Light Speed Endgame Technique

Light Speed Endgame Technique (光速の終盤術 kousoku no shuubanjutsu) is a shogi book authored by Koji Tanigawa and published in 1988. The book contains 25 self-annotated games in which Tanigawa explores the fundamental nature of shogi endgames. It is highly regarded as an advanced endgame manual for shogi players of every skill level. A complete English translation is available online for free.

Background

The book title references Tanigawa's signature ability of winning in the endgame by increasing the speed of his attack to be the first to capture his opponent's king, which was given the nickname of "light speed endgame" (光速の寄せ kousoku no yose). According to fellow professional player Osamu Nakamura, the timing of Tanigawa's attack was about 3 moves faster compared to his opponents. Players who did not share his brilliant sense of speed would feel as if his endgame moves were "invisible" to them, like an object moving at the speed of light.