History of endgame literature Chess endgame literature

philidor (1726-1795)

ruy lópez de segura s 1561 book contained 8 paragraphs on endgames. used spanish rules in effect @ time, stalemate , baring opponent s king half-wins (roycroft 1972:69). in 1617 pietro carrera published knowledge of several types of endgames, including queen versus 2 bishops, 2 rooks versus rook , knight, , 2 rooks versus rook , bishop. several writers published books developing endgame theory: gioachino greco in 1624, philipp stamma in 1737, , françois-andré philidor in 1749 (stiller 1996:153). in 1634 alessandro salvio analyzed endgames, including key position in rook endgames (golombek 1977:101). philidor s book contained more endgame analysis earlier books. first edition analyzed rook , bishop versus rook endgame. later editions covered bishop , knight checkmate, rook , pawn versus bishop, queen versus rook , pawn, queen versus rook, rook , pawn versus rook (including philidor position), queen , pawn versus queen, queen versus pawn on seventh rank, knight versus pawn, 2 pawns versus 1 pawn, , 2 isolated pawns versus 2 connected pawns (golombek 1976:121).

in eighteenth century important books written italians (the modenese masters ) domenico lorenzo ponziani, ercole del rio (1750), , giambattista lolli (1763) (horwitz & kling 1986). lolli s book based on del rio s work , 1 of important next 90 years. studied endgame of queen versus 2 bishops , agreed earlier opinion of salvio draw. later overturned computer endgame tablebases, when ken thompson found 71-move solution. however, lolli did find unique position of mutual zugzwang in endgame (see diagram) (stiller 1996:154), (nunn 2002:298). lolli s 315-page book first giving practical research. material came several sources, including analysis philidor (golombek 1977:101).

in 1766 carlo cozio published analysis of 127 endgame positions, not practical handbook (golombek 1977:101). in 1851 bernhard horwitz , josef kling published chess studies, or endings of games, contained 427 positions. in 1884 horwitz added more fifty positions book, retitled chess studies , end-games, , omitted kling s name (horwitz & kling 1986). other important books fins de parties d echecs phillipe ambroise durand , jean-louis preti in 1871, , teoria e pratica del giuoco degli scacchi signor salvioli in 1877 (golombek 1977:101). horowitz , kling s analysis of endgame of 2 bishops versus knight had been questioned, , overturned computer databases (see pawnless chess endgame) (stiller 1996:154). in 1864 alfred crosskill published analysis of endgame of rook , bishop versus rook, endgame has been studied @ least far philidor in 1749 (stiller 1996:154).

howard staunton in chess-player s handbook, published in 1847, included 100 pages of analysis of endgames (staunton 1847:403–500). analysis of rare rook versus 3 minor pieces endgame surprisingly sophisticated. staunton wrote, 3 minor pieces stronger rook, , in cases 2 of them bishops win without difficulty, because player of rook compelled lose him 1 of adversary s pieces. if, however, there 2 knights , 1 bishop opposed rook, latter may exchanged bishop, , 2 knights insufficient of force checkmate, game drawn. (staunton 1847:439) writing shortly before staunton, george walker reached same conclusions. (walker 1846:253–54) modern-day endgame tablebases confirm walker , staunton s assessments of both endings (müller & lamprecht 2001:403). yet reuben fine, 94 years after staunton, erroneously wrote in basic chess endings both types of rook versus 3 minor piece endings theoretically drawn (fine 1941:521). grandmaster pal benko, endgame authority , fine world-class player @ peak, perpetuated fine s error in 2003 revision of basic chess endings (fine & benko 2003:524). grandmaster andrew soltis in 2004 book expressly disagreed staunton, claiming rook versus 2 bishops , knight drawn correct play (soltis 2004:84). endgame tablebases had proven staunton correct, , soltis wrong, although can take 68 moves win (müller & lamprecht 2001:403).

johann berger (1845-1933)

the modern period of chess endgame books begins theorie und praxis der endspiele (theory , practice of endgame) johann berger. published in 1891, revised in 1922, , supplemented in 1933. standard work on practical endgames decades (golombek 1977:101). many later books based on berger s book (purdy 2003:155–56). edward freeborough wrote 130-page book of analysis of queen versus rook endgame, chess ending, king & queen against king & rook, published in 1895. henri rinck (1870-1952) specialist in pawnless endgames , a. a. troitsky (1866-1942) famous analysis of 2 knights versus pawn (stiller 1996:154). in 1927 ilya rabinovich published comprehensive book in russian titled endgame, designed teaching. updated version appeared in 1938 (rabinovich 2012:7). (an english version of second edition published in 2012 russian endgame handbook.) eugene znosko-borovsky published how play chess endings in 1940.

in 1941, reuben fine published basic chess endings, attempt collect practical endgame knowledge 1 volume. still useful today , has been revised pal benko (golombek 1977:101). half of andré chéron s (1895–1980) book traite complet d echecs endgame, , later wrote nouveau traite complet d echecs, large book endgame. later expanded four-volume lehr- und handbuch der endspiele in german, translated 1952 version in french (purdy 2003:244). major work endgame studies not designed practical player.

yuri averbakh published monumental set of books in russian in 1956. works first published in english several individual books (pawn endings, bishop endings, knight endings, bishop v. knight endings, rook endings, queen , pawn endings, queen v. rook/minor piece endings, rook v. minor piece endings) , later collected five-volume comprehensive chess endings. published in other languages (golombek 1977:101). bobby fischer had these books sent him during world championship match (averbakh & chekover 1977:jacket). world champion max euwe published comprehensive eight-volume das endspiel in 1957 (rosen 2003:7,9,172).

some other major endgame books rook endings grigory levenfish , vasily smyslov (1971), practical chess endings paul keres (1973), fundamental chess endings karsten müller , frank lamprecht (2001), dvoretsky s endgame manual mark dvoretsky (2003), , silman s complete endgame course jeremy silman (2007).