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Quotations 1 (Most recent) ...
For more quotations see "Quotes" pages 2, 3, 4 and 5
Quotes from 3Cs' coaches
"Don't play with your heart, play with your brain". Steve Rigby
"Every pawn move creates a weakness" Phil Adams
“A good night's sleep is crucial if you want to perform well at the chessboard.”
Belgian FM Helmut Froeyman at his always interesting blog...
https://schaken-brabo.blogspot.com/
“Passed pawns should be pushed, unless they become weak in doing so.”
GM, author and trainer Jacob Aagaard
“If you are in trouble, try to make the position more complicated. It raises the chances that your opponent will make a mistake.”
IM Mateusz Bobula
“There are lots of good reasons to at least learn a 2nd opening: it makes you harder to prepare against, it leads to different middlegames than the ones you're used to (which helps improve your overall understanding) and also it can help keep you interested in chess rather than just playing the same thing over and over!
IM Thomas Rendle
“To win at chess, even against very strong players, it's not necessary to play the best move on every move. What's more important is to play good moves reasonably quickly and avoid big blunders. Trying to play perfectly on every move can in fact be a weakness.”
FM and trainer Nate Solon
“Keep in mind that when you calculate in chess, it is not necessary to see to the very end – you only have to see enough to make a decision. If you try to see everything all the time, you will tire yourself out and get into time pressure, leading to bad results.”
GM Bryan Smith
“Put your rook on the line of his queen, no matter how many other pieces intervene."
English master and author Gerald Abrahams
“The biggest improvements in my chess occurred when I started doing puzzles to sharpen my tactical ability.”
GM and author Neil McDonald
“Any reasonably sound opening is quite playable at the club level, and that includes various gambits and some rather odd/bizarre systems of development – they all need to be taken seriously!
IM and popular chess author Jeremy Silman (1954–2023)
“Slow down and be patient when you think you are winning! We get excited, our pulse speeds up, and we act too quickly.”
GM and trainer GM Mykhaylo Oleksiyenko
“You don’t, or at least you shouldn’t, make a move without first considering what the reply will be.”
GM and author Reuben Fine, one of the strongest players in the world in the middle of the last century.
“Finding your opponent’s games is very useful for game preparation, but even more important is being well aware of which of your own games are publicly available.”
Belgian FM and blogger Helmut Froeyman
“To win at chess, even against very strong players, it's not necessary to play the best move on every move. What's more important is to play good moves reasonably quickly and avoid big blunders. Trying to play perfectly on every move can in fact be a weakness.”
FM and trainer Nate Solon
"Tactical analysis is an error-prone activity. If it is possible to decide on your move on purely positional considerations then you should do so; it is quicker and more reliable.”
GM John Nunn
"Young players should play active positions where there is a clear plan available. It’s better to play the Evans Gambit than 1 g3.”
GM, author and trainer Jan Markos.
“When we have the bishop pair it’s nice to have a knight with it.”
IM and YouTuber Yaacov Norowitz
"In order to get better at chess, it is essential that you play against people who are stronger than you."
GM and author Daniel Gormally
In order to get better at chess, it is essential that you play chess against people who are stronger than you.
GM Daniel Gormally
“There are lots of good reasons to at least learn a 2nd opening: it makes you harder to prepare against, it leads to different middlegames than the ones you're used to (which helps improve your overall understanding) and also it can help keep you interested in chess rather than just playing the same thing over and over!
IM Thomas Rendle
“If you intend to reach a certain rating, I will not say that a good command of the endgame is essential, but it is certainly useful. On the other hand, if you neglect this part of the game, many half points, or even full points, will now and then elude you.”
GM, author and trainer Jesús de la Villa.
“You cannot lose a chess games without making a mistake. Make your strong opponents force you to make mistakes. Many amateurs go into chess wanting to be an unstoppable force when it's better to go in as the immovable object.”
IM author and trainer Erik Kislik
“In order to get better at chess, it is essential that you play against people who are stronger than you.”
GM Daniel Gormally
"The computer calls it equal but that will not save you if you don’t understand the position."
GM James Tarjan
“Humans play better when they can make the game simple, or at least, simpler to themselves. Computers don’t care how complex a position is, because they calculate all consequences clearly.”
US National master Craig Clawitter
If you’re a lower-rated player you like to attack things; if you’re a higher-rated player you like to improve your pieces.
GM Ben Finegold
“If you want to improve your blitz ratings, tactics should be your main focus. However, to improve in classical chess, you also need to work on your strategic vision. Tactical skill is important, but at some point in your chess journey, it won't be enough. There's also a key point: for tactics to work in your games, you need to get good positions! Some strategic foundations are essential."
IM Alfonso Jerez
“If you want to improve your blitz ratings, tactics should be your main focus. However, to improve in classical chess, you also need to work on your strategic vision. Tactical skill is important, but at some point in your chess journey, it won't be enough. There's also a key point: for tactics to work in your games, you need to get good positions! Some strategic foundations are essential.”
IM and trainer Alfonso Jerez
"Tactics flow from a superior position."
Robert ‘Bobby’ James Fischer,
World Chess Champion (1972-5)
“Chess is a difficult game, and everything is possible. We all make mistakes from time to time, some of which result from concentration loss and a lack of focus. So our main task is to minimize them.”
GM Robert Hovhannisyan
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