My endgame is terribe!!! I just don't see things like I do the rest of the game. I don't know how to formulate a plan and if you were playing me rook and king against my queen and king, you would probably beat me!

I just started using chesstempo.com but having the computer tell you over and over again that you are making dumb moves isn't all that helpful.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

I remember when I was young and with lots of spare time to study chess, one particular book was very useful and clear to me - the Paul Keres Practical Chess Endings...

I'm sure you will find plenty of other good books and softwares on chess endings but this one helped me a lot... 

As a musician I liken the endgame to lovely SLOW tunes. You can make a hash of the fast stuff and nobody notices much, but in the slow tunes there's nowhere to hide: you may be exposed as a rubbish player.

The most positive thing I can think of about endgames is that other players can be just as much of a butter-fingered, blind-as-a-bat, drunk and crazy fool as I am.

I agree about the Paul Keres book, I had it years ago and wish I had it now.

Umm... Thanks... I think

For progressive Endgame learning, Silman's Complete Endgame Course! A must-read for all chess players who want to be able to finish a game competitively!

I'm currently reading this book, and it will have all you need to know unless you suddenly become Grandmaster level. (It goes up to about 2399 rating, but starts off with people who just know how to move the pieces!)

The only endgame book you need is Silman's Complete Endgame Course.  He even says right up front you only need to read the parts that apply to your rating.  Understanding basic endings is essential to middlegame strategy, when you spot a winning endgame in the middlegame it is then easy to trade down or offer an exchange or sacrifice into a winning ending. Without the understanding you wouldnt even know how or way to trade into it.  Seriously aside from being a great endgame book Silman writes with a very funny style and the books are entertaining.  It's one of the best chess books I've read.

Crashfreze is a genious. Take his word as writ, I beg of you!

EDIT: 1001st post. Missed the 1000th. Ah well. Whats that Erik? You want to give me a free T-shirt, even though they were discontinued? Well, if you insist...

Silmans endgame course is great. I second, third or what ever number this book also. easy to follow. His writing style is great.

Another great book for slightly more advanced player is Rook Endings by Grigoy Levenfish and Vasily Smyslov. Endgame tablebases are also helpful.

http://www.k4it.de/index.php?topic=egtb&lang=en

Get impressed by someone who was very good at endgames. It happened with me and since then I love studying endgames. If you find studying endgames too boring then watch some fundamental chess endgames videos like :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d52czGryfA this rook and pawn just for a start.

Thanks! I really appreciate all of this info. I'm using all of it :)

Here's one of my weakness with endgames: When I see a postion with just the kings and pawns, I can never find the right moves. I do puzzles and the computer workouts, and just have problems with them. I feel like having a command over king and pawn endgames would one of the strongest advantages a chess player could have.