Endgame books were the ones which contributed the most to my rating jump from 950 to around 1700 online in like 1.5 years. I think endgame study is the single most underrated aspect of chess. All I did was just study endgames and tactics and play games. I didn't do anything else and my play became significantly better. What everyone misses is that the point of studying endgames is not just to memorise how to win certain endgames but to acquire essential skills which are useful right from the opening. Endgames force you to think and think hard and that's what essentially improves your chess. This is exactly why I don't understand why people highly rate the Silman endgame book which only teaches you how to win from the theoretical endgames but doesn't help you acquire skills which are essential. Also the idea that a person should not study advanced endgames until their rating goes higher is not true according to me. I started reading the Dvoretsky's endgame manual and it was extremely overwhelming at first. But I think that's exactly the point. The point is to make you think hard. Especially beginners should be introduced to chess by teaching basic checkmates and stuff. I see some people teach beginners by telling them to play the London system and other openings which I don't think is any benificial because they will be playing moves without understanding what they are doing. I don't understand any opening 100% and neither does any intermediate player so why should beginners memorise opening moves? Endgame is mostly sidelinesd these days especially in favour of openings. Even Capablanca said that anyone studying chess should first start with the endgame. I think it's absolutely true because endgame not only helps you in the endgame but every phase of the game. I never memorised any opening. I learnt some openings by reading annotated games of grandmasters and trying to understand them.
Silmans Endgame book is good for the same reasons you like to study endgames, it forces you to think through your moves and calculate better. Also, Dvoretskys endgame manual is 100% not for 900 level players. It would go completely over their heads and make them quit chess, it is that hard.
It's interesting that you mention Silman's book.Silman said about Soltis's book "Grandmaster Secrets:The Endgame" "The best endgame book for a class player that's ever been written"
That may be true, but he could've been paid to say it - and it's quite obvious that Soltis' book isn't as universally suitable for every chess player in the way Silman's book is. Besides, nobody would ever say their own endgame book is the best. I'd take this with a grain of salt - the last thing it means is that Silman's book "isn't the best"; this is the only thing his statement doesn't address, in fact. That said, Soltis' book is great, but it's a bit high level for me to recommend to newer players. Silman's stuff is good for anyone. So are his lessons on Chesscom.
Thanks for recommendations. Two more books I can add are Muller’s how to play chess endgame and van perlo endgame tactics good exercise book. Heard good comments from GM videos
Shereshevsky’s endgame strategy is amazing, but also I think it is a very complicated book, maybe 1200s going to shereshevsky should get a warning that it is wicked hard stuff and you have to put a lot of time into it to truly understand the positions given.
Seirawan's Play Winning Chess Seirawan's Winning Chess Strategies Stean's Simple Chess Weeramantry's Best Lessons of a Chess Coach Silman's The Amateur's Mind Adam Hunt's Chess Strategy Move by Move Alburt and Palatnik's Chess Strategy for the Tournament Player Nimzowitch's My System Silman's How to Reassess Your Chess Pachman's Modern Chess Strategy Euwe and Kramer's The Middle Game Grooten's Chess Strategy for Club Players Hellsten's Mastering Chess Strategy
I just ordered my first two chess books and one of them was Silman's Complete Endgame Course thanks to this video, so thanks again for the recommendation!
As an intermediate player (1500) working through De La Villa's book, to me it doesn't feel like 2000+ material at all. The positions on their own aren't too bad, but the main difficulty I suppose is that 100 is a LOT of positions to remember. I've been taking notes of the main concepts while working through some of the subvariations on an analysis board. That certainly helps my memory a lot.
Hm I always thought 100 endgames you most know also has chapters with easier endgames. The writer talks about what endings you need to study in the introduction: "A second step in this first stage would involve the Philidor and Lucena Positions in Rook + Pawn vs. Rook endings, as well as some more ideas in pawn endings and opposite-coloured Bishop endings. In this book, this would amount to Chapter 2, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 and Endings 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 65, 79, 80, 82, 86, 89, 90, 91 and 92 (...) that is enough until the moment one reaches, say, a FIDE rating of around 1900-2000." Then I had email contact with him and he said "The chapters 3 and 4 (Knights vs. Pawns, and Queen vs pawns) are also quite basic and must be in the list of most elementary endings. At this moment I can not think of a reason to have left them out."
Great, very helpful video. First time I've heard the advice: #1 Silman through your class +1 higher and then #2 endgame strategy. But it makes total sense.
Hi Kostya, here is another that Andras Toth recommended on his channel 'How to Play Chess Endgames' by Karsten Muller. He recommends to use after Shereshevsky's 'Endgame Strategy' which itself he recommends for 1800+ iirc
I bought the book a while back and it is very thorough. I'm thinking about creating a series of videos explaining the ideas in the book. But if you can I definitely recommend getting the book
Just the facts by Lev Alburt is a much easier to read than Dvoretsky, silman, and 100 endgames you should know. I own all four as I inherited some books from a relative who passed. I am reading just the facts as Lev Alburt’s books are uniquely well written for people who want to get good (1800-2200) range but don’t care about being a grand master. It is organized by topic like the Dvoretsky manual and includes most of the simpler, and intermediate examples from Dvoretsky that you are likely to see. So if you later read Dvoretsky after reading Just the facts you will be able to know what material you have already read and understand and can skip. Both of those authors know each other and Dvoretsky recommends his book as another option in the back of his end game manual. And Alburt gives credit to Dvoretsky for helping him with his comprehensive chess course series. So the fact that these books would have synergy and work well together makes sense. So I am reading just the facts at 1450. If I get close to 2000 then I will consider reading Dvoretsky. Edit: Silman is a little wordy for my taste. Lev Alburt is a lot less reading for the amount of chess knowledge you will gain. But if I you get to let’s say 1800 after reading Alburt’s books and end game manuals it might be worth it to read the later parts on higher rating end games in silmans book before taking the time to read Dvoretsky. But after I read just the facts I am going to read shershevsky’s end game strategy book. It is short and is more on strategy than specific theoretical end games.
Couldn't agree more with the recommendations at the start; but I won't pretend to be able to do recommendations for 2000+ until I'm an IM like Kostya. I am so glad to see Hellsten's work getting reccomendations; I think his three big courses (all available on Chessable, but also on Chessbase CBVs if you're resourceful with library genesis.... only did this if you are struggling financially!!!) and I think he deserves it. I know English isn't his first language, but if you sample his courses, he's the nicest guy ever, and is a naturally gifted chess teacher - he's one of those guys who's given up quite a lot of Elo so that he can be a better teacher, and it shows. I definitely recommend buying his Strategy and Endgame Strategy books ASAP - maybe grab Opening strategy when you hit 1600+ FIDE or 1900+ Chesscom/2000+ Lichess. Totally agree re: 100 endgames; it's a big bin of overrated garbage unless you're actually getting endgames like you see in that book. Otherwise, I prefer Hellsten and Silman's work (but never cracked Shereshevsky - I think it's ghost-written by Dvoretsky, just for club players instead of "Sovet Chess School players", like his self-written book seems designed for.)
I got dvortsky as my first endgame book, big mistake! I was told I needed to read 100 endgames u should know first. Now I've just ordered silmans from amazon so I've ordered them in reverse but gonna read them in order! 🤣
Do we need to buy the new edition of Shereshevsky or is the old one ok? What do you think? I am around 2100 USCF and once lost a USCF-rated game to you Mr. Kostya. Thanks for any info!
I just saw that I have a German edition of Schereschewski’s book. Some people like Magnus said that it is a very good book. I gave a try with it some years ago. I will give a try again, who knows, perhaps I will be able to go through the whole thing. What I remember from this book is “don’t rush”, “centralise your king” and “think on setups, not on single moves / lines”.
If I had to choose one single book for a club player, the now sadly out of print Essential Chess Endings by James Howell is simply the best one stop shop for club player. It expertly mixes how to play endings with the basic rules. Batsford should reprint it!
I am curious about this too. Read it once (with some difficulty), and personally I think it might not for beginners, in some examples there are a lot of long variations which are meant to explain the points. Apparently to really unlock the variations one has to ask the magic word 'why?'. i.e. I reckon you have to really invest yourself to fully benefit from this book.
I watched that video of Magnus taking the 100 EGYMK test with John bartholomew and was baffled as to why everyone recommends that book to people as their first endgame book.
I like the selection of books and the order to go through them in. I am currently working on 100 Endgames You Must Know. Perhaps 2000+ would be the rating level where one needs to know the endgames within. However, as a sub-2000 rated player, I feel like the book is comprehensible for players down to a 1600 rating if not lower.
Another book that has helped me alot (1800 rated btw) is Paul Keres Practical Chess Endings - it much like silman covers common endgames you are most likely to encounter - great diagrams and content. The suggestions you have though are also great.
I have Silman's book, which I am only about 1/3 through. I know Keres's books are all good, but does Keres's endgame book add anything of value to Silman's?
Superb explanation. I finished the book 100 endgames you must know, but still feel not very confident. So i am currently 3/4 of the Practical Chess Endings by Keres. Hopefully after this, i have the energy to re-read the 100 endgames you must know. Thank you.
100 endgames was a dud for me, you're not alone. Hellsten's course was just perfect. He's very descriptive and the learning is more structured - I think it's better; but probably not something a high IM/GM player would be able to appreciate in the same way I do - I'm sure they'd rather just cut to the chase. I need some of the other stuff he adds - all the context and meaning - to help me memorize it. I'm a bit older and didn't play chess nonstop, so it helps me a lot. Good luck!
I am fortunate to have most of the mentioned books covered. I really enjoy your style of presenting and content. I recently subscribed to Chess Dojo after watching one of your videos. It’s nice to know I’m on the right track as I self study through the pandemic.
Muller endgame books are good. Recommended by some GMs. I have muller how to play chess endgame. It is a good strategy book too. My quick scan feels that it is harder than hellsten book. So I am working on hellsten first after finishing shereshesky which is kind condense for my 1600 rating
Endgame books were the ones which contributed the most to my rating jump from 950 to around 1700 online in like 1.5 years. I think endgame study is the single most underrated aspect of chess. All I did was just study endgames and tactics and play games. I didn't do anything else and my play became significantly better. What everyone misses is that the point of studying endgames is not just to memorise how to win certain endgames but to acquire essential skills which are useful right from the opening. Endgames force you to think and think hard and that's what essentially improves your chess. This is exactly why I don't understand why people highly rate the Silman endgame book which only teaches you how to win from the theoretical endgames but doesn't help you acquire skills which are essential. Also the idea that a person should not study advanced endgames until their rating goes higher is not true according to me. I started reading the Dvoretsky's endgame manual and it was extremely overwhelming at first. But I think that's exactly the point. The point is to make you think hard. Especially beginners should be introduced to chess by teaching basic checkmates and stuff. I see some people teach beginners by telling them to play the London system and other openings which I don't think is any benificial because they will be playing moves without understanding what they are doing. I don't understand any opening 100% and neither does any intermediate player so why should beginners memorise opening moves? Endgame is mostly sidelinesd these days especially in favour of openings. Even Capablanca said that anyone studying chess should first start with the endgame. I think it's absolutely true because endgame not only helps you in the endgame but every phase of the game. I never memorised any opening. I learnt some openings by reading annotated games of grandmasters and trying to understand them.
What books do you suggest for chess openings do you have any recommendations am currently 950?
Well I think that you should also know the theory behind some of the common endgames so that you can win them even if you are in time trouble.
@@chessnerd-nl7vy john shaws e4 or if youre really tryhard Negis series
@@chessnerd-nl7vylearn the London system
Silmans Endgame book is good for the same reasons you like to study endgames, it forces you to think through your moves and calculate better. Also, Dvoretskys endgame manual is 100% not for 900 level players. It would go completely over their heads and make them quit chess, it is that hard.
It's interesting that you mention Silman's
book.Silman said about Soltis's book
"Grandmaster Secrets:The Endgame"
"The best endgame book for a class player
that's ever been written"
Yes indeed, Soltis' book should not be forgotten. I wasn't aware of Silman's high praise for it.
That may be true, but he could've been paid to say it - and it's quite obvious that Soltis' book isn't as universally suitable for every chess player in the way Silman's book is. Besides, nobody would ever say their own endgame book is the best. I'd take this with a grain of salt - the last thing it means is that Silman's book "isn't the best"; this is the only thing his statement doesn't address, in fact. That said, Soltis' book is great, but it's a bit high level for me to recommend to newer players. Silman's stuff is good for anyone. So are his lessons on Chesscom.
Thanks for recommendations. Two more books I can add are Muller’s how to play chess endgame and van perlo endgame tactics good exercise book. Heard good comments from GM videos
Shereshevsky’s endgame strategy is amazing, but also I think it is a very complicated book, maybe 1200s going to shereshevsky should get a warning that it is wicked hard stuff and you have to put a lot of time into it to truly understand the positions given.
That's what I was thinking, should be 2000+ imo
@@BeFourCM Probably OTB, you could read it if you're weaker but it wont be as easy.
But you can still pick up some ideas from it like the principle of two weaknesses
I remember it being quite accessible but could be wrong! In any case would be wise to start with Silman
@@ChessDojo It's too bad Silman's book isn't on Chessable so that repeating/drilling is easier. Any tips how to study it?
Love to hear advice from kostya😊😊
This list is amazing! Would love a similar list dedicated to improving at positional chess
jacob aagaard has a bunch to keep you busy
Seirawan's Play Winning Chess
Seirawan's Winning Chess Strategies
Stean's Simple Chess
Weeramantry's Best Lessons of a Chess Coach
Silman's The Amateur's Mind
Adam Hunt's Chess Strategy Move by Move
Alburt and Palatnik's Chess Strategy for the Tournament Player
Nimzowitch's My System
Silman's How to Reassess Your Chess
Pachman's Modern Chess Strategy
Euwe and Kramer's The Middle Game
Grooten's Chess Strategy for Club Players
Hellsten's Mastering Chess Strategy
I just ordered my first two chess books and one of them was Silman's Complete Endgame Course thanks to this video, so thanks again for the recommendation!
As an intermediate player (1500) working through De La Villa's book, to me it doesn't feel like 2000+ material at all. The positions on their own aren't too bad, but the main difficulty I suppose is that 100 is a LOT of positions to remember. I've been taking notes of the main concepts while working through some of the subvariations on an analysis board. That certainly helps my memory a lot.
1500 is beginner. 2000 is intermediate
@@hdgaiqnwknz6032 Nope. 1200 and below is beginner, 1200-1800 is intermediate, and 1800-2000 is advanced. 2000-2200 is expert, and 2200+ are masters.
@@Stalkature FIDE not online tho
@@hdgaiqnwknz6032 Both.
@@Stalkature no ine told me im a master
My humble advice re Dvoretsky's *Endgame Manual* (I'm
Hm I always thought 100 endgames you most know also has chapters with easier endgames. The writer talks about what endings you need to study in the introduction:
"A second step in this first stage would involve the Philidor and Lucena Positions in Rook + Pawn vs. Rook endings, as well as some more ideas in pawn endings and opposite-coloured Bishop endings. In this book, this would amount to Chapter 2, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 and Endings 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 65, 79, 80, 82, 86, 89, 90, 91 and 92 (...) that is enough until the moment one reaches, say, a FIDE rating of around 1900-2000."
Then I had email contact with him and he said "The chapters 3 and 4 (Knights vs. Pawns, and Queen vs pawns) are also quite basic and must be in the list of most elementary endings. At this moment I can not think of a reason to have left them out."
it can be overwhelming without a little prior endgame knowledge and experience.
Great, very helpful video. First time I've heard the advice: #1 Silman through your class +1 higher and then #2 endgame strategy. But it makes total sense.
Hi Kostya, here is another that Andras Toth recommended on his channel 'How to Play Chess Endgames' by Karsten Muller. He recommends to use after Shereshevsky's 'Endgame Strategy' which itself he recommends for 1800+ iirc
Please do a similar video for the middlegame!
please do this for strategy/middle game and openings
I am quite surprised that you recommend Hellsten books for that low rated players, all I ever heard is they are for 2100 and above
I find them to be quite accessible but would strongly recommend reading Silman first
I bought the book a while back and it is very thorough. I'm thinking about creating a series of videos explaining the ideas in the book. But if you can I definitely recommend getting the book
Just the facts by Lev Alburt is a much easier to read than Dvoretsky, silman, and 100 endgames you should know. I own all four as I inherited some books from a relative who passed. I am reading just the facts as Lev Alburt’s books are uniquely well written for people who want to get good (1800-2200) range but don’t care about being a grand master. It is organized by topic like the Dvoretsky manual and includes most of the simpler, and intermediate examples from Dvoretsky that you are likely to see. So if you later read Dvoretsky after reading Just the facts you will be able to know what material you have already read and understand and can skip. Both of those authors know each other and Dvoretsky recommends his book as another option in the back of his end game manual. And Alburt gives credit to Dvoretsky for helping him with his comprehensive chess course series. So the fact that these books would have synergy and work well together makes sense. So I am reading just the facts at 1450. If I get close to 2000 then I will consider reading Dvoretsky.
Edit: Silman is a little wordy for my taste. Lev Alburt is a lot less reading for the amount of chess knowledge you will gain. But if I you get to let’s say 1800 after reading Alburt’s books and end game manuals it might be worth it to read the later parts on higher rating end games in silmans book before taking the time to read Dvoretsky. But after I read just the facts I am going to read shershevsky’s end game strategy book. It is short and is more on strategy than specific theoretical end games.
Thank you very much for posting this!
Your advice is right on here. I've been going through Silman and it's helping me so much. Skipped the first chapter. He is so clear and thorough.
Kostya, have you read Van Perlo and if so, do you recommend it and for what rating level?
Couldn't agree more with the recommendations at the start; but I won't pretend to be able to do recommendations for 2000+ until I'm an IM like Kostya.
I am so glad to see Hellsten's work getting reccomendations; I think his three big courses (all available on Chessable, but also on Chessbase CBVs if you're resourceful with library genesis.... only did this if you are struggling financially!!!) and I think he deserves it. I know English isn't his first language, but if you sample his courses, he's the nicest guy ever, and is a naturally gifted chess teacher - he's one of those guys who's given up quite a lot of Elo so that he can be a better teacher, and it shows. I definitely recommend buying his Strategy and Endgame Strategy books ASAP - maybe grab Opening strategy when you hit 1600+ FIDE or 1900+ Chesscom/2000+ Lichess. Totally agree re: 100 endgames; it's a big bin of overrated garbage unless you're actually getting endgames like you see in that book. Otherwise, I prefer Hellsten and Silman's work (but never cracked Shereshevsky - I think it's ghost-written by Dvoretsky, just for club players instead of "Sovet Chess School players", like his self-written book seems designed for.)
Whats the differnce of the 4th and 5th edition of the dvoretsky book? Thanks fir the ansewr.
No idea! Perhaps check the publisher?
Nice. with any chess book, it appears to be most important for adults to attempt all positions before reading about them.
LOVE IT TYYYY
I got dvortsky as my first endgame book, big mistake! I was told I needed to read 100 endgames u should know first. Now I've just ordered silmans from amazon so I've ordered them in reverse but gonna read them in order! 🤣
There's been so many rook endgame book recently, care to give an overview? :)
Sure! Which do you have in mind?
@@ChessDojo Theoretical Rook Endings (Shankland), Conceptual Rook Endings (Aagaard, this one coming soon), Understanding Rook Endgames (Muller, 2016), Secrets of Rook Endings (John Nunn, 1992), 101 Winning Rook Endgames(Okumuş, 2020), probably there are many more :D
Sure once the Shankland & Aagaard books come out will definitely take a look at them
Kostya with the truth
Where John nunn books ?
Are it good?
Nunn is a great author, but haven't read his endgame books
@@ChessDojo what about his other books?
You never go wrong with John Nunn's books his books are well-structured and well written.
You can't go wrong studying game collections by world champions either.
Do we need to buy the new edition of Shereshevsky or is the old one ok? What do you think? I am around 2100 USCF and once lost a USCF-rated game to you Mr. Kostya. Thanks for any info!
Old one is good!
What if you just master Chessbase 16😂😂
Watched this live
Capablanca brought me here
FYI fourth edition of 100 EYMK adds a new first chapter covering the basics (rule of the square) etc.
Didn't know that Shereshevsky and Hellsten are 1200+ thought they are more like 2000+
I just saw that I have a German edition of Schereschewski’s book. Some people like Magnus said that it is a very good book. I gave a try with it some years ago. I will give a try again, who knows, perhaps I will be able to go through the whole thing. What I remember from this book is “don’t rush”, “centralise your king” and “think on setups, not on single moves / lines”.
If I had to choose one single book for a club player, the now sadly out of print Essential Chess Endings by James Howell is simply the best one stop shop for club player. It expertly mixes how to play endings with the basic rules. Batsford should reprint it!
Hey guys, thoughts on Understanding Chess Endgames by John Nunn? What rating level is it meant for?
Great book beginner to intermediate.
I am curious about this too. Read it once (with some difficulty), and personally I think it might not for beginners, in some examples there are a lot of long variations which are meant to explain the points. Apparently to really unlock the variations one has to ask the magic word 'why?'. i.e. I reckon you have to really invest yourself to fully benefit from this book.
It's really hard.
I watched that video of Magnus taking the 100 EGYMK test with John bartholomew and was baffled as to why everyone recommends that book to people as their first endgame book.
I have all of these books and I have to agree with Kostya's advice on what order to use them in. Dvoretsky is no joke 🥵
Dvoretsky broke my self-confidence.
I like the selection of books and the order to go through them in. I am currently working on 100 Endgames You Must Know. Perhaps 2000+ would be the rating level where one needs to know the endgames within. However, as a sub-2000 rated player, I feel like the book is comprehensible for players down to a 1600 rating if not lower.
Another book that has helped me alot (1800 rated btw) is Paul Keres Practical Chess Endings - it much like silman covers common endgames you are most likely to encounter - great diagrams and content. The suggestions you have though are also great.
I have Silman's book, which I am only about 1/3 through. I know Keres's books are all good, but does Keres's endgame book add anything of value to Silman's?
Awesome, could you do a middle game one?
Superb explanation. I finished the book 100 endgames you must know, but still feel not very confident. So i am currently 3/4 of the Practical Chess Endings by Keres. Hopefully after this, i have the energy to re-read the 100 endgames you must know. Thank you.
100 endgames was a dud for me, you're not alone. Hellsten's course was just perfect. He's very descriptive and the learning is more structured - I think it's better; but probably not something a high IM/GM player would be able to appreciate in the same way I do - I'm sure they'd rather just cut to the chase. I need some of the other stuff he adds - all the context and meaning - to help me memorize it. I'm a bit older and didn't play chess nonstop, so it helps me a lot. Good luck!
What do you think of "Just the Facts" by Lev Alburt Nikolay Krogius and "Winning Chess Endings" by Yasser Seirawan?
Kostya is amazingly honest. No false publicity of books.
I am fortunate to have most of the mentioned books covered. I really enjoy your style of presenting and content. I recently subscribed to Chess Dojo after watching one of your videos. It’s nice to know I’m on the right track as I self study through the pandemic.
Karsten Muller's and Wolfgang Pajeken's 2008 published by Gambit easily eclipses Shereshevsky’s work, both in quality and quantity.
Will have to check it out! Definitely a fan of Karsten Muller
make one for tactics please
Great channel! SO as a 1000 rated player Silman is all i need?
Yes 🙂
Me on day one of vacation wishing I had brought my copy of Shereshevsky’s endgame book 🙁
I just purchased Fundamental Chess Endings by Karsten Muller and Frank Lamprecht a few days ago. Is this a good fit for someone about 1450 strength??
Muller endgame books are good. Recommended by some GMs. I have muller how to play chess endgame. It is a good strategy book too. My quick scan feels that it is harder than hellsten book. So I am working on hellsten first after finishing shereshesky which is kind condense for my 1600 rating
Nope, too hard!
If you can understand what is written and I mean UNDERSTAND THE WHYS then yes
Very helpful Video - i hope that you will cover tactics, Strategie etc. as well.
"Winning Middle Game" has covered very good tactics and strategies.
@@improveyourchess4230 the one by Sokolov?
How is Capablancas best chess endings by Chernev ?
Thank you Kostya
When you discuss rating do you mean USCF rating?
Generally yes, sometimes FIDE