The endgame is probably the most underappreciated phase of chess for beginners.

Newbies tend to like having many pieces to play with.

They like moving their Queen all around the board and their Rooks up and down open files and their bishops in long diagonals.

Beginners also like to have options.

They want to have many pieces they can choose to move.

This gives them a sense of freedom, but also power.

But the reality is, most games are won or lost in the endgame.

Simplicity is the key.

It has always been since the beginning of mankind.

And if you think about it logically, we should apply in chess what is already known to be true in all other areas of life:

Start with simple ideas and then build up from there.

In chess, you should first learn to play the endgame with just pawns.

Then add gradually more pieces until you reach the middlegame.

Then you add even more pieces and…

Before you know it, you have reached the opening!

This is the exact method Magnus Carlsen used himself to learn chess when he was little.

First master simple concepts and then tackle more complicated ones.

This is based on the first principles way of thinking.

It is no coincidence that the best players in the world often choose their openings already having an idea about what kind of endgame they are aiming for.

Moreover, there are openings that lead by design to massive exchange of pieces and, before you know it, you have reached the endgame!

Like the great Capablanca use to say: ‘To improve your game, you must study the endgame before everything else.’