Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library) [Paperback]

Bruce Pandolfini (Author)

Book Description

Series: Fireside Chess Library | Publication Date: October 15, 1988

Based on master teacher Pandolfini's private course for his students, this easy-to-use volume explains invaluable "inner circle" concepts and examples in a clear and entertaining format that allows any student with a basic knowledge of chess to enjoy endgame study--while also vastly improving every aspect of his or her chess play. With one endgame example per page and covering every endgame category in order of difficulty, Pandolfini walks the reader through all the basic endgame concepts. Features:square of the pawn critical squares corresponding squares new approaches not mentioned in many of the classic referencesWith a glossary of concepts and black-and-white diagrams throughout, this breakthrough volume is the not-so-secret password to a whole new realm of chess play and entertainment for the average player.Specifications:Author: PandolfiniBook Type: Paperback, 1988Notation: Algebraic NotationPages: 311

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (October 15, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671656880
• ISBN-13: 978-0671656881
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great first book on endgames, February 4, 2003

By 

C. Dunn "independent thinker" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library) (Paperback)

Study endgames first! This seems counter-intuitive, but it is the best way to make your brain understand how the pieces move. A combination of tactics and endgame training is the quickest route to success for the average player. Don't waste time on the openings until you are a Master, rated 2000+.

This book is perfect for learning, as opposed to simply memorizing. The reason is that each page builds on the previous page, and each section on the previous section. You don't need to wade through pages of variations because, by the time you get to a given lesson, you have already learned the positions which result from the alternate moves. That moment of Eureka makes the book great fun!

For example, he shows you how to mate with various pieces, so that you know a won endgame when you see one. In these lessons, he'll show you what a King-Bishop-Bishop v. King mate looks like in the corner. Then he'll show you how to roll the King into the corner across the edge of the board. Then he'll show you how to get that bishop-roll started. Each lesson typically ends with a position from a previous lesson, so you can play it out to reinforce what you had learned earlier.

Later, he shows you how to turn a pawn into a Queen in various pawn endings. Again, some lessons end in previously learned positions. Others are simply new positions to learn, but of gradually increasing difficulty. At appropriate times, he shows you the stalemate opportunities to watch out for. And it's all at a beginner level (around 1000-1400 USCF) avoiding deep variations to keep track of in your head.

The way to use the book is to play a lesson out on a board, to test all possible refuations yourself. When you get lost, refer back to the book. I've been going over this book that way with a friend, which is a great way to learn ALL tries and refutations!

I have several other endgame books. I wish I could obtain the Out-Of-Print Seirawan book, but this is by far the best beginner book in print. Silman's Essential Chess Endings Explained Move by Move is a good second book, with some overlap, if you can find it.

Some people complain about the many typos in Pandolfini books. To me, finding the typo is just part of solving the problem. Since he always explains in words where the pieces are generally headed, then follows with lines of chess notation, it's very easy to spot his mistake. Still, only 4 1/2 stars, because of the typos.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Basic knowledge for beginner to intermediate players., November 27, 2002

By 

Bryan Castro (Williamsville, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library) (Paperback)

I think this book is a great start to learning the endgame. Pandolfini explains each position and the ideas behind most of the moves. It is true, some of these positions are very simple, but this book is geared towards people who have never studied the endgame. I got this book when I just started playing chess competitively (around rating 1000). I went through this book step by step, as it is ordered from easiest to more complex. This helped increase my understanding of concepts such as opposition, corresponding squares, and maneuvers with the rook. I think the most important sections in this book are the rook and pawn and king and pawn sections, as these come up very often in actual play. The format is easy to follow and it is a good book to read from front to back if you have little or no knowledge of the endgame. As you get better, you can practice your visualization by looking at the diagram and visualizing the moves without using a board while reviewing the position. After you have studied this book, you can move onto more advanced endgame instructional books.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be Entitled "Just the Facts", September 1, 2003

By 

michael thomas (lynnwood, washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library) (Paperback)

I've just written a review on Lev Alburt's book, "Just the Facts", which is not, as I point out, "just the facts". That book is cluttered with trivia and weighed down by style and format; therefore it's very confusing to the targeted reader, the amateur chess player. Panolfini's Endgame Course, by happy contrast, is indeed "just the facts".

This wonderful book simplifies all the intimidating endgame principles that other endgame books only make more intimidating! He starts out with basic mates and all their fine points, such as "closing in" with a queen, "cutting off" with a rook, "taking away" squares from the opposing King, and so on. . .then advances on to basic King and Pawn principles, and in so doing, Pandolfini covers concepts, in plain English, that most other books do not cover, such as "critical squares" (a critical concept!), "corresponding squares", "outflanking", getting the opposing King to block his own pawn via clever maneouvering, and many others, including, of course, the "opposition". After about 100 pages of King and Pawn concepts, Bruce throws in the other pieces to illustrate how they change the situation, but still keeping an eye on how to "boil down" the position to a simple King and Pawn.

A great example of neat stuff in this book could be demonstrated by Position #176 on Page 223, where White sacrifices his Knight in order to bring the position down to your basic King and Pawn elements. Bruce shows how White, in this position, forces Black to cooperate and in so doing the White King ends up occupying one of Black's "critical squares". . . therefore Black is neutered and White ends up promoting his pawn.

In fact, you'll find that much of winning endgame play involves the concept of "critical squares", and getting your King and pawns to occupy them, and preventing your opponent from occupying his. Bruce spends many pages on these concepts, and another key example is Position #107 on Page 143, where he demonstrates sacrificing a pawn so that your King can occupy one of these squares. Another beautiful concept is discussed in Positions #93 and #94, Pages 125 and 126, where White is defending because he has the weaker position. . .he therefore sacrifices his pawn so that the position has now changed with the White King now occupying one of Black's critical squares, preventing Black from winning and leading to a draw ("Changing the Critical Squares").

Also discussed is the tricky "corresponding squares" principle, which is a complicated version of the "opposition", where both Kings maneouver around each other attempting to take the opposition. This is illustrated, among other places, in Diagram 113, on Page 149.

On the downside are, of course, all the typos that you've been reading about, such as Diagram 97, on Page 130, where the entire diagram is off by one file (White has a pawn on the g-file but the text and move lines talk about advancing the h pawn). . . and all the other typos. In my opinion, these typos demonstrate sloppy and amateurish editing, but do not significantly interfere with the author's explanatory skills. In other words, you will benefit greatly from this book if you study it conscientiously, and in the process the typos will only be a slight annoyance which you'll be able to deal with easily. As you can see, I have not "marked down" my rating for this book because of the typos; I have given it 5 stars because you will come away with a 5-star understanding of endgames if you concentrate on the material at hand. Besides, you'll be able to figure out the author's intentions as you delve into the concepts.

By the way, another good endgame book to read, after Pandolfini's Endgame Course, would be Silman's Essential Endgames Move by Move, published by, I believe, Chess Digest. This is another book which indeed discusses "just the facts".

And one more thing: I am a rank amateur, probably around a "D" class, maybe approaching "C". But this is what I feel gives me the right to be critical with these books. I know what an amateur needs, because I am an amateur myself. I've learned that sometimes these grandmasters have difficulty explaining concepts to us plain folk. . . kind of like Einstein trying to explain his Theory of Relativity.