Overprotection is defending an important point with more pieces than strictly necessary, so those pieces draw strength and flexibility from guarding it.
Another idea from Nimzowitsch: a strong central point — say a pawn that anchors your whole position — should be guarded by more pieces than the bare minimum. The surplus defenders aren’t wasted; they sit on good squares, ready to spring into action.
His reasoning was that pieces clustered around a key strongpoint ‘draw energy’ from it. Because the point is rock-solid, those pieces are free to act elsewhere at a moment’s notice, and if the opponent ever attacks the point they’re already in place.
In practice overprotection is a subtle, advanced theme — easy to overdo. The lesson worth keeping is that defenders of a vital square are often well placed for attack too, so reinforcing a strongpoint and improving your pieces can be the same move.
Aron Nimzowitsch, in ‘My System’. He argued that defending an important point more than necessary lets the surplus pieces draw strength and flexibility from it.
It can be if overdone. The valid kernel is that pieces guarding a key square often stand on excellent squares for attack too, so the defence and your activity reinforce each other.
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