Description
Jaques Tournament Size Nimzowitsch Chessmen.
A set of Jaques Tournament Size Nimzowitsch Chessmen. These vintage Staunton chessmen are Boxwood and Ebony, nicely weighted. The chessmen are in excellent condition. The King stands 3-1/2″ tall with a 1-5/8″ diameter base. The chessmen are very well turned and finished. The Knights are the Jaques Nimzowitsch style. These chessmen were likely produced around 1920.
The chessmen are housed in their original lined Mahogany hinge-top box with its white manufacturer’s label. As previously stated, pieces are in excellent condition and have developed a very pleasing honey patina. The chessmen play and display best on a chessboard with 2-1/8″ to 2-1/4″ squares. The antique Jaques chessboard shown is not included as part of this sale. The ideal chessboard for these chessmen can be found here. For a complete selection of our finest new and antique chessboards, please check here.
About Aron Nimzowitsch
Aron Niemzowitsch was born 7 November 1886, He was a leading chess Grandmaster and influential chess writer and the foremost figure among the hypermodern school. Aron Nimzowitsch is considered one of the most important players and writers in chess. His works influenced numerous other players, including Savielly Tartakower, Milan Vidmar, Richard Réti, Akiba Rubinstein, Bent Larsen and Tigran Petrosian, and his influence is still felt today.
He won his first international tournament at Munich 1906. Then, he tied for first with Alexander Alekhine at Saint Petersburg 1913/14 (the eighth All-Russian Masters’ Tournament).
During the 1917 Russian Revolution, Nimzowitsch was in the Baltic war zone. He escaped being drafted into one of the armies by feigning madness, insisting that a fly was on his head. He then escaped to Berlin, and gave his first name as Arnold, possibly to avoid anti-Semitic persecution. Nimzowitsch eventually moved to Copenhagen in 1922, which coincided with his rise to the world chess elite. He spent the remainder of his life in one small, rented room. In 1924 and 1934, he won the Nordic Chess Championship. He obtained Danish citizenship and lived in Denmark until his death in 1935.
