Schacksnack

In Part 1 and 2 of this Chesslovers episode, IM Thomas Engqvist introduces endgame book number 88 in the series:

How to Play the Endgame in Chess by Leonard Barden, England’s most renowned chess newspaper columnist and author of some 25 chess books.

This is an unconventional endgame book, which places it in Group 4: Untraditional Endgame Books. Rather than following a purely technical structure, Barden approaches the endgame through model games, ideas, and practical concepts — making the book both accessible and surprisingly timeless.

One of the central messages echoes Anatoly Karpov’s famous advice: study the endgame first — not opening theory.

Chapters 7, 8 and 10 are especially aligned with this philosophy, focusing on:

Fischer’s Endgame

Petrosian’s Endgame

Endgame Openings

With Fischer and Karpov dominating the 1970s, the book contains many instructive examples from that golden era.

The first part of the book emphasises theoretical endings and general methods:

Part 1 Basic endgame technique

The King in Action

When to Exchange Pieces

Pawns into Queens Winning

Drawing Techniques

Part 2 Endgames for tournament and match players:

Rook Endings

Textbook Theory

Fischer’s Endgame

Petrosian’s Endgame

Adjudication Techniques

Endgame Openings

Barden also discusses rare but instructive endings such as rook plus active knight versus rook plus passive knight, and includes a fascinating chapter on adjudication — how positions were evaluated after 40 moves when games were decided without being played to completion.

This video is aimed primarily at club players and advanced competitors, offering a refreshing perspective on endgame study that differs from standard manuals while remaining highly relevant today.