Was it Alekhine who said that "a chessplayer should aim for beauty because effectiveness rides crouched over beauty's withers spurring it on" ?
It's a good image. Any chance anyone else recognizes this? I've run several Google searches so far and have come up with nothing. (I thought the phrase "beauty's withers" might pull it up but I found only horse novels.)
Okay, sorry, let me clarify...I remember reading a(n old) book where the author quoted Alekhine as saying "Don't seek Beauty for the sake of Beauty, seek Beauty because it's the most effective way to play" (again I'm quoting from an old memory...I wonder of it wasn't one of those great cheap Dover editions (Reti's book of great players (can't remember the title right now), or 500 Master Games of chess, or something. Maybe Kotov.... (shrugs).
Disclaimer: I DID say I was paraphrasing rather heavily... ;)
Okay, sorry, let me clarify...I remember reading a(n old) book where the author quoted Alekhine as saying "Don't seek Beauty for the sake of Beauty, seek Beauty because it's the most effective way to play" (again I'm quoting from an old memory...I wonder of it wasn't one of those great cheap Dover editions (Reti's book of great players (can't remember the title right now), or 500 Master Games of chess, or something. Maybe Kotov.... (shrugs).
As I said, it is a nice image.
On the other hand, like many sayings, it starts to break down if you think about it too much. I began to wonder if it wouldn't have been better to have beauty riding crouched on effectiveness' withers than the other way around.
And then there is the whole problem a majority of people here will probably never have heard of a horse's withers.
Yes...you could be right. I think it was the comment on a sacrifice. Suggesting that the 'spit-and-polish' school of grinding out technical wins from a small advantage actually wasn't the best way to manage to produce wins against GM opponents, and that following Beauty was the way to find effectiveness (easy for Alekhine to say ;).
I think the metaphor is the right way round....(for what he said)...basically that Beauty would take you to Effectiveness. (But I agree, it seems to work the other way round too).
Bump!
Is there no one out there who lives and plays in the type of group I'm looking for?
SO MANY GROUPS with SO MANY BOASTS AND CHEST-THUMPS...no one is thuming their chests about the stuff I mentioned above...? 
Hi. I saw your post in a common group and got interested. I think we can do something together. Chess is ONLY my passion, obsession, solace and medicinal cure:). I am an amateur sharing common interests with you.
There MUST be others that are looking for that type of Group. PM incoming...
Bump
OH GOOD!
Glad u found your place:-)
lol! Damn right!
There are some groups like "Art of Chess" the names of which emphasize the artistic and creative aspect of chess.
Inchy I know I speak for the group when I say our group (I'm not an administrator but it's mine all the same) welcomes you to our home. I was in many groups before (more than 30) and I've dropped all of them since ive found this one. It is run amazingly not only by its dedicated admins but it's many active members of all ratings. I hope it brings you as much joy as it has me.
Hello all (if this is the wrong place to post this thread, someone please let me know).
So..I only joined (found!) chess.com a week ago, so I'm rather new here...I've already uncovered some interesting groups....BUT...
I'm looking for a special place....
- a place which has a real group spirit (not just a group of individuals playing together)
- a place where members really take the time to share and help each other (not just play group matches in silence)
- a place where you WANT to come say hello to your friends before you start work
-a place which has a conscious policy of bringing on lower rated players (letting them just learn through their experience of playing seems a shame with all the possibilites we have in this site!). ALL players can do this to people lower than them surely...?
- a place which doesn't allow members to undo/damage the work of other members (what's the story with timeouts in MATCHES (ffs!)
The group doesn't have to be especially big, but it does need to be active enough for me to consider it my main (dare I dream..."my ONLY!") group. 'Home' when it comes to chess.com).
Here's a little bit about me...I'm new here (hence the low rating), but I'm around 1950 elo in real life (otb). I've been interested in chess for many years...not just in winning games, but interested in the chess struggle itself (digging into a game and giving it as much as you can).
It may sound funny to some, but I'd much rather my opponent plays well and we have a great, epic, thrashing-backwards-and-forwards game and LOSE (!), than win because he/she blunders away a piece.
Was it Alekhine who said that a chessplayer should aim for beauty because effectiveness rides crouched over beauty's withers spurring it on (okay, I admit I'm paraphrasing rather heavily.. ;)
I'm quirky, upbeat, friendly and social...SPECIAL BARGAIN RATE...I'm absolutely FREE to the right group of people.
All offers welcome...come convince me!