Endgames Made Easy Book 4 : Pieces versus Pawns

Introduction

The largest difference in strength between the amateur and master is in the endgame. Its my observation after many years of playing and coaching that average club players typically have major gaps in their basic endgame knowledge.

To play endgames strongly you do not need to know thousands of positions. A good understanding of basic principles, knowledge of some key positions and the ability to calculate well will go a long way.

The book draws from many endgame examples that FIDE Master Bill Jordan has used in years of chess coaching.

Some players make an interesting point, why study the ending if I don't get many? Well, there is lots of reasons. The number of endings will increase as general playing strength increases. This is because players increase their ability to survive middlegames. The number of endgames will also increase if playing more evenly matched opponents. If neither player makes tactical mistakes, then an endgame is very likely.

Even if you don't have an ending, endgame study may create ideas useful for the middlegame, especially positional ideas. Because you have so few pieces, placement of the pieces becomes all that more important.

More importantly, you will know what endings to aim for. In many games between good players, one or both players has had option to exchange into ending at some point. If your ending understanding is weak, how will you know when to exchange and when not to?

Playing for an ending, is sometimes the best way to exploit a positional advantage in pawn structure. With fewer pieces on, active piece play is less likely to compensate for weak squares and weak pawns.

Endgames Made Easy

This is Book 5 of a set of 5.The complete set of Endgames Made Easy is:

1. Basic Concepts
2. Lone King Endgames
3. Pawn Endgames
4. Pieces versus Pawns
5. Piece Endgames

Piece Endgames

Pieces vary greatly in their ability to stop several passed pawns. Sometimes a piece can stop or win one or more passed pawns. Other times one passed pawn can tie down a piece.

This book has many large clear diagrams. You do not need a chess set and board to read this book. It is designed to be read several times.