Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual

Hey guys,

I finished the first chapter of the book (Pawn Endgames).

1. My first question is: should I read the whole book from start to finish or should I read what interests me at the moment? (For example Rook Endings).
2. My second question is regarding exercises: I never get any of those right and I get frustrated to the point I stop trying to solve them. What is the best way I can benefit from them without getting angry with myself? (Eg. try to calculate some variations, play the position against the comp, look at the solution and understand it)

Thanks for your advice!  (Btw I'm almost 1900 ELO OTB, if it helps)

1.What interest you at the moment, especially supplimented with less advanced books first like Understanding Chess Endings.

2.Take more time solving them, change your approach to them, make changes to your thinking system, or admit that you're relatively weak in endgames and tackle less advanced problems first or else the problems will be spoiled.  Most of the problems are just from compositions anyway.

What kind of changes should I make? What is your thinking process?

Should you read every chapter? I guess so... The more you read the more you learn, but it's up to you. The chapters can be read in any order if that's what you're asking.

Yeah, sometimes the exercises are annoying, it's like they purposefully use a different idea than what was discussed.

I started using them as extra examples or skipping them to be honest.

I am 1500 OTB (a bit stronger than that but still <1600) and the book mentioned didnt come hard to me.

May be you should calculate more seriously.You may have been :

• Trying to blitz it (trying to solve under 5 min etc)
• You may not been trying to understand which themes you should use and how before starting calculation
• You may not been looking for defensive resources
• Etc.

Set up board, put your clock 20 min and think like you are playing that position against a stronger opponent (may be even a gm) and calculate your best until you have 1-2 min left on your clock (for remaining moves) and you can check solution (or you can have fun in remaining 1-2 minutes only checking opponent move and treat it like a game)

Depends on how much time you have left.  In certain endgamess (especially bishop vs. knight and pawn endings) zugzwang becomes very important. Endings are more strategic in nature with fewer mating threats (rook(s) or rook and minor and queen vs similar is an exeption.)

In a middlegame for example one typically captures towards the center, but in an ending capturing towards the side is better as the pawn is farther away from the king and static advantages are amplified.  Isolated pawns become clear targets instead of potential battering rams, a queenside majority alone even may be enough to win (buys enough time to raid the kingside), and so many other differences with a middlegame can be noted.  Just remember not to hurry and make use of creating weaknesses. 

My thinking process I recall similar positions I studied and calculate enough to manage tempi and stay alert to mined squares.  I see how I can most restrict the opponent while maximizing my advantages while reducing potential counterplay or if I'm on the inferior end trade as many pawns as possible and stay alert to stalemating tactics.