Routine Post

  •  After gathering dust on my bookshelf for many months, I finally decided to pick up Silman's Complete Endgame course. This is a book that I used to own during my time in Boulder, but I never managed to progress through it. On this occassion though I found the book much easier to read and even interesting. I blazed through almost 200 pages (till the part meant for Class A players) and found many endgame concepts that I didn't know or never learned (like how to mate with two Bishops). Or the many draws possible when passed rook pawns are involved.

  • For example, I still haven't figured out the right technique on how to win when you have the same coloured bishops and two passed pawns that are connected knight and rook pawns. The stronger side's bishop is of the wrong colour of the rook pawn's square. It's a surprisingly hard endgame to correctly win because of various drawing combinations where the defending side can sacrifice their bishop for the knight pawn. It was only today that I got a win against stockfish with this position

  • Once I reached the A level endgame chapter though some of the problems were starting to get a bit hard, so I decided to take a break and just build up a problem set base of all the various theoretical positions shown in the book and trying to play them to secure a win or draw against Stockfish.

  • Apart from that, I started the classic Aaron Nimzowitsch's "My System". I am finding it quite interesting. One thing that immediately stands out is that Nimzowitsch is an imperfect person and despite him being an accomplished player, he has insecurities and worries about critics.

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