Grandmaster Edmar Mednis, a world expert on the endgame, shows how to proceed in the minimum number of moves from the opening to a favorable endgame, essentially bypassing the middlegame. He discusses 11 different openings, including both open and closed systems, in each case explaining the best routes to particular endgame positions. These positions are then analyzed, using master games to illustrate various winning plans. Because of the clear exposition of endgame principles, the student will learn not only about these specific positions, but also about endgame play in general.
Publisher: Everyman Chess Author: Edmar Mednis Year of Publication: 1994
Pages: 220 Notation Type: Algebraic (AN)
Book Description
Grandmaster Edmar Mednis, a world expert on the endgame, shows how to proceed in the minimum number of moves from the opening to a favorable endgame, essentially bypassing the middlegame. He discusses 11 different openings, including both open and closed systems, in each case explaining the best routes to particular endgame positions. These positions are then analyzed, using master games to illustrate various winning plans. Because of the clear exposition of endgame principles, the student will learn not only about these specific positions, but also about endgame play in general.
Your major pieces, the rook and queen in chess can wreak major havoc on your opponents. These powerful, long-range pieces often deliver the decisive follow-up blow after a sacrifice.
Despite their strength, they are not all about brute force, and as you get familiar with the rook and queen, you will learn to use them more subtly.
The following is an introduction to the major pieces and how you can get a little more from your rooks and queen in chess.
Beginners are not the only ones who need to brush up on the endgame. Many a titled player has blundered in the endgame.
Jose Raul Capablanca once said, “To improve at chess, you must, in the first instance, study the endgame.” Despite the study of the endgame in chess being crucial to improving our chess, it remains a neglected part of the game by many.
You might find it helpful to follow GM Simon Williams’ advice to think of the pawn structure in chess as the skeleton of your position and the pieces as the organs. Pawns are much less fluid than pieces and often find themselves in fixed positions since they cannot move backward.
Understanding the pawn structure in chess will help you find the best squares for your pieces. You will also know which exchanges are favorable to you.
