The Modern Endgame Manual - Mastering Minor Piece Endgames 1

SKU:
€24.95
€24.95
Unavailable
per item
  • Balogh C. & Mikhalchishin A.
  • Chess Evolution
  • 256 blz.
  • Engels
  • 2016
Introduction
The second book of the series “The Modern Endgame Manual” is all about bishop endgames. We decided to share the “Minor pieces” endings between 2 books, “Bishop endgames” and “Bishop vs knight, and knight endgames”. Bishop endgames can basically be divided into 3 main chapters:
  • Bishop vs bishop of the same color
  • Bishop vs bishop of opposite colors
  • Bishop vs pawns.

Bishop endgames are usually extremely tricky, with perhaps not so many theoretical positions to learn, but a lot of positions where the result is pretty unclear until the very end in a practical game. Th is is especially true of opposite colored bishop endgames, where small nuances can decide the outcome of the game. The bishop is a great fi ghter when it comes to stopping an opponent’s pawns and is an extremely useful piece at long distance, for example when the pawns are running on both sides. On the other hand, when it comes to a short-range battle, we discover that sometimes a bishop is not much better than a lowly pawn. Also, the bishop can cover only 32 squares, which makes him a piece that requires good-handling. A great example of this are the positions where one side has a king+bishop+a or h- pawn, but with a bishop operating on the opposite color to that of the promotion square, while the other side has just his king in the corner of the promotion square. Th is position is a theoretical draw, which is actually quite shocking! A full piece and a pawn up and just a draw?! A very special case indeed in the game of chess.
But never fear, the current book will lead you step-by-step - from the very simple to the hugely complex - and you will be introduced to the theoretical knowledge you need, and also how to apply it in bishop endgame praxis. However, for most of the bishop endgames we should remember only one rule: The bishop is a long range piece and it is great in open positions, especially when the fi ght comes to a long diagonal, but on the other hand the bishop generally struggles when it fi nds itself in closed positions. The material inside this book is very useful for players at every level, from the complete beginner up to GM standard! Aft er a deep study of this book you will be able to call yourself quite an expert, something you will hopefully prove in your future games!


Content

003 Table of Contents
005 Key to symbols
007 Introduction
009 Editorial preface

011 Chapter 1. Bishop vs pawns
011 1.0. Two bishops mate
012 1.1. Bishop and pawn vs king
015 1.2. Bishop and pawn vs king and pawns
031 1.3. Bishop vs more pawns

057 Chapter 2. Same-colored bishop endgames
057 2.1. Bishop and pawn vs bishop
084 2.2 Bishop and two pawns vs bishop or bishop and pawn
102 2.3. Complex bishop endgames
120 2.4. Barrier
141 2.5. Practical games

173 Chapter 3. Opposite colored bishop endgames
173 3.1. Bishop and connected pawns vs Bishop
184 3.2. Bishop and separated pawns vs Bishop
193 3.3. Complex bishop endgames
223 3.4. Practical games
​
247 Chapter 4. Unusual practical games