need help on basic pawn ending

@jimj12 #8 'in such way that the king can not oppose you': in the position in #2 you can go to c4 in three moves, the black king can go to c6 in three moves. Someone who knows these endgames (for example not @todo_pro ) knows that it is then not possible any more to enter the key squares. You can not even enter c5 or d5. The black king opposes you on c6.

But you can also go to a4 in just three moves (see my hint in #4)! While the black king can only go to c6 in this time.

So you count in your mind: 'Kc2-b3-a4 – three moves' and 'Ke7-d6-c6 – also three moves. It is my move now.' You set up this position with wk on a4 and bk on c6 in your mind, and you see: 'I can go to a5, where i am threatening to go to the key square a6. Then i win. Therefore he has to answer Kb7, to prevent me from going to a6. Then i can go to b5 and i have the opposition. if he goes to a7 i can enter key square c6, if he goes to c7, i can enter key square a6'.

I agree with @todo_pro but most of these endgames can be calculated out.

I would continue doing Silman's endgame course. I loved progressing through the book when I was raising my rating.

SelfmateMan, you're being childish. I know that kind of endgame very well. I was just trying to say that they are rare and that maybe you can study more frequent ones first. It's just my opinion but you obviously can't respect another person's opinion.

@todo_pro No it is not an opinion, it is a lie. Basic endgame knowledge directly or indirectly decides 25% of games, if not more. Im not arguing about your and @Reeceys nonsense.

Further, you say that you know this endgame? (and @Reeceys says he reads an endgame book) So you actually studied it? Why do you say beginners do not have to? Did you forget how it was before you didnt knew these basic endgames? If one wants to become better he _has_ to do these endgames. And this is no problem, because they are simple and fun to learn.

Also, that they appear not often is irrelevant (and also it is wrong). If a beginner analyzes these simple positions he gets used to doing concrete analysis. He has fun because it is simple and finite. He learns how to calculate. He learns fundamental chess motifs. He gets used to reading chess books. He will not be laughed at when he finds the right moves in such basic endgames. Addon: it will lead to him making better moves in the opening and in the middle game. Addon 2: knowing these motifs will allow him to stop to calculate earlier. Eg because in #2 he knows 'if my king is on a6 i am won'. He does not need to calculate until he promotes the pawn.

@Regis74 I'd re-confirm that knowing that the key squares are 2 ranks in front of the pawn makes calculation of this kind of ending much easier - it just takes a bit of counting. Don't know if this little study helps at all in visualising it.

en.lichess.org/study/LILDl9sY

@FletchMK64 Nice visualisation, thanks.

Just turned a lost position in the endgame, and guess which endgame arose:

de.lichess.org/bATqNdDQ/black#137

Actually i quite sucked in this queen endgame. I should work on this.

Oh thank you so much to you all! this is much easier now!

Todo pro, maybe it doesn't happen a lot, but as it is quite easy stuff, might as well master it anyway. :)

Regis.

Hello,

@Regis74 , if you want to learn more, you should read the book that @Reeceys was talking about. It's called "Silman's complete endgame course". A few days ago, i have found a blog providing a pdf file of that book, and i can tell you that it is worth reading it!
That book gives you tons of principles, theories and golden rules such as @SelfmateMan and @FletchMK64 were talking about. It is simple, this book explains what everybody -MUST- know about endgames, if they want to improve.

Sorry for my bad english, have a nice day.