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Boris Spassky Quotes

Chess Player

Boris Spassky, born on January 30, 1937, is a renowned Russian chess grandmaster. He is highly esteemed in the chess community for his numerous world championship titles in international chess.

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All Chess Play Champion Fischer Games Player Ability Chess Players People Young Chess Pawns Computer Doe Endgame Feels Form Helping Ifs Influence Initiative

Famous Boris Spassky Quotes

“Nowadays young people have great choice of occupations, hobbies, etc, so chess is experiencing difficulties because of the high competition. Now it's hard to make living in chess, so our profession does attract young people.”

People Doe Hard Young Choices Difficulty Competition Profession Chess Etc Occupation Hobbies

Author:Boris Spassky

“We can compare classical chess and rapid chess with theatre and cinema - some actors don't like the latter and prefer to work in the theatre.”

Actors Theatre Chess Compare Cinema Latter Rapids

Author:Boris Spassky

“When you play Bobby, it is not a question if you win or lose. It is a question if you survive.”

Ifs Play Winning Loses Chess Win Or Lose Chess Game Playing Chess

Author:Boris Spassky

“Nowadays there is more dynamism in chess, modern players like to take the initiative. Usually they are poor defenders though.”

Poor Player Modern Chess Initiative Defenders Dynamism

Author:Boris Spassky

“Bobby Fischer has an enormous knowledge of chess and his familiarity with the chess literature of the USSR is immense.”

Literature Chess Enormous Immense Familiarity Ussr Fischer

Author:Boris Spassky

“Nowadays the dynamic element is more important in chess - players more often sacrifice material to obtain dynamic compensation.”

Important Player Sacrifice Materials Elements Chess Compensation Chess Players

Author:Boris Spassky

“I still hope to kill Fischer”

Stills Chess Fischer

Author:Boris Spassky

“There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!”

Doe Loses Pleasure One Thing Chess Fischer

Author:Boris Spassky

“After I won the title, I was confronted with the real world. People do not behave naturally anymore - hypocrisy is everywhere.”

People World Real Chess Titles Behave Hypocrisy Real World

Author:Boris Spassky

“In my country, at that time, being a champion of chess was like being a King. At that time I was a King and when you are King you feel a lot of responsibility, but there is nobody there to help you.”

Feels Country Helping Responsibility Kings Chess Champion

Author:Boris Spassky

“Which do I prefer? Sex or chess? It depends on the position.”

Sex Position Depends Chess

Author:Boris Spassky

“I try to help developing junior chess. When I lived in USSR, I got a lot of free help from very good coaches - now I am trying to repay that debt.”

Trying Helping Very Good Debt Coaches Chess Developing Juniors Ussr Good Coaches Repaying

Author:Boris Spassky

“The computer age has arrived, and it influences everything: analysis, preparation, information. Now a different talent is required - the ability to synthesize ideas.”

Ideas Different Age Ability Influence Talent Information Computer Chess Preparation Analysis

Author:Boris Spassky

“I also follow chess on the Internet, where Kasparov's site is very interesting.”

Interesting Internet Chess Site Very Interesting

Author:Boris Spassky

“The place of chess in the society is closely related to the attitude of young people towards our game.”

People Young Games Attitude Chess Related

Author:Boris Spassky

“The Soviet Union was an exception, but even there chess players were not rich. Only Fischer changed that.”

Rich Player Changed Unions Chess Exception Soviet Soviet Union Chess Players Fischer

Author:Boris Spassky

“The power of hanging Pawns is based precisely in their Mobility, in their Ability to create acute situations instantly.”

Ability Situation Chess Pawns Mobility Chess Pawns

Author:Boris Spassky

“The best indicator of a Chess Player's form is his ability to sense the Climax of the game.”

Form Success Games Ability Player Chess Indicators Climax Chess Players

Author:Boris Spassky

“The best tournament that I have ever played in was in 1950. It was great - a waiter came to you during the game, and you could order anything you wanted to drink (even some vodka, if you liked). Pity, there are no longer tournaments organized in this manner.”

Ifs Wanted Order Games Drink Chess Pity Organized Tournaments Waiter Vodka

Author:Boris Spassky

“My forte was the middlegame. I had a good feeling for the critical moments of the play. This undoubtedly compensated for my lack of opening preparation and, possibly, not altogether perfect play in the endgame. In my games things often did not reach the endgame!”

Play Moments Feelings Games Perfect Critical Chess Opening Preparation Good Feeling Endgame Forte Critical Moments

Author:Boris Spassky

“The shortcoming of hanging pawns is that they present a convenient target for attack. As the exchange of men proceeds, their potential strength lessens and during the endgame they turn out, as a rule, to be weak.”

Men Turns Weak Chess Target Convenient Shortcomings Pawns Endgame Chess Pawns

Author:Boris Spassky

“Often, in the Ruy Lopez, one must be patient, wait and carry on a lengthy and wearisome struggle.”

Waiting Struggle Patient Chess Opening Be Patient Lengthy

Author:Boris Spassky

About the Author

Born: January 30, 1937
Known for: Chess Player
Quotes: 30

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