an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 10/24/20 at 04:29:52:


Indeed! Good advice. Even though situations can arise where a draw in such a position might be appropriate for competitive reasons, for improvement's sake it's always best to play endings out.

I could also have mentioned de la Villa's book, which I know some of my students have found very useful, if hard going at times.

BTW How to Play Chess Endings by Mueller & Payeken is in fact called How to Play Chess Endgames.

For the basic precise positions, that need to be known by heart:
over the years many of my students have learned the basics very quickly and easily from this little gem of a book, already mentioned in the thread:
https://www.amazon.com/End-Games-Chess-Theo-Schuster/dp/0718823265
That's an easy read that will give you a head start down a path that never ends. (The James Howell book is also very good, but bigger and harder to digest.)

Later, for more general endgame strategy, judgement and technique:
How to play the endgame in chess, by Barden, again as mentioned earlier - great if you can find a copy and don't mind descriptive notation. Otherwise, Endgame Strategy by Shereshevsky or How to Play Chess Endings by Mueller & Payeken - great, but maybe not such an easy read as Barden.

But as a player gets stronger and plays more endings it's also useful to have a more thorough book of precise positions and examples of all types of endings, primarily for reference. One of the best ways to learn how to play a particular ending is after it has arisen in one of your games, when it's best to analyse it yourself first, then with an engine, then look up that type of ending in a good reference book, such as Fundamental Chess Endings or Dvoretsky's Manual.

The above constitutes an itinerary; but none of us ever reach the destination of true endgame mastery!

PS Someone wrote something like: "The best endgame book is... the one you actually read! Most players have several such books gathering dust on their shelves."

That’s good information.  Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks guys I appreciate it.   

The first I remember reading was End Games in Chess by Theo Schuster. I can second recommendations for Averbakh's Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge and Essential Chess Endings by James Howell.
One one that really got through though was Silman's Complete Endgame Course.

Averbakh (1993) Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge, 3rd ed., Everyman, 116 pages.
Howell (2003) Essential Chess Endings: The Tournament Player's Guide, Batsford, 160 pages.
De la Villa (2016) 100 Endgames You Must Know: Vital Lessons for Every Chess Player, 5th ed., New in Chess, 256 pages.

Sandman wrote on 10/16/20 at 17:03:26:

Is the intention to read all three? I'm not sure that's the best use of time; although I have read two of them (so far), and LeeRoth has read all three!

If the intention is to read just one (for now, say), you still need to narrow down your criteria. One might choose Averbakh because it is shortest, De la Villa because it is longest, or Howell because it is just right.
Edited:


After one (or more) of these, I think the next steps are possibly pawn endings and certainly rook endings.

LeeRoth wrote on 12/06/06 at 15:12:49:


I’ve seen this along with James Howell's Essential Chess Endings and de la Villa’s 100 Endgames you Must Know recommended time and time again. Which of the three would you suggest as the best book to get first? How would you rank these in order?

Thanks
Sandman

I would highly suggest for you "Essential endings explained move by move". Volume I is by Silman...Vol II is by Ken Smith.  They are fantastic for starting out...there are enough diagrams so that much of the material can be played through without a board, making it possible to do anywhere.  I gurantee you will gain much understanding of tactical nuances in endings.  As a second suggestion "Endgame Challenge" by Hall (I think) is a nice way to test yourself.  Finally "Rate your Endgame" by Mednis mentioned earlier in other posts is indeed another good book.  It has a solitaire chess approach (you try and guess the move) and is very good at explaining the ideas behind the endings presented.  The format kind of takes the boredom out of it if you don't like studying endings.

I think all of these recommendations are good for a player of your level as they don't assume alot of prior knowledge...for example Lucena/Philidor position and provide excellent explanations.

Good Luck