Here's a promise: To be a strong player, you do not need to know hundreds of King and Pawn endgame positions - but only 12 key positions.
in one of the pawn ending videos i watched, the idea was that you know the key 12 (or however many there really are) and then you look at the position to figure out how to put yourself into one of those 12. on day i may know how to actually do it.
"2000 basic tactical motifs"?...lol (jeez, what was I saying about chessplayers loving to spew?)...
And btw I too used to love to think unendingly about things. I guess I just--eventually--got tired of it when I saw it wasn't really doing me any good (just made me sound like I could talk a good game and precious little else).
How about 300 tactical positions?
I purchased this really small chess book mostly because the model on the cover with her hand on Lev Alburt's shoulder, as he contemplates his next move at the chessboard, is extremely attractive.
Chess Training Pocket Book - 300 Most Important Positions and Ideas By three-time U.S. Chess Champion, International Grandmaster Lev Alburt
"Here's a promise: To be a strong player, you do not need to know hundreds of King and Pawn endgame positions - but only 12 key positions. Of course they have to be in the right positions - and they're in this book! To be a master you do not need to know thousands of King and Pawn endings. You need to know 50 key positions."
Here's one more claim! This one got me really excited!!
"Indeed, the major portion of all practical chess knowledge is represented in this book."
I now hold in my hands the holy grail of all chess books. Once I master the 300 positions found in Lev Alburt's book, I'll be a strong chess player.