Best ways to study

 Hello,

I am a Caro-Kann player, and play it 100% of the time against 1.e4 .The whole point of the caro kann is to get to an endgame, but I haven't studied endgames at all. So, which is the best way to study them? Are there any youtube channels that help you improve your endgame? I found out that I get the to endgame easily, and I am pretty sure I have no problems with the opening. The real problem is the endgame, and the only way I win them is if my opponent blunders a piece early on.

Thanks

The best way to study endgames is just get on and do it. Grab a book and go. I'd personally recommend "100 Endgames you must know". 

I *think* but am not sure, that "100 Engames" is for somewhat higher level folks

I strongly recommend Silman's Complete Endgame Course, which (ingeniously, and very helpfully) is structured by level -- i.e., Chapter 1 is for under 1000, Chpt 2 is 1000-1200, and so forth.

FWIW, and it may be helpful, I put some of the exercises for Chpt 3 & 4 into a library so that one can practice against a 3200 bot.  (But I did not include explanations of how one is supposed to do it, that material is in the book).  The library is at https://www.chess.com/c/29BGHTLra

I gotta say, if you know the principle of Opposition -- for starters -- that alone will help a lot.

Thanks! I will check out the books.

Wrong! The main point of the Caro-Kann is to develop your c8-bishop without obstacles.

Whether you reach an ending or not, depends a lot on what you and your opponent play later.

If you are reaching a lot of endgames, it is because you and your opponents love to exchange pieces (not because you play the Caro-Kann). But not all opponents will blindly trade pieces. Strong players will aim to play "good" trades (for them) and avoid "bad" ones.

If you want to play openings that lead directly to endgames (bypassing the middlegame), you can study:

From the opening into the endgame, by Mednis.

Mastering the endgame (two volumes), by Shereshevsky and Slutsky.

However, there is no guarantee that you will actually jump into the endgame (especially with black).

The best way is to study grandmaster games e.g. by Karpov, who played Caro-Kann a lot.

Example:

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1066969 

There are 3 stages to the game. You're guaranteed to reach the opening, but not a middle or ending.

You may not lose in the opening or middlegame (even making terrible moves) because your opponent isn't good enough. So, then you might reach an endgame.

The Silman book is structured to allow learning in increments. I like that approach, doesn't mean it's "best". There is no best way.

But you shouldn't be so sure about being free of opening problems. Check your last loss in C-K, pushing d4 at that point?

A balanced approach might help you get a good foundation in all phases.

What do you play as White?

I'm not a Silman fan in general, but I believe his endgame book is the best place to start. Its graduated approach, level by level with each lesson building on the last, is very good. And he explains the basics in ways that help you remember them while playing.

As far as how to study, I recommend setting up each position on a board and trying to figure it out for yourself before reading the explanation. You'll learn a lot by analyzing the position yourself, and you'll learn even more from the explanation than you would by going to it first.

Happy chess!

 I generally play the Italian or Vienna Gambit as white, or sometimes when I want to mix things up, I will play 1.d4 and then play the queens gambit or london system (If the  don't play d5)

Anyway, thank you so much for your responses!

As for the Italian, I think you made a good choice there. Vienna, hmm...reminds me of King's Gambit (yucky but just my opinion). The Spanish has so much more to offer a beginner (I'm to believe).

Here are some resources you might find useful.

This link is an index you might not use for a while, but has sections for Openings, Endings, Strategy (look at "pawn formations" eventually), and Tactics.

https://exeterchessclub.org.uk/full-index

These 2 are for a tactics book specifically for 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 openings:

The pgn files

https://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/course-chess-tactics

The book (pdf)

http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/x/pdf/TacticsCourse.pdf

This page has a repertoire (juniors maybe), a tactics book to go with it, and a book on the Colle System (may be easier for you than the London).

https://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/downloads

The point of any opening is to get to a playable middle game that you're comfortable with. 

You pick and choose openings based on that.  Not on what your favorite GM plays, not what you think is "aggressive" or "tactical"

The following is a list of positional concepts that you must know:

1. The exchange of pieces– Favors black. The position with TWO minor pieces each is already considered a success for black
2. The trade of the dark-squared color bishops also favors black. The absence of this piece is of significant relevance since it is often the main defender of d4 pawn.
3. The main goal is to target the d4 pawn. Black often doubles the rooks on the D file and brings his queen to b6 in order to exert big pressure against white’s center.
4. An important idea seldom seen is the advance b7-b5. With this pawn thrust, black seeks to weaken the white pawn on c4; if white plays c5 then black obtains the d5 square for a knight and the white pawn on d4 is a permanent backward pawn.
5. The advance with c6-c5 is NOT ALWAYS an equalizer. Although it brings some freedom for the black pieces, the structure arising after dxc5 or cxd4 gives white a queenside majority in the endgame. So before advancing c5, it is best to make sure that there are dynamic factors such as piece activity to keep the balance.
6. Keep an eye on the d4-d5 break. This is difficult to achieve for white but when he manages to play it, it usually has a devastating effect on black’s position.

https://www.chess.com/endgames

Two quick responses to back you up:

1.  I think Silman's endgame book is great -- for the reasons you mentioned

2.  My chess coach (rated 2050 FIDE) is a big believer (as is famous chess educator Dan Heisman) in always practicing tactics.  He (my coach) does chesstemp.com tactics every morning.  Based on a suggestion from someone else, he recently tried doing the difficult tactics by setting up a board.  He noticed he could see things better, and he's been doing better than ever before.

My former coach IM Valeri LIlov said the same thing about using a real board and pieces.  You actually do see a lot more as opposed to online.