1. Introduction

Some games can be completely mastered. For instance, I can enter a tic-tac-toe game being completely confident that I can't lose. Chess is not like that. However, some classes of positions can be mastered. We have all mastered positions containing king and queen vs. king.

Less trivially, all good players should master king and single pawn vs. king endgames because:

1. They can be mastered with a reasonable amount of effort
2. They are of practical importance because they occur with some regularity.
3. Other endgames can simplify into king and single pawn vs. king endgames and mastery of the subject allows you to decide when to do so. Therefore, it improves your confidence in more complicated endgames
4. The joy that comes from mastering a topic.
5. In mastering the topic, you will learn concepts that can be applied to other situations, for example, the opposition.

If you believe that you have mastered king and single pawn vs. king endgames, consider the following position:

Is it a win or a draw? Does it matter whose move it is? If it is black's move, what should his move be? If it is white's move, what should his move be?

Other positions can be mastered, that have less practical value. I had a teacher who spent a great deal of effort mastering the ending of king and 2 bishops vs. king and knight. You will probably never see this ending occur in practice, so its practical value is small. In mastering this ending you learn a lot about how to dominate knights but you could learn those techniques more easily in other ways. Primarily his motivation was the sheer joy that comes from mastering a topic.

After all, chess can be enjoyed in many ways other than just playing tournaments. Some people like solving and composing problems. Many problems are so outlandish that they are not useful for practical chess. Solving the problems may not do much for your rating but people find it fun anyway.

In the same way, mastering a position is an end in itself. It brings satisfaction even if it doesn't help your rating.

This book deals with mastering rook endings involving bishop and rook pawns.

This ending is normally a draw but it is difficult for both sides to play correctly. It is, therefore, challenging to master. It does occur regularly in practice, so it is of practical importance. I myself have had it three times in the last 2 years. In fact, knowing that it is a draw, black can steer a losing game to this sort of position. Often, white not realizing he can't win, cooperates in allowing this endgame to occur.

Mastering this endgame will also teach you a lot about rook endgames in general. Since rook endgames are the most common endgames in practice, I contend that studying this ending is of practical value.

I hope you enjoy this book.

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