Product Description

For more than 100 years, the world's leading chess players and teachers have told their students to study the endgame. Now, for the first time, a revolutionary, richly instructive endgame book has been designed for players of all levels. Silman's Complete Endgame Course, by famed writer and player Jeremy Silman, is the one and only endgame book you'll need as you move up the ladder from beginner to strong tournament player and finally to master.

Designed to "speak" to a player in a very personal way, Silman's book teaches the student everything he or she needs to know at his or her current rating level, and builds on that knowledge for each subsequent phase of the player's development. Starting at the beginner's level, all basic mates are clearly and painstakingly explained. After that, the critical building blocks that form the endgame foundation for all tournament hopefuls and experienced tournament competitors are explored in detail. Finally, advanced endgame secrets based on concepts rather than memorization are presented in a way that makes them easy to master.

The basic keys to a well-rounded endgame education--Opposition, the Lucena and Philidor Positions, Cat and Mouse, Trebuchet, Fox in the Chicken Coup, Triangulation, Building a Box, Square of a Pawn, Outflanking, the Principle of Two Weaknesses--are vital. But equally important is creating a love of the endgame, which is addressed at the end of the book with a look at chess tactics, minor piece domination, and a discussion of the five greatest endgame players of all time--all things that every fan of chess at every level can enjoy.

If you have found the endgame to be a mystery, if you have found that your confidence plummets once you reach an endgame, if you have searched for an instructive endgame book that will turn your weakest link--your endgame--into your personal field of power, your search is over. Silman's Complete Endgame Course is the key to a world of essential ideas, startling beauty, and stunning creativity.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4016 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-31
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 530 pages

From the Back Cover
International Master Jeremy Silman has a rare talent of seeing chess not only from his perspective, but also from the point of view of a club player. Because of that, I always recommend Jeremy's books to my students and get very positive feedback from them. Now I know what I'll recommend for their endgame work! --Alexander Baburin, International Grandmaster

Superb and highly instructive--an excellent learning tool for both the novice and expert alike. --Pal Benko, International Grandmaster

One of the best endgame books I've ever seen. The idea to divide material according to rating group is great! --Gregory Kaidanov, International Grandmaster

About the Author
Jeremy Silman is an International Master and a world-class teacher, writer, and player who has won the American Open, the National Open, and the U.S. Open. Considered by many to be the game's preeminent instructive writer, he is the author of over thirty-six popular books, including How to Reassess Your Chess (universally accepted as a modern classic), The Amateur's Mind, The Complete Book of Chess Strategy, and The Reassess your Chess Workbook. fans of the game instruction, book reviews, theoretical articles, and details of his work in the creation of the chess scene in the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Customer Reviews

A rare bird
I bought this book for a specific purpose: to learn more about drawing Rook vs Rook + pawn endings. I've been working through Convekta's Chess Endgame Training and have found that many exercises end in a position declared a draw but that would still leave me nervous as the weaker side. One strong player told me that every Russian schoolboy know those drawn positions. Oh, to be a Russian schoolboy.

IM Silman's book does indeed address these positions in some detail. Initially, I was not able to find the information, having relied on a quick scan and a look in the index, which has no entry for 'draw'. I sent IM Silman's an email asking why such important information had been omitted. I was surprised to receive a warm and helpful email in reply that explained that, in the spriit of the book itself, infromation about R vs R + P endings was introduced in stages throughout the book. He also mentioned Emms book on rook endings which contains the same material but compacted into one place over 13 pages.

I prefer IM Silman's treatment because ultimately the collected pieces form a more thorough whole.

Overall, the book is a treasure. I don't know of another work that is so accessible, yet complete. Previously I had to make due with the interesting but error-ridden Endgame Course by Pandolfini. One thing I do like about Pandolfini's book is the catchy names he applies to endgame techniques and positions. IM Silman also uses that mneumonic technique but to a lesser extent.

I had also previously relied on Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual. That is a superb reference book but not friendly to someone learning the ropes. For example, Dvoretsky has a page on corresponding squares. It became clear that I was not comprehending the nuances of what he was saying. I tried and tried. In the end I bought Müller and Lamprecht's Secrets of Pawn Endings which covered the same concept but over the course of a dozen pages. Then I got it. I think.

IM Silman's book, on the other hand, is designed so that there are no unresolved mysteries at each stage. Its a nice concept and well done.

The only thing that keeps me from giving the book a full five stars is the single-column format. The book is beautifully laid out and with generous diagrams but I remain convinced the a two column layout is superior.

1500 icc standard
This book is one of the best I've read until now. It is really a pleasure to read it for hours and hours.

Silman-complete endgame course
the best endgame book I have seen, easy to understand and
divided as to your skill, also easy to remember , Silman is great teacher.