Product Description

In a major event in chess publishing, two German endgame experts have produced a masterly one-volume encyclopedia that covers all major endgames. This is the first truly modern one-volume endgame encyclopedia. It makes full use of endgame tablebases; where previous authors could only make educated guesses, Muller and Lamprecht have often been able to state the definitive truth, or get much closer to it. New time-controls involve competitive games being played to finish in one session, so it is especially important that chess players understand the key endgame principles this book provides comprehensive assistance for any players wishing to study the endgame. In addition to a feast of detailed analysis, the authors emphasize the practical side of endgame play, describing rules of thumb, principles and thinking methods. "Fundamental Chess Endings" is both the ideal endgame reference work, and a book that can profitably and enjoyably be read from start to finish.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81090 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

About the Author
Karsten Muller is a young grandmaster from Germany, who competes regularly in the Bundesliga and in international events. He finished third in the German Championship in 1996, and was runner-up in 1997. He is a noted authority on both practical and theoretical endgames. Frank Lamprecht is also from Germany, and is an international master. He has been a chess trainer since 1983 and was also co-author (with Karsten Muller) of the highly acclaimed "Secrets of Pawn Endings."

Customer Reviews

Very, very good
Do you really want to learn the very core of chess endgames? Then just buy this book (and read it)!

The endgame bible
This is one-volume encyclopaedia covering all endgame techniques. An advanced chess book for players rated over 2000. I would not recommend this endgame book for players rated below 2000. The problem for those players is that it is not easy to find the endgame elements and techniques a player rated below 2000 should focus on and exclude the rest. I miss a clearer index of the instructive examples (this is almost given as a footnote on the last page). It is not easy to lookup different standard position and techniques in this book. Examples are Triangulation, Vancura position, etc. Even the simple technique - opposition, has no chapter name, so have to go to the chapter "2.1 King + Pawn (s) vs King" to find it. But of course, this is an award winning book, so if you want an advanced "all-in-one" endgame book, this is the book for you.

Encyclopedic but not user-friendly
Many of the other reviews have argued that Karsten and Muller have created a single-volume endgame book that has all the key points of the endgame.

This may be so, but I have tried to sit down and use it for study only to be disappointed. The material is fairly well organized, but it is too dense to work with. This is the sort of endgame book that gives endgame books a bad name. It is full of information but is dry as dust.

I recommend Dvoretsky's "Endgame Manual" instead for almost all players. That book uses two colors of font to highlight important positions. "Fundamental Chess Endings uses almost the same style as "Basic Chess Endings" (written by Reuben Fine 19 1941) and feels as dusty.

If you have the money and desire, get both books. But you will probably use Dvoretsky's book more.