11 Classic Chess Sayings

Especially in this era of social media, it seems like everyone's got something to say at almost all times. This has always been true of chess, about which a lot of stuff—some of it more useful than others—has been said. But of all the hundreds of well-known comments that have been made through the centuries, which ones resonate the most?

A few years ago, we published an article of classic chess quotes but ended up discovering 11 more favorites that people found even more memorable. Keep reading to see them all!

• #Relatable
• The Wisdom of Magnus
• Two Different Philosophies
• Romanticism
• Aphorisms of the Past Masters
• Conclusion

#Relatable

We start with GM Jan Gustafsson, who recently brought back Banter Blitz. Everyone has had that experience of making a hasty move or three, but then losing the game and regretting those decisions. Why does this happen? Because thinking is hard and losing sucks. Hence: "Chess is a constant struggle between my desire not to lose and my desire not to think."

Chess is a constant struggle between my desire not to lose and my desire not to think.

—Jan Gustafsson

Thinking doesn't become any easier once you consider this quip attributed to GM Jan Timman: "Half the variations which are calculated in a tournament game turn out to be completely superfluous. Unfortunately, no one knows in advance which half." Most players indeed have had the experience of spending a ton of time thinking about an ultimately worthless sequence. 

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

Any grandmaster with a superpower that allowed them to instantly discard irrelevant variations could save a lot of time and probably become the world #1. Imagine what the actual world #1 could do with such an ability. Speaking of...

The Wisdom of Magnus

While discussing his then-upcoming match against GM Sergey Karjakin for the 2016 World Championship, GM Magnus Carlsen came up with this gem: "Be well enough prepared that preparation won't play a role." Of course! Why didn't I think of that?

Be well enough prepared that preparation won't play a role.

—Magnus Carlsen

And another popular Magnus aphorism reveals just how competitive he is: "Some people think that if their opponent plays a beautiful game, it’s OK to lose. I don’t. You have to be merciless." It is true, some players are okay with losing a game their opponent plays well. The best players are not.

Some people think that if their opponent plays a beautiful game, it’s OK to lose. I don’t. You have to be merciless.

—Magnus Carlsen

Two Different Philosophies

This very GM Mikhail Tal-like quote does not appear in The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal, like you might expect: "You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one." Wherever (or by whomever) it was said, it's certainly one way to come out ahead in a contest of wills.

You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.

—Mikhail Tal

If Tal's goal was to make the opponent doubt his own sanity like it was an episode of Star Trek, GM Bobby Fischer's was just to make the best move possible: "I don’t believe in psychology. I believe in good moves."

I don’t believe in psychology. I believe in good moves.

—Bobby Fischer

(Of course, this was the same guy who wanted to crush egos, so... grain of salt. Still a cool quote.)

Romanticism

Some great quotes don't try to tell us how to play chess, but instead show how chess plays us. The avant-garde sculptor and painter Marcel Duchamp once said, "While all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists." Although, if he'd ever seen me play, he might retract his statement.

While all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.

—Marcel Duchamp

Siegbert Tarrasch was even more romantic, which might be surprising for a player with such a technocratic approach to the game. Still, he wrote in 1931: "Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make people happy."

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

—Siegbert Tarrasch

Aphorisms of the Past Masters

Finally, some nuggets of wisdom are so valuable they have stood the test of time, such as when Al Horowitz wrote in 1959: "One bad move nullifies forty good ones."

One bad move nullifies forty good ones.

—Al Horowitz

The idea that "The player who wins is the one who makes the next-to-last mistake" has been attributed to many people but it goes back at least as far as the Deutsche Schachzeitung (German Chess Magazine) in 1890.

The player who wins is the one who makes the next-to-last mistake.

—German Chess Magazine, 1890

"The hardest game to win is a won game" is another of those expressions everyone seems to get credit for, but it turns out it was probably Adolph Albin, of Albin Counter-Gambit fame, who came up with it.

The hardest game to win is a won game.

—Adolph Albin

Conclusion

There you have it, everything that's ever been said about chess whittled down to just 11 of the most celebrated sayings in chess history.

Let us know in the comments which quotes you would add!