It is useful, because winning it on the few occasions is worth more than the full point. It is so basic.. not because it is the basis for much else, but in the endgame sense: You cannot trade down to being down knight and bishop, because it is an elementary loss. So if you treat it as of little importance, it is no elementary win for you, and you play the game allowing yourself your ignorance and hiding your ignorance from others. Trying and learning it or failing is the normal way, then you do know what you can or can not do and can hide what you can or can not do.
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