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The Moment of Zuke:
Critical Positions and
Pivotal Decisions for
Colle System Players

by David Rudel
author of Zuke 'Em

7 modules written just for Colle System Players. Over 150 practice problems accompany lessons written in Rudel's crystal-clear, inimitable style

Thematic Lessons
on game-changing
decisions Colle Players
frequently face

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Reviews

Test Your Endgame Thinking

Reviewed by Bill Whited

10/20/02

Test Your Endgame Thinking, by Glenn Flear (Everyman Chess, 2002). 160 pp.

Improving at chess is an arduous process and almost everyone has some kind of system that they are sure will boost your game and your rating. Years ago, I was advised to study endings diligently and I would find that my rating would soon skyrocket. It was good advice I suppose, except for the fact that you had to play the opening and the middle game first; and to put it mildly, the ending wasn’t really much of a problem for me since I was either thoroughly lost by the time I got there or my opponent had committed some grievous blunder, allowing even my pitiful technique to win.

As I progressed up the chess ladder, I found myself achieving more and more “won” positions (at least they were won in the eyes of my friends and occasional instructor, though I was usually clueless) that I either managed to draw or with a little effort, lose. Normally, these involved the dreaded endgame, a phase of chess that I consciously avoided if possible, preferring to play for mate, no matter what the position dictated. Finally though, with the same enthusiasm that I normally reserve for a visit to the proctologist, I began to study endings.

Endgame books come in a variety of approaches, which vary depending on the objectives of the author. Glenn Flear’s Test Your Endgame Thinking is a book that takes a “play and learn” approach using examples from real games. Many of the endings are from Flear’s own games, thus enabling him to give the reader his own thoughts & analysis when they were played.

Due to the structure of the book, the reader can study it in several different ways. First, you can play over the endings using Flear’s instructions for testing yourself. This can be quite elaborate, where you analyze each of the endings on a move-by-move basis attempting to solve them for yourself. A second method is to go to the solutions chapter and using a blank piece of paper, cover the solutions and play over each move, trying to find the best move as you play through the ending, much like solitaire chess. Finally, you can just go to the solutions chapter and play over the endings, learning the principles the example is trying to illustrate. This gives the book a very flexible approach and makes it useful for players of different strengths. It also reduces your frustration considerably; if you’re like me, you think a great endgame is mate in one around move eighteen!

Each chapter has a different theme and a different set of objectives. Chapter One deals with strategic thinking, which is often neglected in many endgame books. Chapter Two concentrates on planning with detailed analysis. Chapters Three through Five are looking for key ideas or detailed analysis in key positions. Chapter Six contains hints, while Chapters Seven through Eleven contain the answers and additional analysis.

This type of book might be best combined with another book on endings that laid out some basic principles, but I think a novice or an intermediate player could benefit greatly from this approach. Becoming a good endgame player, like everything else in chess, requires a fair amount of work. This book provides an interesting approach while not requiring the reader to immerse himself in a tremendous amount of detail about a particular type of ending. The amount of information to be gleaned from this book though, should improve anyone’s ability to handle the endgame, and as such, would be a welcome addition to anyone’s library that is looking for a book on improving their endgame play without investing a lifetime or two.