Help with this endgame from Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual

King and Pawn endgames are a perfect tool for calculating training. Small details matter very much.

All the manoeuvers have names but that won’t help you very much. That can lead to some confusion like beginners who want to cure everything with „opposition“. If the only tool you have got a hammer is everything resembles a nail. You have to calculate brute-force, either way.

So, I don’t know and I wouldn’t care. I see the position and start calculating.

I'm not an expert either, but I also don't think you need complicated rules about corresponding squares for this one.

The important point is that pawn on f4 is both a distraction as well as an obstacle for its own king, and you can find this by simple trial-and-error (as you apparently did).

Place it on h4 instead of f4 and it's a draw. <- now how do you formulate a general "rule" to distinguish the cases?

@marcelofarias #20
Just a side note :
When checking your game with Lichess tablebases I see only one "only move" moment for white, which is the first move, Ke4!
Other than that white each time has more winning options in every position with white to move.

Can someone please explain me everything in this other position? lichess.org/study/lqL3u4cG

Black to play and draw...

It is also from Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual.

Fun fact:

Dvoretzky analyses some games in great depth over many pages and moves - the GMs that played that endgame sometimes blundered in move 2. ;)

Generally speaking: don't overestimate words and explanations - concrete moves matter. Just calculate and play it yourself - it's you who has to develop a "feeling" for the pieces or the type of position. "Experience" can hardly be transferred 1:1.

Fun fact:
Dvoretzky used to train grandmasters by playing simultaneous games against them starting from endgame positions he knew by heart.

@marcelofarias #24
Just curious, did you go through "100 endgames you must know" by GM de la Villa ?
I have gone through the paper book a few years ago, and now working in the on-line version on chessable.com
Highly recommended for a pleasant and decent endgame training.

@achja yes I just saw I have this book on my drive but I did not remember. Now I know I have a treasure :)

Ok guys. Thanks for the curious commentary. Indeed it is funny how some of the strongest players ever are commiting mistakes that seems so obvious when dvoretsky explains in his writings.

As for the last position I asked about commentary, I think the fastest way to understand it is to play it. I was trying to play it and put the moves on the computer at the same time to better my understanding, but I think that hurts more than help. Also, I wonder why Dvoretsky puts exercises with rook endings so soon when I think I should study a lot more pawns endings before getting into rook endings. Anyway, some youtube videos later with gm ben fine gold and yasser seirawan explaining some rook and pawn endigns I think I already have some notion, although there is still much to be learned. It is also funny how I always think the explanation from those youtube videos about rook endings is enough, but then I try to play the position to see some particularities and quickly I realize many things are stil not fully understood.

@marcelofarias #28
I've studied rook endings in books, magazines, and I've played and analysed a lot, and I can agree ("still much to be learned") that the amount of possibilities seems almost unlimited in rook endings.
I am also going through the van Perlo - Endgame tactics book and it shows lots of surprising options from rook endings (and other endings) in chess games played, including games where GMs go wrong in rook endings.

By the way, a few years ago I looked at some Akiba Rubinstein games with rook endings.
It is amazing to see how well Rubinstein handled rook endings in those games, and especially regarding transforming into pawn endings.
www.chess.com/blog/achja/rubinstein-rooks---part-i
www.chess.com/blog/achja/rubinstein-rooks---part-3
And here's two beautiful endings by Capablanca, with annotations by famous players :

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1093021
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1102104

HTH

@post20 - You don't have to calculate very much to do this one either... it is very similar to your first question: If you know both formations - pawns at knights jump and pawns locked, the game plays itself. I suggest starting simpler, as you are missing the basics of pawn endings.