Concentrating on tactics I don't often play endgames. Do you?
 

Yes, about 15% of my games do - half of them blown by one side or the other too.
 

Actually it's because my middlegame and tactics are weak that it happens. I often attempt to drive home wins by first getting a space advantage and then trading pieces down. It occasionally works >:).
 

That's a little illogical. Space advantage is useful for tactics, not for trading pieces down. I hope your tactics will get better due to your training. How is your opening?
 

Is that the same Bill Robertie who is a bacgammon champion?
 

Tempo - I disagree - after trades, you can win with more advanced pawns even when your left with an even number of pawns on both sides. Chessmaster 8000 has a few training flash lectures that I got many of thses ideas from. As long as your King dominates the center or there is a pawn break-through, it's a win if you can outflank the other King. Any pawn weakness messes it up unfortunately, although the same is true for your opponent. I'd need to look, but I have some old examples somewhere. My opening is 1. d4 2. c4 usually for White, which can easily lead to Kingside Castle and further Queenside pressure. I am ok with black generally in the opening. I will say in recent games 1600 and up opponents are not letting me get the kind of space advantage I desire! The 1700 up players I have encountered usually beat me tactically.

Don - yup that's the same Bill Robertie :-).
 

KOTS, you're maybe right. I'm so inclined to tactics that I never trade off pieces so I never play endgames. I played at the last Corustournament 9 games (round robin) and my average gamelenght was 24 moves. (quickest win in 11 moves with black!)
So I 'm by far underskilled where it comes to endgames. When I can't win I often trade off a better position for a remise in stead of going into an endgame where I more often than not blow the game.
 

Ahh playing to one's strengths! I see.

I play training games against computer "personalities", and there I get longer games than with humans. Playing against a computer I got into the habit of trading my pieces when it gets rid of my opponent's best placed or most active. I am not always correct about what is best placed, but frequently in the ball-park.