The End - Game - is Nearer

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  • The End - Game - is Nearer

    It occurs to me that the use of the word 'endgame' is increasing, gaining in significance and widening its meaning. I did a quick (unsophisticated) search with Google Ngram Viewer, and it charts a sharp rise in the usage of the word 'endgame' beginning in the late 1950's. Perhaps proportionally more endgame books have been published in that time than before, but it seems that the world outside chess has grabbed a hold of the word 'endgame' and made a run for it, adding twists and turns of meaning of its own. For instance, one worldly meaning for 'endgame' is 'ultimate plan or agenda'. Does this feed back into chess? Is the end result for chess players that 'the endgame' itself has become more important and interesting? Do you think the endgame has increased in significance for you and other players? Do you spend more time studying or teaching the ending than before? Is this done from desire or a sense of necessity? ("I like to study the endings" as opposed to "I have to study the endings".) If nothing else, have the number of your endgame books increased?
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