Alexey Alexeyevich Troitzky (1866-1942) is considered to have been the greatest composer of chess endgame studies ever. To call him a genius is to trivialize his accomplishments, because there are many geniuses, but few can equal the output of Troitzky. In his lifetime, Troitzky composed more than one thousand chess endgame studies. Nobody really knows how many. In this work, published in 1937, he started an ambitious project to collect all of his creations together and then put them into order according to theme. In this, the first volume of the projected project, Troitzky presented in order endgames which either started with a queen or a rook already on the board or else with a solution that involved promoting a pawn to a queen or a rook. Looking at the section starting on page 259 entitled "Classification of Studies by Themes", one can see the logical ordering of this book. Previous reprints of this work have omitted 72 pages which include the analysis of the two knights vs. pawn endgames which Troitzky proved for the first time leads to a win for the two knights, depending on the position of the pawn. By removing this section, previous editors butchered the work, because many of these compositions end with a position involving two knights against a pawn. In these cases, Troitzky simply writes "And wins". To see how White wins one needs the section on two knights against pawn. Here is the complete work. Nowadays, the great sport has become trying to bust or "cook" by computer analysis the long established problems such as those in this book. However, Troitzky's compositions have stood the test of time more than those of other composers. Computers have a horizon beyond which they cannot see. Thus, endgame composition and analysis is one field where humans can still beat and perhaps will always be able to defeat even the most powerful computers. The problems in this book are truly fantastic. The solutions look impossible. Yet, what seems like many defenses are simply not there. Somehow there are no safe places where the king or queen can escape or there is a knight just in exactly the right spot to give a fork. It is good that the solutions come right after the problems, because nobody could ever solve them if the solutions were put in the back.

Both an instruction book and an engaging meditation on the joys of chess, this is the final work by one of the most successful chess writers of all time. Irving Chernev blends anecdotes with his observations on inspiring moves and combinations by well- and lesser-known players, including Troitzky, Réti, Kasparyan, Benko, Kubbel, Rinck, Grigoriev, and many others. Each example is introduced with a cue ("White to play and win") and includes the composer's name, the date of its original publication if available, a clear diagram with an algebraic grid, and the winning variation presented in algebraic notion. Chernev's sparkling text is complemented by introductions by national Master Bruce Pandolfini and Adam Hart-Davis, an editor who worked with Chernev and who helped assemble this posthumous publication. Appropriate for players at every level, 200 Brilliant Endgames promises to assist chess enthusiasts in sharpening their endgame skills and to enhance their pleasure and satisfaction in the game.

In this book the author assembles the problems and studies that are most effective to improve tactical ability. A player who works their way through this book will undoubtedly see improvements in their own play.

Understanding = Mastery! Knowing the abilities and limitations of the minor pieces is very valuable for mastering the secrets of the royal game, and this can be studied best in the endgame. It is essential to understand the management of the long-range bishop, albeit confined to one color, as well as the short-range, ubiquitous knight. This book is the second volume in the authors’ acclaimed Understanding Endgames series. It follows a dual philosophy, like their previous work, Understanding Rook Endgames. It deals with seven-piece minor-piece endings in some detail. These endgames are often so deep that pre-tablebase analysis almost always contained errors. Many new discoveries are revealed here. In addition, the authors emphasize the important five- and six-piece endings every club player should know. But to really understand minor piece endings, these theoretical positions are of course not enough. Sub-chapters on the principles of each material configuration have therefore been added. Understanding Minor Piece Endgames will take you a long way to mastering these important endings. “Having had the pleasure to preview this book, I can tell you that you are in for a treat. Careful study of this book will benefit your chess immensely...” From the Foreword by GM Jacob Aagaard

Leonid Kubbel (1891, St.Petersburg - 1942, Leningrad) was one of those who founded modern artistic study and, perhaps, the most prominent composer of the 1st third of 20th century. He produced 2784 works altogether, both studies and problems, in all styles and genres. The most characteristic for his creative work was his deep feeling of culmination in his studies. Therefore his compositions are always attractive and often are used as bright methodical examples. L. Kubbel discovered many original ideas, the most important are discovered attack, favorable exchange, queen sacrifice for enticing purposes. He was first in decoy in fighting with one piece against three, opportunities for combinations in the middlegame, echo-motives. White or black queen is often the main hero of his studies. A particular place in his legacy belongs to stalemate combinations, in which he is still incomparable with other composers. He discovered many stalemate positions and tricks, like a stalemate after moving away from the attacked black piece, or a stalemate with a pin after Black's zugzwang. His main preoccupation was the investigation and discover the principles that govern the beauty in studies, combinational sense of single moves that form a logical consequence on the background of impressive and dramatically fight.

Combining beauty and practicality, the endgame study is one of the subtle wonders of the Royal Game. Training with studies is a vital part of improving your endgame technique: it develops your general understanding, your calculation skills and your resourcefulness. But endgame studies, with their elements of artistry, science and hidden beauty, are at the same time highly entertaining. Jan Timman is one of the few famous chess players who also have a distinguished career as a study composer. In The Art of the Endgame Timman has collected a magnificent selection of studies, relating how they have inspired him, and presents his own best material. This is a labor of love which is not only a must-read for specialists and a source of joy, but also a practical tool for club players who want to deepen their understanding of the endgame.

Volume Three of The Tactician's Handbook continues ICCF IM Charushin's unique look at the fundamental building blocks of tactical play. Here we have his detailed examination of deflections, the drawing away of an attacking piece onto an inconvenient square. The sacrifice is marvelous to behold: a piece is given away for nothing, and also with check! This stunning combinational method is here shown to be no lucky accident, but a basic mechanism of tactics in chess. Mitrofanov's Deflection is presented with its own history, then games and studies reinforce the operation of this beautiful tactical device - all in Charushin's inimitable style!The Tactician's Handbook offers a profound new method of exploring chess combinations: one element at a time, in short focused steps. Each volume examines a single, often seen tactical category using carefully selected illustrations. Every example demonstrates the real-world nuts and bolts operation of the tactic in question. Readers can immediately apply the skills acquired here, blending the combinational types learned from The Tactician's Handbook into their own games.The Tactician=s Handbook SeriesAlekhine=s BlockCombination CrossMitrofanov=s DeflectionLasker=s CombinationThe Steeplechase