

Overprotect only strong points, for example an important square in the centre, a good blockading square or a strong passed pawn. Do not tie several pieces to defending an ordinary weak pawn: that leaves them passive. The exception is a weak pawn that supports a strong one, like the base d4 supporting the pawn on e5.

Nimzowitsch already finds traces of the idea in the elements. A knight on an outpost should be protected by a pawn and a rook. In the same way, you can control important squares in the centre with several pieces. Then the opponent cannot storm forward there with pawns so easily.

Summarised by the editors in their own words. This is not a quotation.

Limits of the idea

In “Chess Praxis”, Nimzowitsch defends overprotection against critics. He examines two games from New York 1927 whose problems had been blamed on it. Against Capablanca, according to his analysis, the mistake only came later. Against Spielmann, he considers one of his own protecting moves to have been wrong, because it made the right protection come too late.

Even good overprotection can lose out. In the 1914 game against Bogoljubow, White protected the pawn on e5 with many pieces. Nimzowitsch replied with a pawn sacrifice and strong pieces in the centre. This time overprotection lost out to centralisation, he writes; a later mistake by White also helped him.

To play through

Lesson 28 shows how White protects the base on d4 with several pieces, which later join the attack. Lesson 43 asks when extra protection improves a piece and when it only costs time.

Against Spielmann in 1920, both rooks initially support the overprotection of the pawns on d4 and e5 indirectly, from behind the queen on d2 and bishop on e2. Against Morrison in 1927, he overprotects his pawn on d5 because it supports the important square e4.

Today’s view

Nimzowitsch considered overprotection his own discovery, and coaches still use the term today. Today people often put it more simply: protect your important points before the opponent puts them under pressure. How much protection is needed only becomes clear in the concrete position. The article “Prophylaxis” explains more about prevention.

Where to find it in Nimzowitsch

• My System: II. Teil, 1.3 Meine neuartige Auffassung des Positionsspiels als solches: Das bekannte Akkumulieren geringfügiger Vorteile ist erst in zweiter (bis dritter) Linie bezeichnend; viel wesentlicher ist eine nach außen und innen hin betriebene Prophylaxe (Vorbeugung). Meine Neuheit der Überdeckung, Formulierung und Sinn derselben. original text not yet published

  Inward prophylaxis and overprotection as Nimzowitsch’s innovation, with the difference between strong and weak points.

• My System: II. Teil, 4. Kapitel - Wie man starke Punkte systematisch überdeckt und wie man schwache Bauern bzw. Punkte loszuwerden sucht original text not yet published

  Forms of overprotection: the base of the chain, the centre and protecting the kingside; also getting rid of weak pawns.

• Chess Praxis: 3. Überdeckung und andere Formen der Prophylaxe original text not yet published

  Nimzowitsch sums up his rule and examines two games whose difficulties had been blamed on overprotection.

• Chess Praxis: Partie 60 (original text)

  Bogoljubow against Nimzowitsch: overprotection and centralisation in a duel.

In the course

• Overprotecting important points
• Strong points as a source of energy
• Bogoljubow – Nimzowitsch, St Petersburg 1914
• Morrison – Nimzowitsch, London 1927
• Nimzowitsch – Spielmann, Stockholm 1920