Amateur to IM: Contents

Throughout this week, I'll be looking at Amateur to IM - the debut book by International Master Jonathan Hawkins.

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Recently published by Mongoose Press, the book sports a particularly eye-catching cover that will hopefully stand out from the crowded bookstalls.

I must declare an interest in the book. I am the editor and I worked very closely with Jonathan throughout the project. Believe me, Jonathan put a lot of effort into this volume; it was definitely not a proverbial case of writing a book over a weekend.

Instead of a review, this week's articles should be considered as a set of previews.

So, what is the book about? How exactly did Jonathan rise through the ranks and what are the ''proven ideas and training methods'' on offer? As the cover blurb explains:


''The secret was knowing what to study and how to learn as efficiently as possible. Focusing his attention firmly on the endgame, Jonathan devised a number of building blocks and identified a number of very important areas of study. The result of his hard work was a meteoric rise through the ranks, as he became firmly established as a prominent GM killer on the English tournament circuit.

These pages reveal the secrets of his notebooks for the first time. IM Hawkins presents special material aimed to help you become a much better practical player, one armed with a deeper understanding of key aspects of chess.

A careful study of the lessons presented in this book should enable the chess student to gain a significant improvement in both performance and rating.''

Here's the list of contents:

Introduction

Part 1

Thinking Techniques

Lesson 1

Reaching the Horizon – Reference Points in Calculation

Calculating with a goal in mind

Key squares in king and pawn endgames.

Opposition and outflanking

An arsenal of positions

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: opposition, distant opposition, outflanking

Lesson 2

A Short Introduction to Planning in the Endgame

Basic winning methods

Identifying long-term goals

Promoting our pawns

Attacking the enemy structure

Lesson 3

Capablanca’s Pawn Endgame

Combining planning with calculation

Mastering key positions

Building blocks

Reserve tempi

Critical squares

Three training games

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes

Lesson 4

Step by Step – A Guide to Little Plans

Optimizing the pieces

Understanding the concept of ‘little plans’

Summary of Ideas

Part 2

Principles and Essential Theory

Lesson 5

Essential Rook Endgames

Lucena position

Philidor’s sixth rank defense

Passive bank rank defense

The geometry of checking distance

Short-side defense

Cutting the King

Building a bridge

Summary of Ideas: Simple Defensive Procedures; pawn on the fifth rank; pawn on the fourth rank

Theoretical Notes: Lucena position with a rook’s pawn; Philidor denied; knight’s pawn on the fourth rank

Lesson 6

Bishop and Pawn Connections – Dynamic Defense

R+P vs. B+P with blocked pawns

Fortresses

Positional ideas

Simplification into a known drawn endgame

Illustrative game: Sasikiran – Carlsen

Summary of Ideas: ‘solid’ and ‘passive’; fortress

Lesson 7

Pawn Walls Against Bishops

Restraining a bishop with a pawn chain

B+2P vs. B, with opposite-colored bishops and connected pawns

Summary of Ideas

Illustrative game: Akobian – Howell

Theoretical Notes: defensive set ups

Lesson 8

Dropping Down the Anchor

Opposite-colored bishop endgames

The anchor

Zugzwang and sacrifice

Breakthrough

The psychology of defense and attack

Illustrative game: Kramnik – Adams

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes

Lesson 9

Back To Reality – Other Minor Piece Endgames

Bishops of the same color

The theory of bishop and vs. bishop with same-colored bishops

Bishops dominating

Illustrative game: Karpov – Susan Polgar

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: bishop and pawn vs. bishop

Lesson 10

Exercises!

Part 3

Endgame Explorations

Practical games

Endgame tabiyas

Endgame Exploration 1:

My Favorite Endgame

Rook and bishop vs. rook

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: Lolli’s two positions

Endgame Exploration 2:

A Long Discussion of a Short Endgame

Opposite-colored bishops

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: important discoveries

Endgame Exploration 3:

Skeleton of the Minority Attack - Endgames in the Karlsbad Structure

QGD: Exchange Variation

Important structures

Illustrative game: Arkell – Kiriakov

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: minority attack; transformations

Endgame Exploration 4:

Extra Pawn on the Queenside

Part 1 - Positional Advantage

Rook behind passed pawns

Zugzwang

Infiltration

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: Kopaev Line; Alekhine Line

Endgame Exploration 5:

Extra Pawn on the Queenside

Part 2 - Walking the Borderline

Steckner position

Dautov position

Unzicker position

Dvoretsky position

Zugzwang position

Skewed Dautov position

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: more on the Steckner position

Endgame Exploration 6:

Ulf on the Warpath!

Development in the Endgame

Illustrative games:

Andersson – Marovic

Andersson – Hort

Andersson – Robatsch

Andersson – Nyback

Summary of Ideas

Theoretical Notes: knights against passed pawns; L-barrier; pawns on the seventh rank

Endgame Exploration 7:

Positions for Analysis

Solutions to Exercises

Follow-up Solutions

Final Thoughts

Bibliography

Jonathan demonstrating a crushing victory over GM Conquest

Appetite whetted? Stay tuned for more on Amateur to IM...