if so, what do you think?
:q:

I never reach endgames, so I don't bother reading about them!

I'm with knight_tour.

Back in the old days, every time I peeked into Fine's endgame book, I got a headache. Then, each new issue of Chess Life and Review had corrections to the blamed thing.

However, if I were forced at gunpoint, I reckon I would choose Silman 'cause I really like the way the man writes. Fortunately, the people with guns seem to have other agendas.

In the last tournament I've played, I had to play hours of endgames because my higher rated opponents waited for a mistake on my side to win the full point. Two games went over 5 hours with a lot of the time spent for the endings.

I will get that Silman book. I have ordered it on the 26th of march this year.

sg, how did you do in the endgames?
I messed up a won ending this past weekend. Rook & 4 pawns vs. Rook & 3 pawns. All I had to do was not allow counterplay, but alas I drew. I have not studied rook endings yet.
Maybe I should get the Silman book. - OR read one of the other 6 endgame books I own.

RingLord, 4 pawns against 3 is often a draw, it's notoriously difficult, even Kasparov once blew an "easy" draw defending the 3p side (against Piket). Can you post the game?

I will have to get the scoresheet & post it later. I haven't plugged it in the computer yet, but what made me think it was a won ending was the symmetry of the position. I was black with pawns on h7,g7, & f7. My king on g8, rook on a8 - passed pawn on a5. His pawns were opposite mine on h2,g2, & f2. His King on f1, rook on a1. I played Kf8...he played Ra4.

yeah that is probably a won ending. it isn't easy.

if the stronger side rook is in front or on the side of the pawn likely a draw

You should have played a5-a4 instead of Kf8. White's Ra4 was the best defense. Dvoretsky gives a game Botwinnik-Borisenko, 1955, which Botvinnik managed to draw (White: Kg1,Ra3,pa5,f2,g3,h2, Black: Kh6,Ra7,pf2,g3,h2). Best move 1.Ra4! but after 1...Kg7! Black should have won according to Dvoretsky. Of course Black was a bit more advanced on the K-side than you in your game. I'd have to take a close look to see how much difference that makes.

Has it been released already ?
Amazon doesn't have it yet (only as a pre-order).
Anyway - I still got lots of work with my Seirawan "Winning Chess Endidngs" and Pandolfini's "Complete Endgame Course".
Yair.