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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Endgame Improvement (Read 56796 times)
Ivan
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #15 - 05/04/08 at 08:56:44
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What about "Tactical Chess Endings" by John Nunn and Beliavsky/Mikhalchishin's book on Endgame Strategy? They are both somewhat dated, but given that endgame theory does not change rapidly, I doubt that this is a serious concern.
  
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Legion XIX
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #14 - 04/14/08 at 04:47:09
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Read Silman's Endgame Course for a thorough grounding on the basics of endings, possibly coupled with "Just the Facts" by Lev Alburt. If you know everything in these books, you will then be able to move on to more complicated endgame manuscripts.
  
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nyoke
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #13 - 04/07/08 at 20:51:20
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Quote:
But not everyone plays like Garry..)


Fernando, what do you mean ? It' s not like he's got a wand, he's just pushing wood like the rest of us !
  
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MilenPetrov
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #12 - 04/07/08 at 18:44:17
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OK, I would recommend Silman's Complete Endgame Course and then as a second source I suggest Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual. But latter you should study slowly and carefully. It is not a book for a week or two.
And if you want something for start then simply try Starting Out Series. There are 3 books released till now - SO Pawn endgames, SO rook endgames and SO minor poece endgames. I read SO rook endgames (even I am more advanced) and it is very nice. Now reading So minor piece Edngames and it is also worth considering.

Regards
  
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ErictheRed
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #11 - 01/09/08 at 17:21:56
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I'd recommend Mednis' Rate Your Endgame as the absolute best book for you.  It's along the lines of Shereshevsky's book, in the sense of what it covers, but the explanations are much better and it shouldn't be over your head (Shereshevsky can be a bit over my head, and I'm rated about 2120 USCF).

The best part of the book is that you take one side of an endgame, and then try to figure out the best move.  I realize this isn't a new approach, but it's ideally suited for the study of technical positions.  Mednis goes out of his way to explain why plausible looking moves are not good, which authors like Shereshevsky don't.  Also, I don't think there's a better way to actually improve your play than by practicing playing.  You can gain all the knowledge in the world, but you need to practice putting that knowledge to use, calculating variations, weighing up which of two continuations is better, etc.  I think if you honestly want to improve your practical play, there's no better book than Rate Your Endgame (unless you're 2300+ maybe).

Some of the positions in Mednis' book are quite complicated, too, but they're explained much better than in Shereshevsky's book.  Shereshevsky is more "learn by osmosis", so I'd recommend doing that one after Mednis' book.

Edit: if you don't know any theoretical positions at all, then I think Averbakh's short book on endgame basics (forget the name) is really all you need in this area, and you can get through it quickly and then get on to other books.
  
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #10 - 01/08/08 at 21:25:03
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Grandmaster Secrets: Endings by Andy Soltis.  It sounds like exactly what you need.


  
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Fernando Semprun
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #9 - 01/08/08 at 20:47:02
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You can replace Maizelis with Karsten Muller Pawn Endings. It is 100 times better (edited and explained. Maizelis is a 1950's book)

it is possibly the best book on endings ever written.

If you don't know your endings really well, DON't get Dvoretskys... he assumes everyone is GM strength...)

(For example Garry Kasparov praised Dvoretsky's. But not everyone plays like Garry..)
  

Fernando Semprun
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Fernando Semprun
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #8 - 01/08/08 at 20:43:36
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Sorry, but I utterly DISAGREE.

FIRST you need to know your theoretical positions. I learned those with Maizelis, Averbakh, Smyslov and Levenfish and Keres (excellent in his time).

THEN, you get shereshevsky and other excellent books (Exchanging to win in the endgame by Nesis another). These books don't make sense unless you know the theoretical positions.

Now you are a pretty strong endgame player. This study may take you a while, but I did it 20 years ago and the endgame is still my strongest area.. and THEORY DOESNOT CHANGE  Smiley Smiley
  

Fernando Semprun
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Dragan Glas
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #7 - 11/25/07 at 04:25:59
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Greetings,

Apart from the Shereshevsky book, I'd also recommend Lars Bo Hansen's "Secrets of Chess Endgame Strategy" - like the first book, it covers much the same ground starting from the (late) middle-game dealing with the decision to enter a endgame.

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Chess-Endgame-Strategy-College/dp/1904600441/ref=p...

As wonderful as Capablance was as a endgame virtuoso, the virtuoso was considered to be Akiba Rubinstein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiba_Rubinstein
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4188

P.S. You will certainly enjoy van Perlo's book on Endgame Tactics - they hardly feel like endgames!

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas
  
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #6 - 11/04/07 at 04:43:44
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If you want something that is going to give basic info so you are ready for more in depth works then get a book titled Easy Endgame Strategies. DOn't be fooled it is a very good basic work on the endgame.
  
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #5 - 10/30/07 at 16:53:02
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #4 - 10/30/07 at 11:50:38
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I have long had much the same problem. The "basic" and "fundamental" endgame books don't help that much when you don't have a feel for multi-piece endings. It seems some players get this naturally, but I'm definately not one of them! Anyway, in addition to the Shereshevsky book I want to recommend the two endgame books by Andrew Soltis: "Grandmaster Secrets: Endings" and "Turning Advantage into Victory in Chess".

I have actually seen some progress in my thinking process by adopting his methods, particularly his explanation of "Mismatches", Plans and "Endgame Mood". The one quibble I have with Soltis is that in his emphasis on how to think, he is a bit too eager to downplay the value of concrete theoretical knowledge. Ambitious players really should have good thinking methods AND good knowledge! Smiley
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #3 - 10/29/07 at 18:39:23
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I'll second Alias. Reading your post (and before even reaching to your 1-4 steps), I was thinking to recommend Shereshevsky's book. It deals exactly with your problem, i.e. firstly your mindset & secondly what lies there before the purely technical part of the endgame starts. It will also help you sometimes approaching the middlegame in a different way (e.g. schematic thinking or the 2 weaknesses/targets strategy).

A bit of a warning: This book seems a bit tough for your current level - but the ideas are easy to grasp & employ (I am planning to re-read it sometime in the future if I become a bit stronger in tactics and also in technical endgames).

A second suggestion: How is your positional play? If you manage to improve that part of your game, some late middlegames may become easier to follow. For that you can use a 'middlegame' book (e.g. Silman's Reassess your Chess) or your coach. But this is more of a positive spill-over effect than directly addressing the real problem.. (i.e. all in all get Shereshevsky  Smiley)
  

"I play honestly and I play to win. If I lose, I take my medicine." - Bobby
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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #2 - 10/29/07 at 14:34:46
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Study Shereshevsky's "Endgame Strategy" carefully. Put is as number one. You can decide on further plans after reading that.
  

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Re: Endgame Improvement
Reply #1 - 10/29/07 at 09:21:33
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Flear's endgame books may be an idea. Iirc they are called "improving", "mastering" and "practical endgame play". The first 2 I have and they are good, the 3rd I think of buying.
These books have a different approach then most endgame books (esp mastering the endgame). Iso going through the typical endgame stuff he goes for one typical form (say r+2 vs r+1) and shows both the theory as well as how players do it in practice including his own mistakes. He also includes examples originating from the middle game.
  

If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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