Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library) - Softcover

Pandolfini, Bruce

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0671656880 ISBN 13: 9780671656881

Publisher: Touchstone, 1988

Synopsis

Based on his private course for students, America’s foremost chess coach and game strategist for Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit presents an easy-to-use guide that explains invaluable "inner circle" endgame concepts for players of any level.

The endgame has always been a particularly instructive phase of chess play. It provides the perfect opportunity for understanding the potential power of each chess piece in every chess situation—from opening move to checkmate.

But the endgame is often viewed as an inaccessible area of play by most players whose experience is limited to watching championship games. Now, Pandolfini changes all of that.

With one endgame example per page and covering every endgame category in order of difficulty, Paldolfini walks you through all the basic concepts including:

--square of the pawn
--critical squares
--corresponding squares
--other new approaches not mentioned in classic references

Featuring a glossary of concepts and diagrams throughout, this volume is the not-so-secret password to a whole new realm of chess play and entertainment for the average player.

About this title

About the Author

Bruce Pandolfini is one of the world’s most sought-after chess teachers and one of the most widely read chess writers working today. His role as analyst for PBS’s coverage of the 1972 match between chess superstars Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky first launched him into the public eye. His coaching of chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin was portrayed in the book and film Searching for Bobby Fischer. He is a regular columnist for Chess Life, the bible of the chess world, and continues to coach young players professionally and consults for CEOs from numerous Fortune 500 companies. Pandolfini also created over 300 hypothetical games as a consultant for Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. He lives in New York City.

From the Back Cover

The endgame has always been a particularly instructive phase of chess play. it provides the perfect opportunity for understanding the potential power of each chess piece in every chess situation-from opening move to checkmate. Yet unfortunately. the endgame is often viewed as an inaccessible area of play by average players whose experience is usually limited to watching championship games. Now Pandolfini's Endgame Course changes all that.

Reviews

These two works are as unalike as books about the same game can possibly be. Both are fine choices for their respective audiences. Pandolfini's, which uses algebraic notation throughout, is aimed at the beginning or intermediate player. It consists of 239 specific endgame positions, progressing from elementary endings to some subtle minor piece and pawn situations. Almost every example illustrates a specific principle, which is usually clearly stated. Since in many chess games, the choice of strategy is determined by the player's knowledge of what constitutes a winning endgame advantage, this is a valuable source of information. By contrast, Suetin's book, which uses the universal figurine, algebraic notation, is aimed at the more advanced club player who is trying to improve to expert or master status. Such players often find the crucial step to be the transition from the "book" position to the middle game. It is this transition that Suetin addresses. Each section has an introduction in which certain basic strategic principles are given; one or more illustrative games with some detailed analysis; and several unanalyzed sample games. Both books are recommended for libraries which have or are developing a chess collection. Harold D. Shane, Baruch Coll., CUNY
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Touchstone
• Publication date: 1988
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0671656880
• ISBN 13: 9780671656881
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320