What the masters said!

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Submitted by Dutchgalego on Mon, 09/10/2007 at 1:44pm.

Half the variations which are calculated in a tournament game turn out to be completely superfluous. Unfortunately, no one knows in advance which half. Jan Timman

Could we look into the head of a Chess player, we should see there a whole world of feelings, images, ideas, emotion and passion. Alfred Binet

Chess is mental torture. Garry Kasparov

Winning isn't everything, but losing is nothing. Edmar Mednis

The battle for the ultimate truth will never be won. And that's why Chess is so fascinating. Hans Kmoch

No chess grandmaster is normal; they only differ in the extent of their madness. Viktor Korchnoi

Life is too short for chess. Henry J. Byron

The first principle of attack. Don't let the opponent develop! Reuben Fine

Discovered check is the dive-bomber of the chessboard. Reuben Fine

I think it's almost definite that the game is a draw theoretically. Bobby Fischer

All that matters on the Chessboard is good moves. Bobby Fischer

A strong memory, concentration, imagination, and a strong will is required to become a great Chess player. Bobby Fischer

You have to have the fighting spirit. You have to force moves and take chances. Bobby Fischer

Morphy was probably the greatest genius of them all. Bobby Fischer

In blitz, the knight is stronger than the bishop. Vlastimil Hort

Let the perfectionist play postal. Yasser Seirawan

The Pin is mightier than the sword. Fred Reinfeld

Chess is everything: art, science and sport. Anatoly Karpov

You need not play well. Just help your opponent to play badly. Chepukaitis

Chess is the art of analysis. Michael Botvinnik

Chess mastery essentially consists of analysing chess positions accurately. Michael Botvinnik

The boy (a 12 year old boy named Anatoly Karpov) doesn't have a clue about Chess, and there's no future at all for him in this profession. Michael Botvinnik

Pawns are born free, yet are everywhere in chains. Andrew Soltis

A passed Pawn increases in strength as the number of pieces on the board diminishes. José Raul Capablanca

Methodical thinking is of more use in chess than inspiration. Cecil J. Purdy

When you see a good move, wait, look for a better one. Emmanuel Lasker

The hardest game to win is a won game. Emmanuel Lasker

A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused. Rudolf Spielmann

We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifices is part of a Chessplayer's nature. Rudolf Spielmann

Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine. Rudolf Spielmann

Good positions don't win games, good moves do. Gerald Abrahams

An isolated Pawn spreads gloom all over the chessboard. Saviely Tartakover

The King is a fighting piece. Use it. Wilhelm Steinitz

Fame, I have already. Now I need the money. Wilhelm Steinitz

Only the player with the initiative has the right to attack. Wilhelm Steinitz

The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move. David Bronstein

It is not a move, even the best move, that you must seek, but a realisable plan. Znosko-Borovsky

Why must I loose to this idiot. Aaron Nimzowitsch

Nothing excites jaded grandmasters more than a theoretical novelty. Dominic Lawson

When the going gets tactical, the computers get going. Hyatt-Sean

There are two types of sacrifices: correct ones and mine. Michael Tal

Of chess it has been said that life is not long enough for it, but that is the fault of life, not chess. Irving Chernev

No price is too great for the scalp of the enemy King. Koblentz

White lost because he failed to remember the right continuation and had to think up the moves himself. Siegbert Tarrasch

The beauty of a move lies not in its' appearance but in the thought behind it. Siegbert Tarrasch

Chess, like music, like love, has the power to make people happy. Siegbert Tarrasch

Many have become Chess Masters; no one has become the Master of Chess. Siegbert Tarrasch

I have always a slight feeling of pity for the man who has no knowledge of Chess. Siegbert Tarrasch

White lost because he failed to remember the right continuation and had to think up the moves himself. Siegbert Tarrasch

Before the endgame, the gods have placed the middlegame. Siegbert Tarrasch

Chess was Capablanca's mother tongue. Richard Reti

The scheme of a game is played on positional lines; the decision of it, as a rule, is effected by combinations. Richard Reti

The Pawns are the soul of the game. André D. Philidor

Every pawn is a potential Queen. James Mason

Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation. Max Euwe

One bad move nullifies forty good ones. Israel Albert Horowitz

When in doubt, play chess. Walter Tevis

Fischer was a master of clarity and a king of artful positioning. His opponents would see where he was going but were powerless to stop him. Bruce Pandolfini

The older I grow, the more I value Pawns. Paul Keres

Who is your opponent tonight, tonight I am playing against the Black pieces. Akiba Rubinstein

Chess is a beautiful mistress. Bent Larsen

» posted in Dutchgalego's Blog

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Comments:

by Dutchgalego - 11 months ago
Leeuwarden Netherlands

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 199

Thanks for your friendly comment Littleman.

May you know some more "masters proverbs" than please feel free to post them in here.

by littleman - 11 months ago
Taree Australia

Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 958

this is very good educational and yet funny in some parts these masters of chess can have interesting sense of humour very good blog worth reading thanks

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