50 Quotes from Chess Players and World Champions

1. "Chess is life." – Bobby Fischer (1943–2008)
2. "I don't believe in genius. I believe in hard work." – Emanuel Lasker (1868–1941)
3. "Chess is above all a fight of minds." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
4. "The ability to make a balance is the most important thing in chess." – Anatoly Karpov (1951–present)
5. "If you see a good move, look for a better one." – Emanuel Lasker (1868–1941)
6. "The most difficult thing in chess is to win a winning game." – Emanuel Lasker (1868–1941)
7. "Chess is a game of mistakes. The one who makes fewer mistakes wins." – Mikhail Botvinnik (1911–1995)
8. "You cannot win if you cannot see your own mistakes." – Mikhail Tal (1936–1992)
9. "Don't be afraid to sacrifice if it's the only way to win." – Mikhail Tal (1936–1992)
10. "I have played against many great players, but my greatest opponent has always been the clock." – Bobby Fischer (1943–2008)
11. "Chess is everything: art, science, sport." – Anatoly Karpov (1951–present)
12. "There is no greater pleasure than to crush your opponent with a beautiful checkmate." – José Raúl Capablanca (1888–1942)
13. "I only see one thing: the next move." – Bobby Fischer (1943–2008)
14. "In chess, as in life, nothing is permanent. Everything is in motion." – Mikhail Tal (1936–1992)
15. "Before you attack, you must secure your defense." – Wilhelm Steinitz (1836–1900)
16. "Chess is more of a mental battle." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
17. "The most important thing in chess is not to underestimate your opponent." – Vladimir Kramnik (1975–present)
18. "You can't get stronger if you don't learn from your losses." – Viktor Korchnoi (1931–2016)
19. "Chess is gymnastics for the mind." – Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924)
20. "Play with your mind, not with your heart." – David Bronstein (1924–2006)

         Other Quotes from Grandmasters

21. "The pawn is the soul of chess." – François-André Philidor (1726–1795)
22. "Tactics are what you do when there is something to do. Strategy is what you do when there is nothing to do." – Savielly Tartakower (1887–1956)
23. "The best strategy is not to lose." – Akiba Rubinstein (1882–1961)
24. "The biggest mistake you can make is to underestimate your opponent." – Alexander Alekhine (1892–1946)
25. "You will not become a better chess player if you don't play against stronger players than you." – Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934)
26. "If you are not ready to sacrifice, you will never win." – Richard Réti (1889–1929)
27. "The best defense is a good offense." – Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934)
28. "Chess is a war, not a game." – Richard Teichmann (1868–1925)
29. "Every master was once a beginner." – Edward Lasker (1885–1981)
30. "The most difficult move in chess is to find a good move." – Bobby Fischer (1943–2008)
31. "Don't be afraid to lose." – Akiba Rubinstein (1882–1961)
32. "The best move is to think about your opponent." – Aaron Nimzowitsch (1886–1935)
33. "If the game is easy, something is wrong." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
34. "Chess is a game that develops logic, imagination, and patience." – Anatoly Karpov (1951–present)
35. "Chess is not just a game, but a battle of ideas." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
36. "When you see a good move, look for a better one." – Jonathan Speelman (1956–present)
37. "The biggest mistake in chess is to make the move your opponent expects." – Edmar Mednis (1937–2002)
38. "The best way to learn to play chess is to play chess." – Iosif Alexandrovich Batov (1918–1999)
39. "Chess is like mathematics that has a soul." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
40. "Never make the move your opponent expects." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
41. "Chess is a battlefield for the intellect." – Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65)
42. "Chess is too serious to be just a game." – Arnold Snyder (1937–2022)
43. "The hardest thing in chess is to fight against a machine." – Garry Kasparov (1963–present)
44. "If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it." – Richard Teichmann (1868–1925)
45. "Don't play against your opponent, play against their mistakes." – Richard Réti (1889–1929)
46. "Chess is a game that makes you more patient." – Emanuel Lasker (1868–1941)
47. "The biggest mistake is to give up." – Savielly Tartakower (1887–1956)
48. "It is not important to be the best, but to be better than yourself." – José Raúl Capablanca (1888–1942)
49. "Chess is like a battle of the gods." – Alexander Alekhine (1892–1946)
50. "Chess is a game that teaches you humility." – Magnus Carlsen (1990–present)