What it teaches
Jesús de la Villa asked which endgame positions actually come up often enough, and matter enough, that every tournament player should know them cold. His answer is this carefully chosen set of 100, including key squares and the opposition in king-and-pawn endings, the Lucena and Philidor positions in rook endings, the Vancura defense, bishop and knight endings of wrong-colored bishops, and more.
Each position is explained clearly with the key ideas and typical mistakes, and the book includes test sections so you can check that the knowledge has stuck. It has become a standard in chess clubs worldwide.
Who it's for
Club and tournament players from about 1400 upward who want to master the essential endgame theory. It is more demanding than Silman's course but far more manageable than an encyclopedia.
How to get the most from it
Learn a few positions a week and practice each one on a board until you can play it without the book. Review the whole set every few months; endgame knowledge fades without practice.
Key takeaways
- A small set of theoretical positions covers most practical endgames.
- The Lucena and Philidor positions are essential in rook endings.
- King activity and opposition decide most pawn endings.
- Regular review keeps endgame knowledge sharp.
Read next
For a gentler start, try Silman's Complete Endgame Course. To go deeper, move on to Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual.
