What are the most useful endings to study in chess? My rating on ICC
is ~1350. I recently drew a game when I had a queen vs a knight, which
I now know was winable. However, it is very hard to win against best
play, and as someone has pointed out, it's probably not worth worrying
about, as its of little practical value.

Hence I'm wondering in what order should I study chess endings. I have
no trouble with queen vs king, or rook vs king, and have a basic
understanding of the 'key squares' when trying to promote pawns, so
have some reasonable chance of getting a pawn home.

I'm just wondering what endings are worth studying, and what are best
left for a move advanced player. For example, is rook vs queen worth
worrying about ? I suspect not, as I gather that can be shown to be a
win for the side with the queen (assuming the side with the rook can't
immediately take the qeeen), but again its a very hard win. Two king
+ 2 x bishops vs king is winable I gather, but again is a very hard
win.

I have the book 'Secrets of pawn endings' forward by Jophn Nunn, but I
find it heavy going. I do certainly learn from it, and there is no
doubt it has helped me queen some pawns that would have otherwise not
been queened.

Any thoughts ?

On 17 Apr 2004 07:57:51 -0700,
(Dr. David Kirkby)
wrote:

What are the most useful endings to study in chess? My rating on ICC
is ~1350. I recently drew a game when I had a queen vs a knight, which
I now know was winable. However, it is very hard to win against best
play, and as someone has pointed out, it's probably not worth worrying
about, as its of little practical value.

Right, that one is rare.

Hence I'm wondering in what order should I study chess endings. I have
no trouble with queen vs king, or rook vs king, and have a basic
understanding of the 'key squares' when trying to promote pawns, so
have some reasonable chance of getting a pawn home.

K+P vs. K is very important. And then K & P endgames with more pawns.

And R+P vs. R is important, but it can be diffucult. Start with the
Lucena and Philidor positions. And R & P endings with more pawns, but
it gets difficult.

And Q vs. a P on the 7th protected by the K. That's fairly important
and not too hard. It comes up fairly often after pawn races.

And I had a lot of minor piece and P endings.


I'm just wondering what endings are worth studying, and what are best
left for a move advanced player. For example, is rook vs queen worth
worrying about ?

That probably doesn't come up very often.

Two king
+ 2 x bishops vs king is winable I gather, but again is a very hard
win.

Do you mean K + 2B vs. K? That's pretty easy, but it doesn't come up
very often. I had it once.

I have the book 'Secrets of pawn endings' forward by Jophn Nunn, but I
find it heavy going.

That's a good one, but you probably need a book that covers more
types, and not as in depth first.

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Many books available.

I would recommend starting with Pandolfini's Endgame Course, I used this one
first and mastered the main end games quickly. Another one is 'Yasser
Seirwan's book' Endings, which I own too.

Let's us what you decide


"Dr. David Kirkby" m wrote
in message om...
What are the most useful endings to study in chess? My rating on ICC
is ~1350. I recently drew a game when I had a queen vs a knight, which
I now know was winable. However, it is very hard to win against best
play, and as someone has pointed out, it's probably not worth worrying
about, as its of little practical value.

Hence I'm wondering in what order should I study chess endings. I have
no trouble with queen vs king, or rook vs king, and have a basic
understanding of the 'key squares' when trying to promote pawns, so
have some reasonable chance of getting a pawn home.

I'm just wondering what endings are worth studying, and what are best
left for a move advanced player. For example, is rook vs queen worth
worrying about ? I suspect not, as I gather that can be shown to be a
win for the side with the queen (assuming the side with the rook can't
immediately take the qeeen), but again its a very hard win. Two king
+ 2 x bishops vs king is winable I gather, but again is a very hard
win.

I have the book 'Secrets of pawn endings' forward by Jophn Nunn, but I
find it heavy going. I do certainly learn from it, and there is no
doubt it has helped me queen some pawns that would have otherwise not
been queened.

Any thoughts ?

On 17 Apr 2004 07:57:51 -0700,
(Dr. David Kirkby)
wrote:

Any thoughts ?

I've thought about some books to recomend.

"Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge" by Averbakh is a good place to
start. I think it is still in print, but I'm not sure. You could
start with it or skip to one in the next section.

------------------
Then there are small, one-volume general books:

I've heard that "Essential Chess Endings" by Silman is highly
recomended, but I don't have it so I can't say.

"Essential Chess Endings" by Howell is good, and I recomend it.

I love and recomend "Practical Chess Endings" by Keres, but it is
probably out of print.

I don't like "A Guide to Chess Endings" by Euwe and Hooper, but "A
Pocket Guide to Chess Endings" by Hooper is good. (These may be out
of print.)

----------------------
Next are the bigger, one-volume general books, either:

"Fundamental Chess Endings" by Muller and Lamprecht

"Basic Chess Endings" by Fine and Benko (a classic by Fine, recently
updated by Benko).

I recomend either of these (or both).

Dovertsky's "Endgame Manual" is in this category, but I don't have it
yet, so I don't know if it is one to recomend.
-----------------

Then the next level is either the 5-volume "Comprehensive Chess
Endings" by Averbakh, et al - or books on individual endings. As much
as I liked CCE, today I'd recomend indivual books instead, such as:

"Secrets of Pawn Endings" by Nunn (which you said you have).
"The Survival Guide to Rook Endings" by Emms
"Rook Endings" by Levenfish and Smyslov (a classic, still in print I
think)

-----------
The next level would be the "Encyclopedia of Chess Endings", by
Informat, which I have seen, but don't have, and would not recomend
(unless perhaps if you are a master or close to it).

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At your level I wouldn't bother with specialist endgame books right now.

By all means get a 'general' endings book, but you should only consult it to
check up on your play after playing an ending.

Just getting the basics of endings from something like the Complete Idiots
Guide should be fine. You'll probably find that what's in there is a lot
more than most of your opponents know anyway.

(Dr. David Kirkby) wrote in message . com...
What are the most useful endings to study in chess? My rating on ICC
is ~1350. I recently drew a game when I had a queen vs a knight, which
I now know was winable. However, it is very hard to win against best
play, and as someone has pointed out, it's probably not worth worrying
about, as its of little practical value.

Hence I'm wondering in what order should I study chess endings. I have
no trouble with queen vs king, or rook vs king, and have a basic
understanding of the 'key squares' when trying to promote pawns, so
have some reasonable chance of getting a pawn home.

I'm just wondering what endings are worth studying, and what are best
left for a move advanced player. For example, is rook vs queen worth
worrying about ? I suspect not, as I gather that can be shown to be a
win for the side with the queen (assuming the side with the rook can't
immediately take the qeeen), but again its a very hard win. Two king
+ 2 x bishops vs king is winable I gather, but again is a very hard
win.

I have the book 'Secrets of pawn endings' forward by Jophn Nunn, but I
find it heavy going. I do certainly learn from it, and there is no
doubt it has helped me queen some pawns that would have otherwise not
been queened.

Any thoughts ?

Have you gone through any so-called elementary texts (i.e.
Pandolfini's or Silman's)?

It may be elementary knowledge but a serious student should know it
cold and not be jumping around.

what about K ,B, and N vs lone K? many books say some players will never
have it happen in a lifetime,but its happened to me several times-and
ive always got the mate before the 50. I`m 34 and I`ve had Fred
Reinfelds "Complete Chess Course" since highschool. As years went by the
positions became much clearer to me,(elementary checkmates) 2 bishops or
Knight and bishop--the secret ----just a quiet waiting move! The
reasoning I,m getting at is that you can bring these exchanges about and
then win! practice with a handheld and your favorite big board! yours in
chess,R. LoCash.

Is this guy trolling or is he a real jamook? Stunning.

..
I have to note that, although the advice given here by "Jud" is perfectly
sound, some of the works he listed are a bit advanced for
beginners/intermediate players. These players may find, say, Smyslov's or
Keres' books somewhat rough going, and it would be wise to start off with the
easier books first, then gradually work your way up to the more advanced books,
which are the ones most often recommended by the better players.

Generally speaking, it is certainly unnecessary for, say, a 1300 USCF, to
master all the endings in order to make substantial gains. You did well to
start off with King and pawn endings ("Start at the very beginning; a very good
place to start." -- Julie Andrews, in The Sound of Music)

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 16:29:07 -0400, (Rich
LoCash) wrote:

what about K ,B, and N vs lone K?

I almost had it come up once in a tournament. I was down to B+N+P vs
a minor piece (right now I don't remember if it was a B or N).
Suddenly I realized that if the opponent swapped his piece for my P, I
would have to win with B+N, and I'd never been able to do that in
practice. So I protected my P from being exchanged, and exchanged
pieces to win.

Fundamental Chess Endings says it is "quite tricky" and of the 283
such endings in their database, 62 were drawn (by players who should
have been able to win). It came up 283 times out of nearly 1,700,000
games, only about once out of 6000 games. It would be a good ending
to know, but it is pretty rare. It is more common than K+2B vs. K,
and I'm pretty sure I had that come up.


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