Overview

2015 Best Book Award of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA) Pawn endings do not arise out of nowhere. Before emerging as endgames with just kings and pawns, they 'pre-existed' in positions that still contained any number of pieces. Isn't it strange, then, that most chess endgame books make it look as if they came out of the blue? Liquidation is the purposeful transition into a pawn ending. It is a vital technique that is seldom taught. Strange, because knowing when and how to liquidate can help you win games or save draws. In this book, former US Chess Champion Joel Benjamin teaches you all you need to know about successfully liquidating into pawn endgames. He focuses on the practical aspects: what to aim for and how to get there. When to start trading pieces and how to recognize favorable and unfavorable liquidations. Liquidation is much more than just trading pieces. Enter a fascinating world of tempo games (triangulation, zugzwang and opposition), breakthrough, king activity, passed pawn dynamics, sacrifices and counter-sacrifices. Exercises will test your growing skills. Joel Benjamin does not just asks you for the winning or drawing continuation, he aims to make you think. A ground-breaking, entertaining and instructive guide.

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9789056915537

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Reviews

Benjamin has managed to create an excellent guide to a difficult theme that has been badly served in chess literature. If you are really serious about improving your chess, you should work on your Benjamin! -- Frank Zeller, International Master Magazine Schach Entertainment is never far away. The material, which feels very fresh, provides an impressive series of easily digestible lessons. -- Sean Marsh CHESS Magazine Strongly recommended. In transitions into pawn endgames a lot can be gained and a lot can be lost. Schach Magazin Magazine 64 Well written and thoroughly researched. The selected examples have a strong practical value. This is an instructive work for players at any level above beginner - but it's not a dry endgame manual. The games contain some beautiful ideas and overall I found the book very entertaining. -- Daniel King, Grandmaster creator of the Power Play DVD series The book works quite addictively. It's dealing with one of the big moments of uncertainty in practical chess. -- Matthew Sadler, Grandmaster, former British Champion A labor of love that has produced and outstanding book. -- Gary Lane, International Master Chess Moves Magazine An excellent new book. The theme of the right exchange is underrepresented in chess literature and Joel Benjamin manages to highlight its importance by investigating the transition into a pawn endgame in deep detail. -- Karsten Muller, author of 'Bobby Fisher, The Career and Complete Games' Engages itself with a theme on which there is not a lot of literature. It will doubtlessly enrich players with a new aspect of the art of playing chess. -- Uwe Bekemann Very instructive are not only the many exercises at the end of each chapter, but in particular the last chapter where Benjamin once more summarizes every important motif in pawn endings, with examples and explications. -- Harry Schaack KARL Magazine Not much has been written about liquidation into the pawn endgame, an important motif. In endgame books it is often only indirectly touched upon. This book is therefore to be recommended. -- Richard Vedder, Fide Master Schakers.info The book is anything but dry. Benjamin is excellent at explaining not only the intricacies of specific positions, but also useful practical guidance for general endgame play. I felt that I gained a lot from these instructions. -- David Smerdon, Grandmaster Chess.com A must for every advanced chess player who wants to improve his liquidating skills. -- Eddy Sibbing Max Euwe Centre Amsterdam I am not aware of any prior book which covered this subject, other than perhaps in passing. It takes only a moment's thought to realize that all king and pawn endings stated out as endings with more pieces on the board, and therefore this is a subject worthy of its own manual. I feel that GM Benjamin really hit the mark with this book. -- Chris Wainscott ChessIQ I have, until now, never seen a collection of exercises on the theme of transition into the endgame, let alone with such precise solutions as Benjamin presents here. -- Dennis Calder, FIDE Instructor

I have, until now, never seen a collection of exercises on the theme of transition into the endgame, let alone with such precise solutions as Benjamin presents here.--Dennis Calder, FIDE Instructor

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