Small Steps 2 Success By Gm Sam Shankland & Qua... Apr 2026

Managing pawns that are far away from other support.

Shankland argues that passed pawns are the primary factor in almost every decisive game not won by a direct tactical attack. The book aims to simplify this complex topic into that players can apply during a game. Key Themes & Features

The series is widely regarded as a modern classic in chess literature. Small Steps 2 Success - Book Review - Chessable Small Steps 2 Success By GM Sam Shankland & Qua...

While his first book, Small Steps to Giant Improvement , focused on the consequences of pawn moves (as they cannot move backward), this sequel focuses entirely on —how to create them, how to advance them, and how to defend against them. ♟️ Core Philosophy

Inspired by Nimzowitsch's quote that a passed pawn belongs "under lock and key," the book explores how to both use and restrain these pieces. Managing pawns that are far away from other support

Shankland often shows a master-level game, then slightly changes a single detail to show how a previously winning plan becomes a mistake.

Every chapter distill deep positional concepts into simple rules. For example, "The best way to make a lone passed pawn matter in the endgame is to fight for the squares in front of it". Key Themes & Features The series is widely

is the second book in the acclaimed pawn-play series by Super-GM Sam Shankland, published by Quality Chess.