What's a Chess coach going to teach me? At my level, is it a waste of time?

Silman in his endgame book (and I'm sure many other strong players) stress how important the lucena and philidor are, and though their logic makes sense (it's the goal you want to achieve for either the defense or for winning a rook ending) I simply never needed to use them.

Tricklev, I'm just as suprised as you are.

I've played close to 400 rated OTB games. Although I have not had a textbook Philidor or Lucena, the ideas I learned studying these positions have been useful frequently, most especially in my match for the city championship against a FIDE Master rated ~500 Elo above me. In our three games, we reached a rook and pawn endgame twice. I played well enough for a draw in one, and just missed a draw in the other.

In a blitz game against an FM here at Chess.com, I did reach a textbook Philidor, played it correctly, and drew.

I've had them come up in my games.  Had philidor 3rd rank thing often enough, luncea maybe just once or twice though.

Rainbow it's hard to believe that the ideas have never come up in your games... I mean, rook endgames are the most common.  Maybe not a textbook starting position, but you let your opponent eat a few non-important pawns because you know with your last pawn you're getting a luncea position, I think that's the most common use of it.

Or your opponent offers up pawns knowing he will reach one... so you don't take the pawns and find the correct way to draw, etc.

@ Ziryab: I agree.

I have had some tough rook endings, but they tended to involve passed pawns on both sides of the board and rarely simplified as much as just a pawn left, the result of the game was decided before that.

Actually, there was one game where I think I was in a completely drawn rook + pawn vs king position (with the extra pawn) that probably would have became a philidor, but of course my opponent was the one who needed to know what to do.

Having looked through a handful of your frequent rook and pawn endgames, I see some elementary technique, but also lots of ineffeciency. In at least one case, knowledge on your part might have produced a differenet result (see the variation at move 53):

This win of yours was a rook and pawn endgame until the rooks were swapped, then an elementary pawn endgame until you promoted a pawn. You would have won much more quickly (at least fifteen moves quicker) if you understood how to mate with a queen.

You missed a draw in the first. I found another game of yours that ended as a loss (or win)--I don't recell which side you had--in a dead drawn rook vs. three pawns endgame. It, too, might have been a bullet game.

When you have under a second, effeciency can help. But, then, you must know the technique well. I'm amazed that you could play so many moves with so little time: that's skill!

In any case, your assertion that fundamental rook and pawn endgames never come up in your games has been refuted. Should I look into the archives of Elubas next?

Ziryab, if you don't mind of course, that would be interesting.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/im-done-with-chess-good-bye

When I find some time, then. It would be a simple matter if this site accommodating downloading all of your games in one file, but it doesn't (perhaps the most important aspect of site design where the competition beats chess.com).

Wow...over 10years...

funny when you guys made this thread...I had no idea what playing Chess was all about.

well,I’ve noted some helpful tips and I’ll apply them.

hopefully I’ll check back years from now to know if I later improved,except death says otherwise!