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Quote by Mikhail Tal

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Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal

Mikhail Tal was a former Soviet and international chess grandmaster, hailed as one of the greatest chess players of the 20th century. His career was filled with dazzling victories and innovative games. Tal was known for his unique attacking style and tactical brilliance, which had a profound impact on the development of chess. more

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“The life of a chess master is much more difficult than that of an artist - much more depressing. An artist knows that someday there'll be recognition and monetary reward, but for the chess master there is little public recognition and absolutely no hope of supporting himself by his endeavors. If Bobby Fischer came to me for advice, I certainly would not discourage him - as if anyone could - but I would try to make it positively clear that he will never have any money from chess, live a monk-like existence and know more rejection than any artist ever has, struggling to be known and accepted.”

“Being Jewish myself, I somehow didn't see the problem: who cares what a mentally ill (but strangely likable) individual says? If he didn't make some money at chess, I could see him becoming a street person, shaking his fists at cars as they passed by his corner of the block. Isn't it preferable to have him in a self-sufficient position rather than as a liability of the state?”