Boris Spassky Quotes

If you can defend, counter-attack and take the initiative then you become a more dangerous player.

I started playing chess when I was five years old. I learned the moves from my mother, then worked with my father - and later trainers. My style became very technical. I sacrificed a lot of things. I was always hunting for the king, for the mate. I'd forget about my other pieces.

Every time I win a tournament I have to think that there is something wrong with modern chess.

I'm not one of the guys that's going to hold back and try to win on points.

I like to have an attacking style on both ends.

It's absolutely fine to be a bit more reactive and not chase after the ball at times. But you cannot be passive.

My philosophy is always to play forward because goal is the reason of football.

For inspiration I look to those great players who consistently found original ways to shock their opponents. None did this better than the eighth world champion, Mikhail Tal. The "Magician of Riga" rose to become champion in 1960 at age twenty-three and became famous for his aggressive, volatile play.

Sometimes, we have to promote ourselves. Just go out and be very active about trying to find an opportunity.

Chess is, in essence, a game for children. Computers have exacerbated the trends towards youth because they now have an immensely powerful tool at their disposal and can absorb vast amounts of information extremely quickly.

Successful people are action oriented.

Innovation is an outgrowth of initiative, and initiative - taking positive actions in a belief that your actions can make a difference - is a big part of confidence.

The captain was a good chess player, and the games were always interesting. Yossarian had stopped playing chess with him because the games were so interesting they were foolish.

I got a bunch of people together to talk about doing a lot and decided that I really want to throw my hand in and do as much as I can.

All I ever want to do is just play chess.

We need to keep our ears open to the realities of life. If we don't act on life and take action to make things happen, it will act on us and give us results we might not want.

I don't know if people know this but I am pretty good at chess. I was always on the chess team at school when I was younger.

The passion for playing Chess is one of the most unaccountable in the world

Progress rarely comes as a result of being passive.

God always works with workers and moves with movers, but He does not sit with sitters.

The key is not to call the decision maker. The key is to have the decision maker call you.

Americans really don't know much about chess. But I think when I beat Spassky, that Americans will take a greater interest in chess. Americans like winners.

In chess, as a purely intellectual game, where randomness is excluded, - for someone to play against himself is absurd ... It is as paradoxical, as attempting to jump over his own shadow.

There is no game like the direct attack. Fancy strokes, while effective to watch, do not bring the results a fast driving game does.

Teach people to play new chess, right away. Why do you offer them a black and white television set, when there is a set in color?