EP 351- Steffen Nielsen: The author and award-winning endgame study composer on what makes a good chess puzzle, and whether endgame studies are good for your chess calculation.
This week\u2019s guest, Steffen Slumstrump Nielsen is one of the most accomplished chess endgame study composers in the world. Steffen\u2019s new book, Endgame Labyrinths (co-authored with GM Jacob Aagaard) compiles what they consider to be the most instructive endgame studies of all time. It is a beautiful book filled with challenging and instructive studies. In our conversation, we discuss how Steffen came to be interested in the \u201csubgenre\u201d of designing chess puzzles,\xa0 the components that make a good study, and who he believes to be the best endgame study composers of all time. Finally, Steffen shares some details on his creation process and offers recommendations if you would like to learn more about endgame studies. Links of the topics referenced can be found below.\xa0\n\nThanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. You can check our their new courses here:\xa0\nhttps://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/\nAnd some of my favorites here:\xa0\nhttps://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/\n\n0:00- How did Steffen discover the art of composing endgame studies?\xa0\n\n0:04- How does Steffen work with engines when comprising a study?\xa0\nMentioned: Chessbase India feature on Steffen Nielsen:\nhttps://www.chessbase.in/news/Giants-of-Modern-Studies-Part-I-The-Tactical-Thaumaturgy-of-Steffen-S-Nielsen-\n\n11:30- What makes a good endgame study?\xa0\n\n15:30- How useful are endgame studies for chess improvement? (potential break)\nMentioned: Episode 339 with WGM Anna Zatonskih\xa0\n\n19:00- As an study composer, is calculation a strength of Steffen\u2019s?\xa0\n\n21:50- How much time per week does Steffen spend composing studies? What does his family think of it?\xa0\nMentioned: Steffen\u2019s YouTube talk\n\n27:00- What, if anything, differentiates Steffen\u2019s prize-winning studies from others?\xa0\nMentioned: Tim Krabbe\u2019s blog, Episode 226 with Tim Krabbe\xa0\n\n33:00- Which famous players has Steffen meant who enjoy endgame studies?\nMentioned: GM Jan Timman\xa0\n\n35:30- What did Steffen observe from observing the approach to solving of people like GM Sam Shankland and GM Christopher Yoo?\xa0\nMentioned: Free Preview of the Book here:\nhttps://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/EndgameLabyrinthsOnlineExcerpt.pdf\nAlso mentioned: GM Kasper Piorun\n\n41:00- We discuss the invaluable endgame study database from Harold van der Heijden. More info here:\xa0\nhttps://www.hhdbvi.nl/\n\n44:00- What endgame study books has Steffen studied:\nMentioned: Kasparyan\u2019s Domination in 2545 Studies, Oleg Pervakov\u2019s Studies and Books, The Art of the Endgame\xa0\n\n46:00- What was Steffen\u2019s approach to chess study? What authors did he like?\nMentioned: Bent Larsen\n\n48:30- How long has this book been in the works?\xa0\n\n49:00- Steffen\u2019s closing thoughts!\nMentioned: GM Wojciech Moranda\xa0\n\n51:00- Thanks to Steffen for joining the program!\n\nFollow Steffen on Twitter here:\nhttps://twitter.com/SteffenNielsen8?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\nYou can read more about composing studies on this blog:\nwww.chessstudy.art\xa0\n\nBuy the book from Quality Chess:\nhttps://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/3/443/endgame_labyrinths_hardcover_by_jacob_aagaard_and_steffen_nielsen/\nOr on Forward Chess:\nhttps://forwardchess.com/product/endgame-labyrinths\nFree preview from Quality Chess:\nhttps://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/EndgameLabyrinthsOnlineExcerpt.pdf\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices