A large proportion of chess games are decided in the endgame or in the transition to the endgame, but chess literature has provided relatively little guidance for players seeking to improve their skill in making the vital decisions in these phases of the game. Building on the ideas introduced in his ground-breaking work Foundations of Chess Strategy, Lars Bo Hansen provides a thought-provoking and convincing treatise on how players can maximize the practical problems for their opponents while emphasizing the strengths of their own position. Under his guidance, chess-players will more easily focus on the key elements in the position, and devise plans for exploiting them to the full, and develop a better understanding of which pieces need to be exchanged, and which weaknesses really matter.

Lars Bo Hansen is a well-known grandmaster from Denmark. He has won the Danish Championship on two occasions, and represented his country in four olympiads, winning a bronze medal for his individual performance in 1990. His many tournament victories include first prize in the strong Copenhagen Open in both 1997 and 2000. Away from the board, he teaches and lectures on business studies, with a particular focus on marketing, organization and strategy. This is his second book for Gambit.

Download a pdf file with a sample from the book.

"...looks very good. ... takes a more holistic approach in general ... Most major material distributions are discussed." - IM John Watson, TWIC

"Throughout, the book is full of little gems" - Bob Long, www.chessco.com

"Hansen's book is exceptional. Though occasionally he ventures into technical endgames, for the most part he stays on track and delivers a thoughtful, helpful book, full of relevant examples and a clear conceptual framework. His general principles consistently reappear and are not just a gimmick; they're the core of the book and he never strays far from them. Thanks, LB, for taking the time to share with us a great book." - David Ellinger, www.chesscafe.com

"In the past I have played many international matches sitting alongside Lars Bo, and wondered to myself, how he won that equal ending, and also if, as he claims, it is exciting to play chess that way. The book gives a good answer to both matters. One takes as given, that the author considers that [the ending] is a really fascinating side of playing chess. And more important is, that he is able to pass this on. ... The research is thorough, and the instructive examples are to a great degree from new material in comparison with earlier works." - GM Peter Heine Neilsen, Skakbladet

"...convincing general treatise on endgame strategy" - PHL Hughes, Chess Post

"As well as the expected content, a nice touch is the original idea of dividing chess players into four categories, depending on the way they think" - Bab Wilders, Nederlands Dagblad

"An excellent book! One of the best endgame strategy books available. A study of it will greatly improve your endgame technique and get you the wins you deserve! NSG rating = 10 of 10" - Andy May, www.nsgchess.com

"...the examples are extremely thought-provoking. So I recommend buying this book, and allowing your thoughts to be provoked." GM Jonathan Rowson, New-in-Chess

"What I found particularly appealing was the clarity of purpose and explanation. Hansen sticks unerringly to his avowed intentions, and by using some really well-chosen positions to illustrate and develop his ideas he presents the material in a readily intelligible form. Everything seems so simple and obvious when Hansen explains it." - Alan Sutton, En Passant

"Secrets of Chess Endgame Strategy is a challenging book that cannot fail to improve the understanding of any player below 2400 FIDE." - IM John Donaldson, Silman's website

"A modern endgame book providing numerous examples of how to get the best out of the endgame, extremely readable and interesting." - Michael Blake, www.iecg.org

"One of the hardest things in chess writing is to make endgame education palatable, but this book succeeds where many others have failed." - John Saunders, British Chess Magazine

"I liked Hansen's book. The principles are clear and comprehensible, presented with the aid of modern positions; Hansen brings many instructive positions for his thesis into the 220 pages. " - Helmut Conrady, Rochade

Gambit books by Lars Bo Hansen: Foundations of Chess Strategy, Secrets of Endgame Strategy, How Chess Games are Won and Lost, Improve Your Chess - by Learning from the Champions.