Connecting the dots

 I used to complain that my endgame knowledge consists of a lot of dots without connections.

That is the problem when you are your own coach. You waste a lot of time with dealing with issues of a different level.

If you don't know what is important, to have to study a lot without knowing whether it will become useful. I used to study Euwe long ago (as everybody in the Netherlands used to). His endgame book started with nine chapters which were irrelevant for my level (like calculus when you need the tables of multiplication). Only to discover that I wasted my time for nine chapters when I finally arrived at chapter 10.

Once you know what you need to know, you can search for material that might fit the bill.

When you have gathered the material, you need to adapt your study method. Which is again a problem on another level.

I discovered that for some material, I need to extract the scenarios and build a framework from it. 

For some patterns the repetition doesn't work:

Who is to move?

The question "who is to move" results in different patterns. For years I was only vaguely aware that there were different patterns involved with this position.

On the other hand, I discovered a lot already the past 25 years. And the digital availability of material has increased enormously in the meantime.

I watched the first 3 chapters about pawn endings from Dvoretsky on video. In just five hours I got an overview of the whole area. I knew most dots already, and I could clearly see how I can connect them. Which scenarios to extract and how to connect them in one framework.

For sure it will take me a few weeks. But when I read the same things in SOPE, I didn't get that overview because reading the book was spread out over half a year or so. Then you miss the big picture.

Weaponizing the endgame

I can see clearly the potential of this work.

• A framework of scenarios makes that I always will have a plan. Creating a plan OTB with no clue beforehand is an impossible task. Which can only end in time trouble and disaster.
• Patterns on an empty board can replace calculation.
• Often you only need to know your goals. And the related calculations are a piece of cake.
• Time is paramount in the endgame. Hence you need to absorb your plans and patterns beforehand
• It starts at the end. If you know how to play a pawn endgame, exchanging pieces becomes a weapon.

It are exciting times!