[what is this?]

[what is this?]

<< previous | page 4 of 10 | next >>

Capablanca's Best Chess Endings Games from Irving Chernev's "Capablanca's Best Chess Endings" The opening of a game is important - and hundreds of books are written on the opening. The opening leads to the midgame. The midgame is important - and hundreds of books are written on the midgame. The midgame leads to the endgame. The endgame is important - and *no books are written on the endgame*! Yes, there are books, but they concern themselves with composed endings, or with theoretical (and for the most part artificial) positions. The composed endings are admittedly beautiful, but they are of limited value, as they have no relationship to practical play. Of the theoretical positions, many have their uses, but one must sift the wheat from the chaff. TO what use can we put such knowledge as the procedure for mating with a Knight and Bishop, or with the two Bishops, when an opportunity to do so may not occur in a lifetime? And why burden our minds with the manner of forcing mate with three knights (believe-it-or-not) or winning with four minor pieces against a Queen (sans Pans) when such positions as these have never yet been seen on land or sea? Capablanca himself says : "In order to improve your game, you must study the endgame before anything else; for whereas the endings can be studied and mastered by themselves, the middlegame and the opening must be studied in relation to the endgame." There are no books on endings from real life, no books from the practices of masters in actual play, let alone from the practice of a single master. This fact alone is enough to justify this book of endings, selected from the tournament and match play of the greatest endgame virtuoso the world has ever seen - the immortal Capablanca. Here are wondrous endings to enchant the reader, endings of breathtaking artistry. Here are endings of astonishing accuracy, whose relentless logic will inspire the earnest student to emulate a similar technique - the technique of seeking a clear-cut, efficient win, instead of a display of fireworks. The games are given in full, in order to show how a slight advantage acquired in the early stages, is carried forward and exploited in the endgame. I have annotated the endings in detail (a consideration they have rarely received before) for the better appreciation of the fine points of Capablanca's play, and have given credit to those who have anticipated my findings. -- Irving Chernev 60 games, 1901-1936 Caro Kann Exchange for White c3, d4 pawn structure, Bd3, short castles, kingside center play 13 games, 1968-2012 Caro Kann Exchange Rubinstein White Bf4, Ne5, h3, Bd3, Qc2/Qe4 a4 preventing b5 13 games, 1923-2002 Caro-Kann Advance Variation 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 click for larger view 78 games, 1965-2011 Challenging the Nimzo-Indian 67 games, 1990-2014 chernev's games games from chernev's book 12 great chess players and their games (in algebraic notation) 90 games, 1889-1971 Chessgames.com's Daily Puzzles I've heard all these silly arguments about how it should be "Black to play and win" or "White to play and draw" or "White to play and keep material," but it is all junk to me. I think all that is necessary is "Black to play [and make *the best move*]." A good player should be able to figure out whether "the best move" leads to keeping material, a mate in X, gaining material, drawing the game, etc. That's how real games are anyway. 100 games, 1850-2004 Colors-Reversed Openings In all of these games, White loses a tempo, and achieves a well known opening position, with the colors reversed. 9 games, 1907-2001 Colors-Reversed Openings In all of these games, White loses a tempo, and achieves a well known opening position, with the colors reversed. 9 games, 1907-2001 D31 QGD: English Transposition [Black] 67 games, 2010-2013 D31 Semi-Slav: Marshall Gambit [Black] 41 games, 1951-2014 D43 QGD Semi-Slav: General [Black] 44 games, 2011-2013 D44 Semi-Slav: Anti-Moscow Gambit [White] 33 games, 2010-2015 D48 Semi-Slav: Meran [Black] 21 games, 1994-2015 D50 QGD: Modern [Black] 44 games, 1961-2012 D50 QGD: Modern [Black] 44 games, 1961-2012 Defensive Combinations 329 games, 1851-2010 Demolition of Pawns: f6 (f3), e6 (e3), a7 (a2) These pawn sacrifices are intended to demolish the opponent's King-side pawn structure, setting up possible mating attacks, decisive win of material or won endgame positions. 122 games, 1860-2012 Double Bishop Sacrifices (dedicated to Anatoly K 27 games, 1884-2008 Double Bishop Sacrifices (dedicated to Anatoly K 27 games, 1884-2008

<< previous | page 4 of 10 | next >>