28 Dec 07
There are some classics, but none are as comprehensive as Silman's Endgame Course, in my opinion. It covers literally almost everything, and it arranges it in a manner that makes it easy to approach.
You could probably buy several books to cover the same material, but I like having it in a single resource if possible.
28 Dec 07
Originally posted by vipiuSilman's book is split up into ratings. The first chapter is for ratings 0 to 1100 I believe and covers very basic endgame knowledge like opposition. Then it works upwards adding more advanced material the higher you get in ratings. Its designed to be bought and read by a very low rated player and only read when their rating has achieved the next section. So if you are a D player, you read the first 2 sections then put the book down until you become a C player, then you read that section etc.
i already have Dvoresky's book and i am planning to read...can you please describe more Silman's? what is the level of the reader and of the information presented there ? Would I benefit from it ?
28 Dec 07
1 edit
Originally posted by LeaadasI just bought it myself, but at first glance, I really like Silman's Endgame book. As usual, his ability to reason at an amateur's level (and therefore be able to preach to them) is top notch.
Silman's book is split up into ratings. The first chapter is for ratings 0 to 1100 I believe and covers very basic endgame knowledge like opposition. Then it works upwards adding more advanced material the higher you get in ratings. Its designed to be bought and read by a very low rated player and only read when their rating has achieved the next section. So ...[text shortened]... 2 sections then put the book down until you become a C player, then you read that section etc.
The only thing about Silman is that he comes off so stubborn and rigid sometimes. For example, he deliberately left out the KBN vs K endgame saying that it was so rare and complicated that it was not worth wasting the time to learn. In my opinion, yes it's rare, yes it's complicated, but it's one of those endgames that amateurs *want* to learn just for interest sake, so he should have included it, as an appendix, if nothing else.
28 Dec 07
Originally posted by ChesswickSilman also has an older book (hard to find perhaps but much more manageable) called Essential Chess Endings Move By Move (published by Chess Digest). I would imagine that it has everything the typical class player requires without overloading him. I've only read the section on King & Pawn endings so far, but it was quite good.
There are some classics, but none are as comprehensive as Silman's Endgame Course, in my opinion. It covers literally almost everything, and it arranges it in a manner that makes it easy to approach.
You could probably buy several books to cover the same material, but I like having it in a single resource if possible.
28 Dec 07
Originally posted by LeaadasYeah, this is the strength of Silman's book. It's very principled and pragmatic, which is overall, strangely lacking in endgame books.
Silman's book is split up into ratings. The first chapter is for ratings 0 to 1100 I believe and covers very basic endgame knowledge like opposition. Then it works upwards adding more advanced material the higher you get in ratings. Its designed to be bought and read by a very low rated player and only read when their rating has achieved the next section. So ...[text shortened]... 2 sections then put the book down until you become a C player, then you read that section etc.
28 Dec 07
Originally posted by bosintangyou are right with this....I consider N+B mate like a milestone...
I just bought it myself, but at first glance, I really like Silman's Endgame book. As usual, his ability to reason at an amateur's level (and therefore be able to preach to them) is top notch.
The only thing about Silman is that he comes off so stubborn and rigid sometimes. For example, he deliberately left out the KBN vs K endgame saying that it was s ...[text shortened]... arn just for interest sake, so he should have included it, as an appendix, if nothing else.
I have just downloaded now Silman's book and reading briefly...
his writing style is great as always
too much wasted paper with basic stuff
second part is interesting though....
28 Dec 07
Originally posted by vipiuI don't speak for *every* endgame book obviously, but the ones I've tried I've usually felt lacking. They were either too easy or too difficult. They've usually felt like a collection of puzzles that felt more theoretical and academic than knowledge that has immediate pay-off in the here and now of someone with my skill level. (For example solving the K - KBN engame really *is* an academic rather than practical skill).
"strangely lacking in endgame books"...
how do you know this? did you read many endgame books?
But hey, different strokes for different people. And if Silman's course is not your cup of tea, then that's fine.
29 Dec 07
Silman's complete Endgame Course from Beginner to Master is definitely my favorite and really the only one I think you need until you get to the level of needing Reuben Fine's endgame book which is way too dense for my liking but covers EVERYTHING.
Silman left out some, KBN v K for example, but these so rarely come up that it's probably not worth your time learning it. I know the basic idea, and can almost do it, but I throw it in the catagory as K3N v K since they come up just about as often.
29 Dec 07
1 edit
Originally posted by bosintangI totally agree with you about Silman's book missing out the K,N,B V's K ending (which is covered very well in Seirawans book)....especially as there is the spin off benefit of learning to co-ordinate the B & N.
I don't speak for *every* endgame book obviously, but the ones I've tried I've usually felt lacking. They were either too easy or too difficult. They've usually felt like a collection of puzzles that felt more theoretical and academic than knowledge that has immediate pay-off in the here and now of someone with my skill level. (For example solving the K ...[text shortened]... es for different people. And if Silman's course is not your cup of tea, then that's fine.
For a tip someone passed on to me in another thread...there is a bot on ICC where you can practice this ending...it can be quite a laugh as it tells you "checkmate in 26 moves...checkmate in 25 moves ...etc. and then you can see if you can do it in 26 moves.
However when I cracked this and was feeling very proud of the accomplishment it occurred to me that it is probably easier to learn this against best play...as it follows a repeatable pattern than against a not quite so good defense. The reason is that if someone takes you out of the pattern (by playing a weaker move) and you can't take advantage of it (because the pattern has changed) then you may well jump back from say a checkmate in 10 to a checkmate in 26 again..and run out of moves under the 50 move rule.
As for endgame books they all seem to claim not to be dry dull endings books!
For quick digestible " golden nuggetts of endgame wisdom" - it says this on the cover - there is "101 Chess Endgame Tips" by Steve Giddins (Gambit) and also worth a look and in a similar vein is "Improve Your Endgame Play" by Glen Flear (Everyman Chess) and "Starting Out: Rook Endgames" by Chris Ward
I also have "Grandmaster Secrets Endings" by Andrew Soltis which has a lot of fun banter about errr...how fun endgame's can be and how you don't need to spend countless hours working through weighty tomes covering positions you'll probably never meet. It comes complete with caricatures and a sometimes banal dialog between the imaginary Noah Tall a veteran Grandmaster and Pat Sayre an enthusiastic young amateur ...but I couldn't get into it so have put it aside to read at a later date.