Do you remember the first time you were introduced to chess?
Was it through a parent, a friend, or the famous Netflix series, The Queen’s Gambit?
Chess is more than simply a game. It can teach us a lot about the intricacies of life. Therefore, it is essential to keep a few chess quotes handy. The best chess quotes are the ones that capture the essence of the game.
Read on to see some quotes about chess from grandmasters and authors that will inspire you to learn all the game’s wonders.
39 Inspiring Chess Quotes
Life Chess Quotes
How similar is chess to life?
We must follow through on our choices in life, just as we do in chess, whether they are wise or foolish. As a result, we must be careful to persevere through challenging periods while solely focusing on the outcome.
Let us see how chess masters look at life through the game boards.
“Chess doesn’t drive people mad, it keeps mad people sane.” – Bill Hartston
“In life, as in chess, one’s own pawns block one’s way. A man’s very wealthy, ease, leisure, children, books, which should help him to win, more often checkmate him.” – Charles Buxton
“Even a poor plan is better than no plan at all.” – Mikhail Chigorin
“Chess, it’s the struggle against the error.” – Johannes Zukertort
“The hardest game to win is a won game.” – Emanuel Lasker
“I prefer to lose a really good game than to win a bad one.” – David Levy
“In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate.”- Isaac Asimov
“There are no heroes in chess.” – Cory Evans
“To avoid losing a piece, many a person has lost the game.”- Savielly Tartakower
“There is no remorse like the remorse of chess.”– H. G. Wells.
Motivational Chess Quotes
What keeps us going in life? Is it the motivation to do well?
If you believe so, these quotations will give you plenty of motivation to succeed in whatsoever you are pursuing.
“I’ve come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” – Marcel Duchamp
“If you see a good move, look for a better one.”– Emanuel Lasker
“In life, as in chess, forethought wins.”– Charles Buxton
“Some people see life as a game of chess, while others prefer to see it as a game of cricket; but the longer I live, the more I think of it as a game of Consequences.” — Craig Brown
“Chess and me, it’s hard to take them apart. It’s like my alter ego.” ― Bobby Fischer
“Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece.” – Ralph Charell
“Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.” – Blaise Pascal
“I always loved complexity. With chess, one creates beautiful problems.” — Marcel Duchamp
“Chess is a game by its form, an art by its content and a science by the difficulty of gaining mastery in it.” — Tigran Petrosian
“I am convinced, the way one plays chess always reflects the player’s personality. If something defines his character, then it will also define his way of playing.” –Vladimir Kramnik
Victory Chess Quotes
Fans of Game of Thrones are familiar with the dialogue- “In the game of thrones, you either win or die.” How is the game of thrones any different from the game of chess?
Chess is an opportunity and action-based game. The game progresses through action and opportunity.
The quotes listed below highlight how crucial it is to use the right tactics and techniques to win a chess match.
“I don’t believe in psychology. I believe in good moves.” – Bobby Fischer
“Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.” – Rudolf Spielmann
“When you see a good move, look for a better one.” – Emanuel Lasker
“Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do; strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do.” – Savielly Tartakower
“You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win. You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player.” – Jose Raul Capablanca
“Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent’s mind.”– Bobby Fischer
“It is my style to take my opponent and myself on to unknown grounds. A game of chess is not an examination of the knowledge; it is a battle of nerves.”- David Bronstein
“Chess isn’t for the timid.” – Irving Chernev
“Those who say they understand chess, understand nothing.” – Robert Hübner
“If your opponent offers you a draw, try to work out why he thinks he’s worse off.” – Nigel Short
Feel Good Chess Quotes
Every game we play, whether chess or something else, should make us happy. Having fun is the prime essence of any game.
Whether you win or lose, chess is a fun game.
In light of that, let’s look at some light-hearted chess quotes that will give you a new outlook on the game.
“Modern chess is too much concerned with things like pawn structure. Forget it, checkmate ends the game.” – Nigel Short
“Nobody ever won a chess game by resigning.” – Savielly Tartakower
“The blunders are all there on the board, waiting to be made.” – Savielly Tartakower
“Every chess master was once a beginner.”– Irving Chernev
“Many has become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess.” – Siegbert Tarrasch
“Chess is the art of analysis.” – Mikhail Botvinnik
“Age brings wisdom to some men, and to others chess.”– Evan Esar
“There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world.” – Pierre Mac Orlan
“Chess is beautiful enough to waste your life for.” – Hans Ree
FAQs
What is the motto for chess?
The motto for chess is gens una sumus, meaning, “We are one people”. It is a powerful mantra to live.
Why is chess important in life?
Chess not only helps in improving self-confidence, but it also boosts our cognitive abilities.
What does chess symbolize?
The chess pieces symbolize Medieval-era characters, especially people wielding the highest power in society. The King, along with his Queen and Bishop, rules the land. They are, in turn, protected by the Knights and the pawns. The chessboard resembles the original battlefield where wars of power were fought.
Why is chess interesting?
Chess is one such game that never repeats itself. No game will be similar. Therefore, you will never find it uninteresting.
Learn Chess From Expert Teachers
Takeaways
Chess may seem complex at first glance, but if we look at it closely, we can find that the goals are relatively simple.
The main objective is to compel your opponent’s king to give up so you can win the game.
But is winning the game the primary objective?
I contend that the best player is not the victor but the one who can anticipate their opponent’s actions.
Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments.