Which book would you choose to read first?
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I like Jeremy Silman's Complete Endgame Course and I am a very low rated player. (Just look at my ratings!). I like it because it begins with very basic but essential endgames and moves up logically and systematically up to master level and beyond. Well written and well explained. Good luck.
Oct 27, 2017
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#3
Yes, I've worked a good ways through that book multiple times. I'll agree with you that it is a neat book.
Oct 28, 2017
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#4
Based on the titles, I would choose winning over practical, but that's just my pragmatic way of looking through this topic.
In my humble opinion the Keres book is a tough one. It seems more of a reference to me than a 'work through' kind of book. Many of the older endgames books tried to be encyclopedic rather than didactic like some of the more modern ones. Personally I believe you have to have 'test me' like sessions at the end of a chapter or section, forcing you to work.
Some of the middle-game treatises also touch on the endgame as well like ' My System' and Euwe's 'Judgement and Planning in Chess'.
Oct 29, 2017
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#6
I was 1600 or so OTB when I read the Lev Albert book, and I understood it ok I think. Note that it's meant to be read after reading his comprehensive chess course volumes 1 and 2, but these are much more basic.
I haven't read the Keres book but if good players are saying it's tough then of those two read the alburt book first.
Or get the averbach book instead ! Great explanation of mate with bishop plus knight v king
I'd start with ...
Pandolfini's Endgame Course
given on your list, it will be Winning Chess Endgames Just the Facts, Lev Alburt.
Aizen89 wrote:
Just my opinion (please tell me if I'm wrong): there's really only one instructional endgame book you need, and that's Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual. After that, you just need to study some endgame collections like Capablanca's Best Chess Endings.
dvoretsky's book is a great book and there are informations there that even players who are not advance will pick up. but this book also skip materials that a beginner should first know. hence this book is not an ideal first endgame book.
I am wondering which book would be better to read first for the amateur. Note that this will not be my first endgame book, just the next one.
1) Practical Chess Endings, Paul Keres
2) Winning Chess Endgames Just the Facts, Lev Alburt