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Why Endgame Knowledge is so Critical to Improvement

Think about the way people want to win their games, do they want to win a long grinded out game that took them 30 minutes to wear their opponent down, or do they want to get a win in 3 minutes and go along with their day? The answer is the quick one, our brains (at least here in the west, and ESPECIALLY if you're a teenager like me) have been wired by society to want everything fast.

Personally I find a win way more satisfying when I have to earn it and work for it than when I win quickly because my opponent fell for a trap or blundered on his/her own.

> Think about the way people want to win their games, do they want to win a long grinded out game that took them 30 minutes to wear their opponent down, or do they want to get a win in 3 minutes and go along with their day? The answer is the quick one, our brains (at least here in the west, and ESPECIALLY if you're a teenager like me) have been wired by society to want everything fast. Personally I find a win way more satisfying when I have to earn it and work for it than when I win quickly because my opponent fell for a trap or blundered on his/her own.

#2
yes i agree. I recently lost a rapid game in <10 moves by refuting a Nxf7 trap in the wrong way, even though it made me get last place in a tournament, it still wasn't as bad as blundering in an endgame.

I'm also not a fan of opening traps. most of them have a chance they will get you into some sort of "+2 for your opponent" position.

#2 yes i agree. I recently lost a rapid game in <10 moves by refuting a Nxf7 trap in the wrong way, even though it made me get last place in a tournament, it still wasn't as bad as blundering in an endgame. I'm also not a fan of opening traps. most of them have a chance they will get you into some sort of "+2 for your opponent" position.

Studying endgames IS hard because you don't see the payoff quickly. But I agree. I am spending all year reading Shereshevsky, and would love to get to Panchenko. That book looks excellent.

Studying endgames IS hard because you don't see the payoff quickly. But I agree. I am spending all year reading Shereshevsky, and would love to get to Panchenko. That book looks excellent.

So, I did what any American teenager would do in my situation and I turned to AI to find me books or other content to study.

I welcome you to my religion https://lichess.org/team/the-endgame-church . Hopefully we can find someone to manage a catalog of good endgame book recommendations.

> So, I did what any American teenager would do in my situation and I turned to AI to find me books or other content to study. I welcome you to my religion https://lichess.org/team/the-endgame-church . Hopefully we can find someone to manage a catalog of good endgame book recommendations.

@mkubecek said in #2:

Think about the way people want to win their games, do they want to win a long grinded out game that took them 30 minutes to wear their opponent down, or do they want to get a win in 3 minutes and go along with their day? The answer is the quick one, our brains (at least here in the west, and ESPECIALLY if you're a teenager like me) have been wired by society to want everything fast.

Personally I find a win way more satisfying when I have to earn it and work for it than when I win quickly because my opponent fell for a trap or blundered on his/her own.

Same

@mkubecek said in #2: > > Think about the way people want to win their games, do they want to win a long grinded out game that took them 30 minutes to wear their opponent down, or do they want to get a win in 3 minutes and go along with their day? The answer is the quick one, our brains (at least here in the west, and ESPECIALLY if you're a teenager like me) have been wired by society to want everything fast. > > Personally I find a win way more satisfying when I have to earn it and work for it than when I win quickly because my opponent fell for a trap or blundered on his/her own. Same

The book "Silman's Complete Endgame Course" has been recommended by many a master, e.g. WFM Alessia Santeramo, or IM Kostya Kavutskiy. IM Andras Toth (aka Chesscoach Andras) praises the book with the words "the book has a good chance to make you not hate endgames".

After finishing Silman's book, Toth recommends Shereshevsky's "Endgame Strategy" - it focuses on strategy, plans and principles, while Silman focuses on exact endgames, then Karsten Müller's "How to Play Chess Endgames", and the "final boss" being Dvoretsky's "Endgame Manual".

From my personal perspective, it might be a good idea to start learning and practicing tactics with as few pieces as possible - basically positions that would mainly appear in endgames. That way it would be easier to internalize and recognize the patterns.

The book "Silman's Complete Endgame Course" has been recommended by many a master, e.g. WFM Alessia Santeramo, or IM Kostya Kavutskiy. IM Andras Toth (aka Chesscoach Andras) praises the book with the words "the book has a good chance to make you not hate endgames". After finishing Silman's book, Toth recommends Shereshevsky's "Endgame Strategy" - it focuses on strategy, plans and principles, while Silman focuses on exact endgames, then Karsten Müller's "How to Play Chess Endgames", and the "final boss" being Dvoretsky's "Endgame Manual". From my personal perspective, it might be a good idea to start learning and practicing tactics with as few pieces as possible - basically positions that would mainly appear in endgames. That way it would be easier to internalize and recognize the patterns.

Dvoretsky's "Endgame Manual" is great, no doubt! It may push your Endgame play from something around 1600 to a safe 2000 IMO.

In the old days though I learned quite something from the books of Averbakh about endgames, but these are a little dry and too much stuff for an average player.

Dvoretsky's "Endgame Manual" is great, no doubt! It may push your Endgame play from something around 1600 to a safe 2000 IMO. In the old days though I learned quite something from the books of Averbakh about endgames, but these are a little dry and too much stuff for an average player.

I have seen that I am not better player. I am slightly worser player than others or equal. But on my level I see that endgames are very important, because one move can destroy everything. I have to add that the biggest difference is when time is out.

I have seen that I am not better player. I am slightly worser player than others or equal. But on my level I see that endgames are very important, because one move can destroy everything. I have to add that the biggest difference is when time is out.

Just FYI, there is also a Chessable course on the book "Silman's Complete Endgame Course", created by Alex Banzea. Obviously not free, and I don't know how it compares to the book.

One nice thing is that you can copy the positions (in FEN notation), paste them into some engine analysis, and play them against Stockfish or some other engine.

Just FYI, there is also a Chessable course on the book "Silman's Complete Endgame Course", created by Alex Banzea. Obviously not free, and I don't know how it compares to the book. One nice thing is that you can copy the positions (in FEN notation), paste them into some engine analysis, and play them against Stockfish or some other engine.