02 Oct 07
Originally posted by diskamylDon't see endgame study as a self-contained entity. Not only will understanding endgame theory aid you in the endgame, it also (as S.Smaug says) helps you understand the relationship between the pieces, and perhaps most critically - it informs middlegame strategy. Knowing what is a strong endgame position can feed not just your decisions in the middlegame (pawn structure, favourable exchanges, creating / allowing positional weaknesses etc), but even your choice of opening on occasions.
(I have that book and am planning to begin studying it on the weekends. I'm glad to hear such positive comments about it.) then I'd like to ask, how does endgame study affect your overall play?
I'm between 1550-1650 and would like an advice on how much of my time I should spend on the endgame. (in relation to other elements like tactics etc.)
I read somewhere that after learning the opening basics, studying the endgame should be step number 2 in your chess tuition, for these reasons. Might have been Laskers self-tutor, but either way, it helped me (within reason!)
02 Oct 07
Originally posted by diskamylBefore you do, here is a man who's wisdom you may attach more importance to than mine 🙂
I understand. I'm looking forward to begin studying the endgame then. thanks for the replies.
“In order to improve your game, you must study the endgame before
everything else, for whereas the endings can be studied and
mastered by themselves, the middle game and the opening
must be studied in relation to the endgame”
(Jose Raul Capablanca)
02 Oct 07
Originally posted by diskamylart of the middle game by kotov and keres has a section on different pawn structures.
I want to ask the same question. hot will you train for something that specific?
I'm asking these because I think I need a decent way to study middlegame strategies. all I'm doing right now is training tactics (by CT-Art) for an hour everyday, and solve 3 questions a day from the reasses your chess workbook (which is mainly about strategy), but I don't ...[text shortened]... lay against chessmaster (one long game a week), and I don't see any improvement in my play.
02 Oct 07
I'm working on checkmate patterns, developing my own list from Renaud and Kahn's The Art of the Checkmate, Vukovic, The Art of Attack in Chess, Chandler, How to Beat Your Dad in Chess, and similar works.
Renaud and Kahn is still far superior to these others in its instructive methodologies, but computer analysis shows that some of their lines are flawed. For example, black had a defensive move in Blackburne - Schwarz (1881) that they fail to mention
Black to move
02 Oct 07
Originally posted by chrspaynI'm 'training' my intuition as best I can. Somewhat sound pawn sacrifices... I'm trying to find as many as possible. It's making me believe that perhaps the KG is actually sound.
What part of the game are you studying? What part would you rather work on? I am told I need to improve my opening repertoire, I also think I could stand to work on stragety, but what I would like to do is just study the endgame more.
02 Oct 07
Originally posted by WulebgrMaybe its 1...Be7 (trying to exchange dangerous bishop) ?
I'm working on checkmate patterns, developing my own list from Renaud and Kahn's The Art of the Checkmate, Vukovic, The Art of Attack in Chess, Chandler, How to Beat Your Dad in Chess, and similar works.
Renaud and Kahn is still far superior to these others in its instructive methodologies, but computer analysis shows that some of the ...[text shortened]... tion
Black to move
[fen]4r1k1/p1qr1p2/2pbnBp1/1p5p/3P3R/1B3P2/PP3PK1/2Q4R b - - 0 25[/fen]
02 Oct 07
Originally posted by chrspaynthe endgame. always the endgame.
What part of the game are you studying? What part would you rather work on? I am told I need to improve my opening repertoire, I also think I could stand to work on stragety, but what I would like to do is just study the endgame more.
03 Oct 07
1 edit
Originally posted by diskamyldepends on the subject you're trying to learn I suppose.
I want to ask the same question. hot will you train for something that specific?
I'm asking these because I think I need a decent way to study middlegame strategies. all I'm doing right now is training tactics (by CT-Art) for an hour everyday, and solve 3 questions a day from the reasses your chess workbook (which is mainly about strategy), but I don't lay against chessmaster (one long game a week), and I don't see any improvement in my play.
learning about attacking different types of pawn structures, I would set them up on a board and just work, work, work on them. break defending pawn front with attacking pawns every possible way, find out how all different cases work out. when can you do it without losing material, when you need to sac a pawn, when can the defender lock the pawns, how can you break different configurations by saccing different pieces, what kind of different ways there are to create passed pawns etc. etc...
of course I can calculate these things as I encounter them, but that's very slow and greatly restricts my ability to use these features creatively as a part of general strategy or tactics. these things should be as obvious to me as basic tactical motifs, no calculation required, instant recognition.
the main thing would be to actually work on the positions, move those pieces around until your fingers bleed. then move some more.
03 Oct 07
Originally posted by ih8sensih8sens, just a friendly advice, it seems to me your admiration of Tal the great and love for sacrifices/gambits is wasting your time in your chess training.
I'm 'training' my intuition as best I can. Somewhat sound pawn sacrifices... I'm trying to find as many as possible. It's making me believe that perhaps the KG is actually sound.