"We could use some endgame practice"

Agggghhhhhh!!

My opponent told me that he almost resigned several times but didn't because "we could both use some endgame practice"

that is just too close to the truth as will be demonstrated in just a moment.  

My end games SUCK!!

We have to learn them at some point, I suppose, if we want to improve so my opponent was absolutely 100% correct.  Nevertheless, I played this game on a weeknight and it was starting to close in on my bedtime (I have a very strict bedtime.....long story) and thus, despite being told I was ahead and being up by a minor piece, I asked for the draw and my opponent accepted. 

Truth be told (and I'm sure my opponent knew this), I had no earthly idea what I was doing.   It seemed to me that EVERY SINGLE Idea I had was thwarted by the opponent.  It drove me BANANAS!  Good golly Miss Molly.... I'd get an idea and then BAM!!!  My opponent would do something that seemed to put the brakes on whatever I had in mind.  

As many know, I often put my games in houdini just to get a superficial analysis.  I don't look at the variations, just what what was good or bad.

Good Gracious.  I got THREE ! moves from Houdini.

And I couldn't win???

Apparently, they'd be ! moves for someone who knows what they're doing.  Unfortunately, I don't.  But it's ignorance and ignorance can be corrected and thus let's take a look and see how I could have improved in an end game here. 

Worth noting, because my opponent didn't resign, that should make this especially instructive.  :P

Are you ready?