The infallible criterion by which to distinguish the true from the would-be strategist is the degree of originality of his conceptions. It makes little difference whether this originality is carried to excess, as was the case with Steinitz and Nimzowitsch. — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
The retreat of a minor piece to the back rank, where it cuts the lines of communication between the rooks, is permissable only in exceptional cases. — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan. — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
The fact that a player is very short of time is, to my mind, as little to be considered an excuse as, for instance,… — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
The purpose of human life and the sense of happiness is to give the maximum what the man is able to give. — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
Never before and never since have I seen - and I cannot even imagine, such an amazing rapidity of chess thinking that Capablanca possessed… — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
I did not believe I was superior to him. Perhaps the chief reason for his defeat was the overestimation of his own powers arising… — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
The infallible criterion by which to distinguish the true from the would-be strategist is the degree of originality of his conceptions. It makes little… — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of prey. — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
For my victory over Capablanca I am indebted primarily to my superiority in the field of psychology. Capablanca played, relying almost exclusively on his… — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
You can become a big master in chess only if you see your mistakes and short-comings. Exactly the same as in life itself. — Alexander Alekhine Copy Share Image
