Answers.Body: <p>Personally, I love a number of great books, and there is still no substitute. You can then plug positions into a computer to test yourself.</p>
  
  <p>I still love Fine's "Basic Chess Endings". Despite the errors, many corrected later in the Pal Benko edition, it gives a great sense of WHAT you are trying to accomplish in any type endgame. Simply by reading over all the examples, and the sub-examples, you will absorb a lot. Each sub-example, while meant to show an exception, or other deviation, is also reinforcement of the main idea.</p>
  
  <p>For example as to my comment about "WHAT" you are trying to accomplish, take a minor piece endgame where you are up a pawn. The basic plan is to create a passer, and if your opponent blocks with the K, you run with your king to attack and take his other pawns. It he just tries to block it with the piece, you run over and force him to give up the piece for the pawn.</p>
  
  <p>I studied this book when I was rated just 1036, and much of what I learned has stuck with me through being a Master almost 40 years later. No less than World Champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, considered it the best book on the endgame (although many greats ones have come along since). Fine's words are chess gold.</p>
  
  <p>Next, I really like "100 Endgames You Must Know: Vital Lessons for Every Chess Player" by GM Jesus de la Villa. Not many books get a fourth edition, which is a testament to this book's appeal. In addition, he recently added "The 100 Endgames You Must Know Workbook: Practical Endgame Exercises for Every Chess Player", which lets you apply the 100 endgames from the first book in practical game exercises.</p>
  
  <p>Lastly, if you really get strong, I still consider "Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual" THE single most instructive book ever written. That said, it is not for novices, and expects a lot of prior endgame knowledge. Similar to de la Villa's recent workbook, Dvoretsky also wrote "Tragicomedy in the Endgame: Instructive Mistakes of the Masters", which shows practical games involving information from DEM.</p>
  
  <p>No matter what you do though, endgame study requires time and effort; however, unlike opening study, this study will stick with you for a lifetime.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-09-24T15:24:14.237Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-09-24T16:47:56.477Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-09-24T16:47:56.477Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: PhishMaster
Answers.Body: <p>I've practiced some endgames against the computer, and I think it has been useful but there are some caveats. It may depend on the engine (and the endgame), but I've found that sometimes when practicing a won position or defending a drawn position, the engine does not play "realistically", making the endgame unnecessarily easy to win or draw.</p>
  
  <p>Let's use KP vs K endgames as a simple example. Let's say you have a won position. A stubborn human defender would try to block the pawn til the end, hoping maybe you'll slip and allow a draw. The engine may decide instead "I'm lost, but if I run away with my king now, it will be mate in 12 instead of mate in 10!", so the king runs away and makes the promotion trivial.</p>
  
  <p>Similarly, if you are defending a drawn position, a stubborn human would try to keep the pawn and advance it until stalemate is reached. The engine concludes there's no difference, so I've seen it give away the pawn, leading to an immediate draw.</p>
  
  <p>I've also practiced endgames with a coach, and it's much better, because the coach knows how to make tricky moves which give you the opportunity to make a mistake, instead of just trying to maximize the distance to mate.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-09-25T01:19:22.177Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-09-25T01:19:22.177Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: itub
Answers.Body: <p>Actually in a case of endgames you can split learning in two parts:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Theory</li>
  <li>Practice</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>You have to start with theory - read books - those will explain ideas and principles. Then You can move on (can do it somewhat in parallel) to practice. There are lot of internet sites, PC and mobile apps for that - I will not advertise any specific - that would be unfair. You can even just set-up position and play Vs your engine until you succeed getting desired result(win/draw). Also - learning is never easy - if you want to achieve high level You will have to work hard, spending many hours on this!</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-09-24T11:17:34.810Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-09-24T11:17:34.810Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Drako
Answers.Body: <blockquote>
    <p>Are there better suggestions?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I find videos to be more effective than books and ideally the videos, as well as giving instruction, should also have problems related to the matter as you suggest. </p>
  
  <p>My personal preference, which I find very effective, is the two DVDs on endgames produced by the Ginger GM, Simon Williams. The material is presented by English GM Nick Pert and covers everything you are likely to need from complete beginner (K+Q v K) through to GM level (K+R v K+B, K+h+f pawns v K, K+R+a,f,g,h v K+R+f,g,h, K+Q v K+R). You can find more details <a href="https://www.gingergm.com/shop/killer-endgames" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-09-24T14:31:39.560Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-09-24T14:31:39.560Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Brian Towers
Body: <p>There are lot of recommendations on what endgame books you should read and study. But reading is just passive learning, and not so efficient.</p>
  
  <p>If the book doesn't contain exercises, what is the best method for active learning and doing exercises? </p>
  
  <p>One idea I have is to play the positions against an engine. Are there better suggestions?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-09-28T22:56:02.543Z
Comments.Text: Playing positions against an engine is alright, but it's only useful if you can figure out why it's playing in a certain way.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-09-28T23:05:32.937Z
Comments.Text: Also, any good endgame book should have exercises.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-09-30T11:45:40.053Z
Comments.Text: It would be good to understand what type of endgames you want to study. There are "theoretical endgames", where you learn the outcome of a particular position, and there are "practical endgames" which are often related to tactics and strategy
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-10-01T19:59:11.090Z
Comments.Text: I have studied Silman's endgame course and some other general endgame books. But I intend to try a more serious study. I was recommended Keres book "Practical chess Endings" which have bought. So I assume and hope it contains most practical endgames.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Msiipola
Tags: <endgame>
Title: How to study endgames?
ThreadText: # How to study endgames?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-24)
  
  There are lot of recommendations on what endgame books you should read and study. But reading is just passive learning, and not so efficient.
  
  If the book doesn't contain exercises, what is the best method for active learning and doing exercises?
  
  One idea I have is to play the positions against an engine. Are there better suggestions?
  
  **Tags:** endgame
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Playing positions against an engine is alright, but it's only useful if you can figure out why it's playing in a certain way.  
  > **username_1**: Also, any good endgame book should have exercises.  
  > **username_2**: It would be good to understand what type of endgames you want to study. There are "theoretical endgames", where you learn the outcome of a particular position, and there are "practical endgames" which are often related to tactics and strategy  
  > **username_0**: I have studied Silman's endgame course and some other general endgame books. But I intend to try a more serious study. I was recommended Keres book "Practical chess Endings" which have bought. So I assume and hope it contains most practical endgames.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2019-09-24. Score: 9
  
  Personally, I love a number of great books, and there is still no substitute. You can then plug positions into a computer to test yourself.
  
  I still love Fine's "Basic Chess Endings". Despite the errors, many corrected later in the Pal Benko edition, it gives a great sense of WHAT you are trying to accomplish in any type endgame. Simply by reading over all the examples, and the sub-examples, you will absorb a lot. Each sub-example, while meant to show an exception, or other deviation, is also reinforcement of the main idea.
  
  For example as to my comment about "WHAT" you are trying to accomplish, take a minor piece endgame where you are up a pawn. The basic plan is to create a passer, and if your opponent blocks with the K, you run with your king to attack and take his other pawns. It he just tries to block it with the piece, you run over and force him to give up the piece for the pawn.
  
  I studied this book when I was rated just 1036, and much of what I learned has stuck with me through being a Master almost 40 years later. No less than World Champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, considered it the best book on the endgame (although many greats ones have come along since). Fine's words are chess gold.
  
  Next, I really like "100 Endgames You Must Know: Vital Lessons for Every Chess Player" by GM Jesus de la Villa. Not many books get a fourth edition, which is a testament to this book's appeal. In addition, he recently added "The 100 Endgames You Must Know Workbook: Practical Endgame Exercises for Every Chess Player", which lets you apply the 100 endgames from the first book in practical game exercises.
  
  Lastly, if you really get strong, I still consider "Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual" THE single most instructive book ever written. That said, it is not for novices, and expects a lot of prior endgame knowledge. Similar to de la Villa's recent workbook, Dvoretsky also wrote "Tragicomedy in the Endgame: Instructive Mistakes of the Masters", which shows practical games involving information from DEM.
  
  No matter what you do though, endgame study requires time and effort; however, unlike opening study, this study will stick with you for a lifetime.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2019-09-25. Score: 5
  
  I've practiced some endgames against the computer, and I think it has been useful but there are some caveats. It may depend on the engine (and the endgame), but I've found that sometimes when practicing a won position or defending a drawn position, the engine does not play "realistically", making the endgame unnecessarily easy to win or draw.
  
  Let's use KP vs K endgames as a simple example. Let's say you have a won position. A stubborn human defender would try to block the pawn til the end, hoping maybe you'll slip and allow a draw. The engine may decide instead "I'm lost, but if I run away with my king now, it will be mate in 12 instead of mate in 10!", so the king runs away and makes the promotion trivial.
  
  Similarly, if you are defending a drawn position, a stubborn human would try to keep the pawn and advance it until stalemate is reached. The engine concludes there's no difference, so I've seen it give away the pawn, leading to an immediate draw.
  
  I've also practiced endgames with a coach, and it's much better, because the coach knows how to make tricky moves which give you the opportunity to make a mistake, instead of just trying to maximize the distance to mate.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2019-09-24. Score: 4
  
  Actually in a case of endgames you can split learning in two parts:
  
  * Theory
  * Practice
  
  You have to start with theory - read books - those will explain ideas and principles. Then You can move on (can do it somewhat in parallel) to practice. There are lot of internet sites, PC and mobile apps for that - I will not advertise any specific - that would be unfair. You can even just set-up position and play Vs your engine until you succeed getting desired result(win/draw). Also - learning is never easy - if you want to achieve high level You will have to work hard, spending many hours on this!
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2019-09-24. Score: 2
  
  > Are there better suggestions?
  
  I find videos to be more effective than books and ideally the videos, as well as giving instruction, should also have problems related to the matter as you suggest.
  
  My personal preference, which I find very effective, is the two DVDs on endgames produced by the Ginger GM, Simon Williams. The material is presented by English GM Nick Pert and covers everything you are likely to need from complete beginner (K+Q v K) through to GM level (K+R v K+B, K+h+f pawns v K, K+R+a,f,g,h v K+R+f,g,h, K+Q v K+R). You can find more details [here](https://www.gingergm.com/shop/killer-endgames).
  
  
  ---
  
  