Chess Champion Quotes

“Someone must have greatly intimidated Stalin for Zhdanov to insist like this. Bondarevsky? He was too insignificant. When the Soviet team swept the American team off the chessboards, Stalin was pleased. He sent a telegram saying, “Great job!” Why did he start doubting?
In the depths of his soul, Botvinnik did not believe that it was only fear of defeat and the desire to secure victory. They wanted to prove something to Botvinnik. A terrible thought crossed his mind. They wanted him to understand that his skills were not as important as he imagined because even if he played worse and didn’t defeat Reshevsky, they had the power to make him the champion anyway. The goal was to diminish Botvinnik and show him that he was not a significant figure but just an ordinary pawn in a game that surpassed him.”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“As a twelve-year-old, Boris Spassky gained the nickname Little Scoundrel.
At the Russian Junior Championship in Zelenogorsk near Leningrad, Moscow juniors proposed blitz matches to Boris. The loser would buy a bottle of lemonade. They conspired and all lost to him. After an hour, five bottles of lemonade stood in front of Boris.
“Now drink!” They surrounded him, blocking his escape. They were bigger than him. “Drink it all! Come on, now!”
Scared, Boris drank, but after the second bottle, he had had enough. They didn’t let up. After the third, he vomited. Only then did they leave him alone.”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“Neményi was fifty-six years old. He had aged and become eccentric. He washed his hands obsessively and carried soap in his pocket. Regina noticed that he avoided touching door handles. When he couldn’t open a door with his elbow, he would grab the handle through the sleeve of his sweater or wipe it with a disinfectant-soaked tissue. He did the same with the telephone receiver.
“Microbes. You’re a nurse, you should know that there are more bacteria in those places than on a toilet seat.”
Then suddenly, everything ended. Paul stopped coming. Bobby was nine years old.
“Why doesn’t Paul visit us anymore?” he asked.
“Paul is dead,” his mother replied. “He was your father. Didn’t you know?”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“During the third consultation, Dr. Kline talked about the research of Dr. Hans Asperger from a clinic in Vienna, which was not well-known yet but intriguing. Some personality traits of Bobby aligned with certain symptoms described in his papers, and the fact that the child’s father was almost fifty when he was conceived...
“Are you suggesting that Bobby is mentally retarded?”
“Oh, no. He’s a normally developed boy intellectually. Quite sharp in some aspects. He has a good visual memory and spatial perception. It’s the emotional intelligence where we encounter a problem.”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“Let’s assume the match doesn’t happen. Fischer is disqualified. Who will be the challenger in his place?”
Krogius understood.
“Petrosian. The second finalist of the Candidates Matches.”
“Do you think I want to play with Petrosian for the third time, in Moscow, for a few thousand rubles? I’m not just talking about the prize. Who will care about this match?”
Spassky cared not just about the money. He wanted to go down in history. Krogius believed it was a risky game.
“Fischer will realize how much you want this match. Euwe isn’t dumb either. They will think they can get away with a lot with you.”
“And Fischer doesn’t want that money? Not to mention the title of world champion. And Edmondson? Do you think he doesn’t dream of Fischer winning the crown for America? And Max Euwe? This match is a gold mine for FIDE and personally for him. They will push the boundaries, but they won’t cross them because everyone will lose in that case.”
“Only our authorities would be pleased if Fischer didn’t play the match.”
Finally, Krogius understood what the game was about.”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“Something’s off with Bobby,” Edmondson said.
Benson didn’t think that Edmondson was referring to Fischer’s legendary eccentricities. Edmondson had once mentioned with a laugh that Bobby was afraid of Soviet agents tracking him, but this probably wasn’t it either.
“In what sense?”
Something was off with the majority of people Benson dealt with, so he needed further clarification.
“Psychiatric.”
Evidently, Edmondson was serious, but for now, Benson approached it with skepticism.
“Is it a problem? Since he’s winning grandmaster tournaments.”
“Imagine he wins the Candidates Matches, and then something happens to him before the World Championship match. Or during it. There is big money and the future of chess in America at stake. Not to mention settling scores with the Soviets. You know that the chess championship is the apple of their eye. We’re going to pluck it out from them. I just need to know where I stand and what to expect. After all, I can’t send Bobby for an examination.”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“When Petrosian was preparing for the match against Fischer, especially when analyzing Fischer’s games against Taimanov and Larsen, he came to the conclusion that besides his chess strength, there must be something else that helps Fischer win. Something significant yet elusive, as it remained unnoticed. To perceive it, one needed to look at Fischer’s moves beyond the chessboard.
Petrosian did that and managed to see through the American’s game. Fischer employed a perfidious psychological weapon. By imposing special conditions and demanding privileges, he put his opponent in a worse situation.”
― Dariusz Radziejewski, Game of Chess Thrones: A Tale of Great Masters and the Greatest Game Invented by Humanity

“The master does not care where the game begins but where it ends”
― Saminu Kanti

“In life, everything’s a mess. But on the board? I see everything. You can have your fake smiles and loud wins — I’ll take my quiet checkmates.”
― medicosaurabh