The Philosopher and the Housewife (Hardcover)

Siegbert Tarrasch and Aron Nimzowitsch could be called the two vainest chess players in history. This book tells the fascinating story of their lifelong rivalry. They clashed as personalities, as players and as chess writers, both searching for the truth in chess, but with very different perspectives.

Tarrasch is seen as the dogmatic theorist and, according to Nimzowitsch, didn't offer much more than the well-meaning advice of a housewife. Nimzowitsch is the philosopher, the designer of a complete ‘system’ that explains everything there is to know about chess to future generations of students.

Does chess history treat these giants fairly or are they mere caricatures? And what was the role of the third protagonist in this debate, Semyon Alapin, whom Nimzowitsch condescendingly called ‘an artist of variations’? These questions, and these different viewpoints, are at the heart of this in-depth investigation.

Hendriks offers a wonderful and often highly entertaining look at this great controversy. The many chess fragments nicely illustrate how our expertise has evolved in this turbulent period of chess history.

Willy Hendriks.(1966) is an International Master who has been working as a chess trainer for over thirty years. His bestselling book Move First, Think Later won the English Chess Federation Book of the Year Award in 2012. Hendriks has published two other widely acclaimed chess books, On the Origin of Good Moves (2020) and The Ink War (2022).

Reviews

GM Raymond Keene (The Article)
“I have no hesitation in pronouncing Hendriks’s work a masterpiece, the like of which we would be lucky to see once in a decade. To put it mildly, this is the best and most riveting chess book which I have read for years!” 

IM Herman Grooten (Schaaksite.nl)
“For those interested in chess history but also in the development of chess strategy over the years, this is a wonderful overview that can provide a lot of reading pleasure!”
(full review in Dutch)

Sean Marsh (CHESS magazine)
“…this one held my attention throughout and provided fresh insights into one of history’s best-kept secret rivalries. This book is recommended to all players who have a strong interest in chess history and the great personalities from a bygone age.”

GM Matthew Sadler (New In Chess magazine)
“Having enjoyed Hendriks’ previous books, I was looking forward enor¬mously to reading this one, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. It’s full of humour, surprises, good chess – some familiar, some not – and larger-than-life characters!”
(full review)