How to study the book.

How to study this book
The best approach depends on the level of each player**,that is,**his overall strength and his previous endgame knowledge.However such a particular guide would be exhausting, so I will give you a more general explanation. I assume that each reader will adapt it to his personal circumstances and, once the book is in your hands, you are always free to do whatever suits you best. After years of coaching, my experience and the views of some colleagues have convinced me of the need for an introductory section presenting a chapter on baªsic endings. These positions are very well known but, even so, I have noticed cerªtain conceptual errors in some players. Thus, the readers who hesitate in these endings can start from the basics, whilst those readers who consider that they have already mastered these endings (I think this will be true of most readers) can skip this part. Then you have the first test. We call it the Basic Test. The positions are very simªple, with little material. A 1 st Category player should be able to solve all correctly. These positions do not require great calculation. If you find some difficult, that means you lack some knowledge of endgame theory. The test constitutes an interªesting exercise previous to the reading. I will now tell you why: first, the effort reªquired to solve these positions will be useful training for practical play, since knowªing the theory is not enough, you have to be able to apply that theory to an actual game. Moreover, each reader will find some of these positions more difficult than others. Thus he will get an idea of his weak points and can pay more attention to those positions when he reaches them in his study. And last, I am a firm supporter of the Japanese (Chinese, according to some sources) saying : If I hear- I forget, if I see - I remember, if I do - I understand. That is, only when we ourselves have done something do we reach the level of mastery, that allows us to repeat the task without difficulties. At the risk of boring the reader, I will give just one more example: imagine you are in a new city and have to go for the first time, for example, from the hotel to the playing hall. If a friend (or a GPS) leads you, you are likely to fail to repeat the route (depending on the difficulty) ; however, if you go on your own, you will keep the route in your mind forever. This idea can be successfully applied to the theoretical study of each ending, as we will repeat when the moment comes. Later, from Chapªter 3 onwards, comes the study of the important theoretical positions. These are orªganised in chapters regarding the material on the board, and sometimes in sections within one chapter regarding the important ideas involved.