Basic Endgame Problems 1+2: Gote and Sente

By Robert Jasiek, engl., 2 x 152 pages.

This books examine gote endgamesand sente endgames or subsequent moves. Most problems show a local endgame, but some problems present multiple choices between some local endgames. Each diagram covers a small part of the board. Volume 1 examines simple gote without continuation, corridors, one continuation, several separate continuations, continuations of both players, deep continuations, and long sequences. Volume 2 covers simple sente, sente with gote continuations, gote with sente continuations, sente with sente continuations, gote with gote and sente continuations, sente with gote and sente continuations, mixed forms between gote and sente, so-called "ambiguous" local endgames, and long sequences. We thus learn the evaluation of each basic class of local endgame forms.

The introduction to the two volumes contains the theory for calculating the values. The two central values are the "move value" and the "count value", i.e., the positional value of a local endgame. While in volume 1 mainly Gote values are needed, in volume 2 also the differently calculated Sente values are needed. A little additional theory occurs occasionally in both books, as follows. In each volume, three shortcuts are introduced as methods for accelerated calculation. All six are applied in volume 2. In addition, an approximation is suggested in Volume 1 when it does no harm; otherwise, all calculations are exact. Arrows indicate the sections where some general principles or remarks are set forth. Both volumes conclude with a brief index.

In Volume 1, 104 problems have detailed answers, while 46 problems have short answers. In Volume 2, 93 problems have detailed answers, while 57 problems in the Multiple Choice chapter have short answers. A typical short answer contains one diagram with one paragraph of text and calculations.

A detailed answer contains several diagrams showing initial or subsequent positions, or only one or a few moves. The counts of the balanced subsequent positions are determined. The move value and count are calculated for the initial position and each important subsequent intermediate position, and the current type, gote or sente, of the local endgame is checked by a value condition. For deeper understanding and as an additional check, the calculated values are related to an interpretation, or sometimes there are additional remarks. If abbreviations apply to the initial position and allow a visual representation, they are explained in an extra section of the answer. In some tasks there is an additional extended analysis that checks or disproves whether long sequences are worth playing.