Endgame

Have been leaving it behind for a while. Endgame is a silly part.

or is it?

I recently picked up a book, "Elementary Series: Endgame." Upon seeing the book, I was immediately humbled. I tried problems, but often, I found my endgame computations to be way off. Even screwed up on naming which move is sente or gote or double sente or...

Yet the book gave me a rating of 3-5k, but...I felt worse than that. Considering my current strength, I'm seeing myself as about 1 dan. That means my middle game is a strong part of the game. Since I'm relatively weak with opening and endgame, that probably means that I'm like 5d-something in middle game, or fighting, just to make up for my weaknesses in endgame and opening.

So...I try to sit back and look at endgame, trying to make myself more and more sane about endgame. One game, I missed a 20-point gote move while playing 1-point gote. That tells me how sad my endgame is. That means there is something for me to improve, but it will be a long process before I finally become sane with endgame.

If I became saner with endgame, I certainly would gain few stones in strength, as I will be able to wrap up my strong middle game, and win the games, by putting people away, not giving them chances to come back.