Les finales constituent la phase décisive d'une partie d'Échecs. Afin de les exécuter avec brio, il est nécessaire d'avoir certaines connaissances théoriques tout comme pour les ouvertures. En revanche, puisque les manœuvres techniques des fins de partie n'évoluent pas, il est possible de faire confiance à sa mémoire et de s'inspirer des finales qui ont marqué l'histoire des Échecs. Ce manuel vous apprendra les règles élémentaires des finales. Il s'adresse aussi bien au débutant qu'au joueur confirmé. Grâce aux nombreux exercices pratiques tirés de parties de Grands Maîtres, il saura développer la justesse de votre intuition et il vous rendra même capable, à l'aide des techniques qu'il expose, d'arriver à battre l'ordinateur. Quant au joueur de tournoi, la table des matières lui permettra de consulter rapidement le schéma correspondant à sa partie ajournée, et de choisir la meilleure solution pour mater l'antagoniste?

Dans ce deuxième tome, l'auteur poursuit et achève sa Théorie et Pratique des Finales, en traitant largement les finales de Dames, de Fous et de Cavaliers. Il développe également les finales à matériel hétérogène et quelques finales plus rares. Comme dans le premier volume, il s'est efforcé de joindre le beau et l'utile, en n'oubliant rien d'essentiel. La partie théorique, où l'accent est mis sur les finales à matériel réduit, est très attrayante, les exercices nombreux, les solutions détaillées.

Rock v. Minor Piece Endings is the sixth volume to appear of Averbak's greats classic series on the endgame. The original Russian edition quickly established a world-wide reputation - these are the endgame books that Fischer had sent to him during his world championship match. The English translation has been updated and is by far the most complete work on rook v. minor piece endgames ever published. Every one of the 312 examples has its own diagram. In both matches and tournaments, games are often adjourned at the moment that the ending is reached. It is then that any player without the most authoritative work to refer puts himseld at a great disadvantage and is in danger of throwing away both half and whole points.

Queen and Pawn Endings is the second volume to appear of Averbakh's great classic series on the endgame. The original Russian edition quickly estblished a world-wide reputation. These are the endgame books that Fischer had sent to him for use during his World Championship match. The English translation has been updated and is by far the most complete work on queen and pawn endgames ever published. Every one of the 268 examples has its own diagram. In both matches and tournaments, games are often adjourned at the moment that the ending is reached. It is even then that any player without the most authoritative reference work puts himself at a great disadvantage and is in danger of throwing away both half and whole points. Queen and Pawn Endings can help to solve a player's adjournment problems..

Des finales époustouflantes ! Un pétillement d'idées originales. Génial dans l'art de forcer une situation égale ou de sauver une situation en apparence perdue, Akiba RUBINSTEIN fut l'un des plus Grands du Monde des Echecs et son palmarès vaut amplement celui d'un champion du Monde. Le Maître international polonais, Krzyztof PYTEL, bien connu des joueurs français, nous présente ici un ouvrage plaisant, bien équilibré et fort utile. A côté des manuels systématiques de théorie pure il est bon en effet de trouver des commentaires attachés à des parties toutes chaudes de vie et d'émotion dans lesquelles nous voyons comment cette théorie est utilisée. Car il ne suffit pas de savoir. Il faut aussi apprendre à utiliser ce savoir.

Bishop Endings is the fourth volume to appear of Averbak's greats classic series on the endgame. The original Russian edition quickly established a world-wide reputation - these are the endgame books that Fischer had sent to him during his world championship match. The English translation has been updated and is by far the most complete work on rook v. minor piece endgames ever published. Every one of the 370 examples has its own diagram. In both matches and tournaments, games are often adjourned at the moment that the ending is reached. It is then that any player without the most authoritative work to refer puts himseld at a great disadvantage and is in danger of throwing away both half and whole points.

In the ending of the advantage of a single "insignifiant" pawn can frequently prove decisive, as that pawn inexorably pushes forward and is finally able to reach the last rank and transform itself into a queen. Despite this basic fact of chess that any beginner knows, pawn, endgames are usually played very badly. The present work, already established as a classic in its Russian edition, is by far the most complete work on pawn endgames ever published. Containing no less than 911 examples, it will prove invaluable both to the student of chess and to the practical player. In both match and tournament games there is usually an adjournment at about the time that the ending is reached. It is then that any player without the most authoritative reference work puts himseld at a great disadvantage and is in danger of throwing away both half and whole points. Pawn Endings could solve a player's adjournment problems.

"Les pions sont l'âme des échecs", et tout particulièrement dans les finales de parties dont l'objectif principal est la conversion de pion en dame. Pourtant Les Finales de Pions ont longtemps été des exemples de parties célèbres et c'est I. MAIZELIS qui a su ériger les finales de pions en théorie, avec des règles pour en faciliter le développement pratique.

Grivory Levenfisch, the international and Soviet grandmaster, was one of the key Russian chess-teachers responsible for the current Soviet supremacy ; he was USSR champion in 1937. Ex-world Champion Vasily Smyslov, who has revised and added to the original work, is still one of the world's leading grandmasters and amongst the greatest endgame players of all time.