Savielly Tartakower quotes:
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Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do.
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Like the alchemist of old, for ever searching for the philosopher's stone, the analyst to-day never stops looking for stronger moves to prevent the defender from establishing equality.
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Seize the outpost K5 with your knight, and you can go to sleep. Checkmate will come by itself.
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The tactician must know what to do whenever something needs doing; the strategist must know what to do when nothing needs doing
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Chess is a fairy tale of 1001 blunders.
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A Chess game is divided into three stages: the first, when you hope you have the advantage, the second when you believe you have an advantage, and the third... when you know you're going to lose!
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A Queen's sacrifice, even when fairly obvious, always rejoices the heart of the chess-lover.
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All Chess players should have a hobby
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Any opening is good enough, if its reputation is bad enough.
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As for me, I am unfortunate enough not to posses a happy temperament like Najdorf, who views every happening in a rosy light and avoids any possibility of self-criticism. I am one of those unlucky skeptics who never overlook the dark side of even the happiest experience.
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Drawn games are sometimes more scintillating than any conclusive contest.
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Psychologically, the choice of an appropriate opening is of the utmost importance for a player's success in a tournament.
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Some part of a mistake is always correct
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The ability to create and to control the tension of battle is perhaps the principal attainment of the great player.
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The winner is the one who makes the next-to-last mistake.
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It is well-known that chess and music go well together, and many are those who have achieved unusual proficiency in both.
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The move is there, but you must see it.
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A draw can be obtained not only by repeating moves, but also by one weak move.
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A game is always won through a mistake.
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An isolated pawn spreads gloom all over the chessboard.
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I never defeated a healthy opponent.
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I talk to myself because I like dealing with a better class of people.
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In chess, there is only one mistake: over-estimation of your opponent. All else is either bad luck or weakness.
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It is said that an ounce of common sense can outweigh a ton of 'variations'.
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It's always better to sacrifice your opponent's men
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Lasker thought that his rationalism rendered him immune from the surprises of chess theory.
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No one ever won a game by resigning.
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Shall we ever live to see the following wise prohibition - the audience is forbidden to smoke and the masters are forbidden to 'smoke out' the audience by playing exchanging variations?
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The first essential for an attack is the will to attack.
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The mistakes are there, waiting to be made
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To avoid losing a piece, many a person has lost the game
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Whenever Black succeeds in assuming the initiative in maintaining it to a successful conclusion, the sporting spirit of the chess lover feels gratified, because it shows that the resources of the game are far from being exhausted.