22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Benko and Hochberg revise a classic, November 26, 2004
I have received literally dozens of requests to review this book.
I have owned this book for close to (or over) a year, I wanted to spend a little time looking at it, it is a huge volume - there is much material here to ponder and analyze. At over 600 pages, I don't think that the word, "massive" is out of place.
Before you go any further ... if you are seriously considering purchasing this book ... you definitely should go to IM J. Silman's web site and read IM Anthony Saidy's book review. It is detailed, thorough, and very comprehensive.
Here is my two cents worth, and I will try to be as brief as possible.
GM R. Fine wrote the original book in about 4-6 months, the world's endgame experts did not believe that this feat could be accomplished in ten years!!! (A truly Herculean feat - by one of the greatest American players and writers, ever!) Fine managed this trick without computers, databases, etc. Naturally many errors were eventually discovered.
Benko and Hochberg took it upon themselves to update this work; it was sadly in need of a revision. Not only to correct all the mistakes, but to change the book to from the old - now completely outdated E.S.D.N. - to the more modern algebraic notation.
I agree with Saidy, this work is a step in the right direction ... but - - -
A few of my complaints are:
1. I found dozens of errors, despite the fact that the authors promised us a book that was meticulously checked by computers and the great Pal Benko. (My current volume already has dozens of corrections and notes in the margins, and about 50-to-75 bookmarks for places that I want to go back and analyze even further - sometime in the future.)
2. Many times, important endgames from the period since this book was originally written, (post-1941); have been completely ignored.
3. Many basic reference works, like "The Encyclopedia of Chess Endings," (by the same guys who print the INFORMANTS); were obviously not even consulted; many endings could have been updated or corrected simply by a careful review of these books.
4. Many endgames have 'dual' solutions. These have been completely ignored.
5. The current authors did not attempt to explain the basic ideas of many of the newer examples that were added, Fine often went to great lengths to do this.
6. Benko's additions/replacements of his own bizarre problems often set my teeth on edge. Fine's original volume only had positions that were VERY practical or were culled from actual games. Benko's weird additions look out of place in this book; I much prefer many of the original positions - even with their many mistakes.
Having said all this, you might think I hated this book, but I don't. I give it four stars and a HIGH recommendation. ANY player who considers themselves a serious student of the game - regardless of their rating - must purchase this book. ALL correspondence players will find this volume a true God-send when trying to analyze or learn a difficult ending.
Let us just hope that the next set of authors that take a whack at this - start from scratch ... and are capable of using a computer and have the necessary reference books on hand. This book is good, and a tremendous work ... but falls far short of being great or the type of work that it aspired to be ... or even should have been!
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26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive? Yes. Helpful? Maybe. Interesting? No way., August 2, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Basic Chess Endings (Paperback)
This book is NOT a learning tool. It is for more experienced players with a need to refer to certain endgame positions. Players new to endgame study should AVOID this tome. I wish I had. When I was just an 1800 USCF player, I had access only to this dry, pedantic, boring, dictionary and hated endgame study for years after. I am rated 2300 USCF now, and I wouldn't wish my worst enemy use this book for improvement purposes. Unless, you really want to learn endgames the hard way. buy something else
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17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Basic Chess Endings, May 1, 2000
This review is from: Basic Chess Endings (Paperback)
Reuben Fine was a brilliant GM, but his book, Basic Chess Endings, is not basic. For someone of average tournament strength (USCF 1450) or below, this book serves only as a reference book. In that regard, Basic Chess Endings is impressive, but of extremely limited value.
Beginners through average tournament grade are better off investing time in a more fundamental text, of which there are many. Lev Alburt's, Just the Facts, appears to be more appropriate for the vast majority of chess players. Scott gru-Bell USCF ID#12738508.
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