Once upon a time, endgame books were fairly scarce. The Cheron series or the Fine book was the choice of serious players. Now, the choice is enormous: The Averbach series is the new king of the block for professionals, Nunn's computer-checked monsters are available on request for the true endgame fanatic, Grandmaster Secrets: the Endgame by Soltis and Essential Chess Endings by Howell are great for class players, Shereshevsky's endgame books are highly thought of by players in a wide rating range, and the list goes on and on.

In this review, I'd like to recommend what is, to my mind, the best endgame book ever written. Pal Benko's Chess Endgame Lessons is a compilation of articles from Chess Life magazine that examines almost every major endgame theme. What makes this book so special is its readability and humor. Always fun and incredibly instructive, you never feel bored while Grandmaster Benko takes you on a magical journey of endgame lore, endgame theory, endgame lessons and complete games that demonstrate the transition from middlegame to endgame.

In an interview, John Nunn was asked what book he'd want with him if he was stranded on a desert island. His funny yet eminently logical answer: How to Build a Boat! Not possessing his keen wit, I'd have probably rummaged through my mind for chess titles. If so, I can see me asking for this Benko book. Looking at it now, it makes me realize how little I really know and how much fun studying the endgame can be. In fact, if I studied Benko's book for several months (what else is there to do on an island?) I would undoubtedly be a far stronger player by the time that Nunn's boat rescued me and brought me back to chess-playing reality.

Pick this one up! It will be one of the best chess purchases you've ever made.