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David Bronstein

David Bronstein Quotes

Chess Player

David Bronstein was a renowned chess player born in Lithuania in February 19, 1924, and passed away on December 5, 2006. He was highly respected in the chess community for his unique tactics and strategic thinking.

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Famous David Bronstein Quotes

“Chess bishops are not to be trifled with.”

Chess Chess Game Chess Bishop

Author:David Bronstein

“In the middlegame one should not hesitate to advance a central passed pawn.”

Author:David Bronstein

“Chess is infinite, and one has to make only one ill-considered move, and one's opponent's wildest dreams will become reality.”

Dream Reality Moving Infinite Ill Chess Opponents Wildest Dreams

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“Chess is imagination.”

Imagination Chess

Author:David Bronstein

“The essence of Chess is thinking about what Chess is.”

Thinking Essence Chess

Author:David Bronstein

“The most powerful weapon in Chess is to have the next move”

Moving Next Powerful Humour Weapons Chess Most Powerful Powerful Weapons Next Move

Author:David Bronstein

“Nowadays grandmasters no longer study their opponent's games so much, but they study his character, his behaviour and his temperament in the most thorough fashion.”

Character Games Study Psychology Fashion Opponents Behaviour Temperament Thorough

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“In chess, as in life, opportunity strikes but once.”

Success Opportunity Strikes Chess Life Opportunity

Author:David Bronstein

“But whatever you might say and whatever I might say, a machine which can play chess with people is one of the most marvellous wonders of our 20th century!”

People Play Might Wonder Century Computer Machines Chess 20th Century Marvellous

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“Even in the heat of a middlegame battle the master still has to bear in mind the outlines of a possible future ending.”

Mind Stills Masters Bears Battle Chess Heat Outlines

Author:David Bronstein

“There is not a single true chess-player in the world whose heart does not beat faster at the mere sound of such long beloved and familiar words as 'gambit games'.”

World Heart Long Doe Games Sound Player Beats Mere Chess Familiar Faster Beloved Chess Players Gambit

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“Sometimes at lectures I am asked: how would the champions of the last century play today? I think that, after making a hurried study of modern openings, and watching one or two tournaments, the champions of the last century, and indeed the century before that, would very quickly occupy the same place that they occupied when they were alive.”

Thinking Two Sometimes Play Today Lasts Study Alive Modern Century Chess Opening Champion Lectures Tournaments

Author:David Bronstein

“To lose one's objective attitude to a position, nearly always means ruining your game.”

Mean Games Loses Attitude Position Losing Chess Objectives

Author:David Bronstein

“To play a match for the World Championship is the cherished dream of every chess player.”

World Play Dream Player Chess Championship Chess Players

Author:David Bronstein

“If you have made a mistake or committed an inaccuracy there is no need to become annoyed and to think that everything is lost. You have to reorientate yourself quickly and find a new plan in the new situation.”

Ifs Thinking Needs Made Lost Mistake Situation Plans Committed Chess Annoyed Made A Mistake Lost You New Situations

Author:David Bronstein

“Two passed pawns advancing on the enemy pieces have brought me more than a dozen points in tournaments.”

Two Enemy Pieces Chess Dozen Tournaments Advancing Pawns

Author:David Bronstein

“It is annoying that the rules of chess do not allow a pawn to take either horizontally or backwards, but only forwards ... This psychological tuning is ideal for attacking purposes, but what about for defence?”

Purpose Ideals Chess Psychological Annoying Backwards Attacking Defence Pawns Tuning Chess Pawns

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“There is no disputing that in the eyes of Schlechter, Teichmann or even Rubinstein, the backward pawn was something more substantial than lively piece play, but in our day the latter is more often preferred.”

Play Eye Pieces Chess Latter Lively Pawns Chess Pawns

Book:Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953

Source: Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953

“What the devil possessed me to reply 1. ... e5?? I compltely forgot that Spassky, like Spielmann in the past, very much likes to play the King's Gambit.”

Play Past Kings Devil Chess Likes Opening Possessed Gambit

Author:David Bronstein

“It is no secret that any talented player must in his soul be an artist, and what could be dearer to his heart and soul than the victory of the subtle forces of reason over crude material strength! Probably everyone has his own reason for liking the King`s Gambit, but my love for it can be seen in precisely those terms.”

Heart Soul Reason Artist Force Term Secret Player Materials Kings Victory Chess Opening Subtle Heart And Soul Crude Gambit

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“It would be as naive to study the song of the nightingale, as it would be ridiculous to try and win a King's Gambit against a representative of the old chess guard.”

Trying Would Be Song Winning Study Kings Ridiculous Chess Opening Representatives Naive Nightingales Gambit

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“Theory regards this opening as incorrect, but it is impossible to agree with this. Out of the five tournament games played by me with the King's Gambit, I have won all five.”

Games Five Impossible Theory Kings Regard Agree Chess Opening Tournaments Gambit

Author:David Bronstein

“Some pieces in the King's Indian appear on a 'special price' list: the dark square bishops are at the top of that list.”

Dark Pieces Special Kings Lists Chess Opening Indian Squares Bishops

Author:David Bronstein

“When everything on the board is clear it can be so difficult to conceal your thoughts from your opponent.”

Difficult Clear Strategy Chess Boards Opponents

Author:David Bronstein

“When you play against an experienced opponent who exploits all the defensive resources at his command you sometimes have to walk time and again, along the narrow path of 'the only move'.”

Sometimes Play Moving Walks Path Resources Strategy Chess Command Opponents Exploits Narrow Path

Author:David Bronstein

“Far from all of the obvious moves that go without saying are correct.”

Moving Success Obvious Chess

Author:David Bronstein

“Independence of thought is a most valuable quality in a chess-player, both at the board and when preparing for a game.”

Success Games Quality Player Independence Valuable Chess Boards Preparing Chess Players Independence Of Thought

Book:200 Open Games

Source: 200 Open Games

“A strong player requires only a few minutes of thought to get to the heart of the conflict. You see a solution immediately, and half an hour later merely convince yourself that your intuition has not deceived you.”

Heart Time Strong Hours Half Player Minutes Conflict Solutions Intuition Chess Convince Deceived

Author:David Bronstein

“A game of chess is not an examination of knowledge; it is a battle of nerves.”

Games Battle Chess Nerves Examination

Author:David Bronstein

About the Author

Born: February 19, 1924
Died: December 5, 2006
Known for: Chess Player
Quotes: 29

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200 Open GamesRelated source material

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