Paperback. Black cover with white title.

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A large proportion of chess games are decided in the endgame or in the transition to the endgame, but chess literature has provided relatively little guidance for players seeking to improve their skill in making the vital decisions in these phases of the game. Building on the ideas introduced in his ground-breaking work Foundations of Chess Strategy, Lars Bo Hansen provides a thought-provoking and convincing treatise on general endgame strategy. He explains how players can maximize the practical problems for their opponents while emphasizing the strengths of their own position. Under his guidance, chess-players will more easily focus on the key elements in the position, devise plans for exploiting them to the full, and develop a better understanding of which pieces need to be exchanged, and which weaknesses really matter.

Part 1 of the book discusses the basic principles of endgame strategy and the thinking methods associated with them. In Part 2, Hansen moves on to consider a wealth of examples by the great masters of chess, showing how they have handled endgames in practice, often making difficult tasks appear simple, and in many cases bamboozling their opponents into self-destruction.

Review: Lars Bo Hansen has produced four quite extraordinary books of chess philosophy and instruction. What is particularly valuable is his reliance on dramatic and well-chosen examples of master play, (mainly contemporary but with a good dose of the “classics”), and a real talent for explaining the moment of decision, those pivotal events in a game where the greater player recognises and seizes his opportunity. A book to read and read again. One of the finest endgame books I have ever read, easily on the same level as James Howell’s “Essential Chess Endings”, John Nunn’s recent trilogy published by Gambit and Karsten Muller and Wolfgang Pajeken’s “How to play chess endgames”. Very highly recommended.

Lars Bo Hansen is a well-known grandmaster from Denmark. He has won the Danish Championship on two occasions, and represented his country in four olympiads, winning a bronze medal for his individual performance in 1990. His many tournament victories include first prize in the strong Copenhagen Open in both 1997 and 2000. Away from the board, he teaches and lectures on business studies, with a particular focus on marketing, organization and strategy. This is his second book for Gambit.