--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During a chess tournament a master must…" description: "\"During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of prey.\" — Alexander Alekhine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg" --- # During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself… ![“During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of prey.” quote by Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg) > “During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of prey.” [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A master must balance calm discipline with fierce competitiveness. **In simple terms:** Combine calm and aggression. Key Takeaway Cultivate both serenity and drive. Themes discipline competition mindset Mood focused intense Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - sports - chess tournaments - personal training - high pressure performance Key Concepts psychology strategy dual nature Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain calm under pressure? - When does aggression become reckless? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on aggression can erode strategic depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monk/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Tournaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournaments/) ## Related quotes > [A chess tournament disguised as a circus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connally/a-chess-tournament-disguised-as-a-circus/) John Connally > [It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-is-a-very-grave-mistake-to-think-that-the-enjoyment-of-seeing-and-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Take hope from the heart of man, and you make him a beast of prey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/take-hope-from-the-heart-of-man-and-you-make-him-a-beast-of-prey/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [...at the bottom of all these noble races the beast of prey, the splendid blond beast, prowling about avidly in search of spoil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/at-the-bottom-of-all-these-noble-races-the-beast-of-prey-the-splendid/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Her voice was as rough as sandpaper. As long as Blomkvist lived, he would never forget her face as she went on the attack.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/her-voice-was-as-rough-as-sandpaper-as-long-as-blomkvist-lived-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No beast of prey can kill its victim without frightening him first. In fact, no animal perishes until its destroyer strikes terror into its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhan-gopal-mukerji/no-beast-of-prey-can-kill-its-victim-without-frightening-him-first-in/) [Dhan Gopal Mukerji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhan-gopal-mukerji/) > [There are the terrible ones who carry about in themselves the beast of prey, and have no choice except lusts or self-laceration. And even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/there-are-the-terrible-ones-who-carry-about-in-themselves-the-beast/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Ruin followed, like the echo of a bitter cry, or the shadow that hunts with the beast of prey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/ruin-followed-like-the-echo-of-a-bitter-cry-or-the-shadow-that-hunts/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [From its first faint glimmerings, History shews Man's constant progress as a beast of prey. As such he conquers every land, subdues the fruit-fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/from-its-first-faint-glimmerings-history-shews-man-s-constant/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [The average beast of prey is a decent creature who merely kills for the sake of food or in a fight against an enemy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-murray/the-average-beast-of-prey-is-a-decent-creature-who-merely-kills-for/) [Gilbert Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-murray/) > [I wouldn't say I would have won a lot more tournaments if it wasn't for video games but I think I would have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-wouldn-t-say-i-would-have-won-a-lot-more-tournaments-if-it-wasn-t/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [What tournaments want to do, typically, is support charities in their community that need the money and charities that are impactful to their community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-finchem/what-tournaments-want-to-do-typically-is-support-charities-in-their/) [Tim Finchem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-finchem/) > [If you're not in the top three or four, you have to play a lot of tournaments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-nishikori/if-you-re-not-in-the-top-three-or-four-you-have-to-play-a-lot-of/) [Kei Nishikori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-nishikori/) > [Women's golf definitely hit a bump in the road. We lost some tournaments due to a combination of things led by the downturn in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-stacy/women-s-golf-definitely-hit-a-bump-in-the-road-we-lost-some/) [Hollis Stacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-stacy/) > [I like the tournaments at home. The crowd is always behind you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-thiem/i-like-the-tournaments-at-home-the-crowd-is-always-behind-you/) [Dominic Thiem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-thiem/) ## More by Alexander Alekhine > [Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/playing-for-complications-is-an-extreme-measure-that-a-player-should/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [I study chess eight hours a day, on principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/i-study-chess-eight-hours-a-day-on-principle/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Play on both sides of the board is my favourite strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/play-on-both-sides-of-the-board-is-my-favourite-strategy/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [The fact that a player is very short of time is, to my mind, as little to be considered an excuse as, for instance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/the-fact-that-a-player-is-very-short-of-time-is-to-my-mind-as-little/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [The purpose of human life and the sense of happiness is to give the maximum what the man is able to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/the-purpose-of-human-life-and-the-sense-of-happiness-is-to-give-the/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Never before and never since have I seen - and I cannot even imagine, such an amazing rapidity of chess thinking that Capablanca possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/never-before-and-never-since-have-i-seen-and-i-cannot-even-imagine/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [I did not believe I was superior to him. 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Capablanca played, relying almost exclusively on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/for-my-victory-over-capablanca-i-am-indebted-primarily-to-my/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [You can become a big master in chess only if you see your mistakes and short-comings. Exactly the same as in life itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/you-can-become-a-big-master-in-chess-only-if-you-see-your-mistakes/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Chess will always be the master of us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/chess-will-always-be-the-master-of-us-all/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [I consider chess an art, and accept all those responsibilities which art places upon its devotees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/i-consider-chess-an-art-and-accept-all-those-responsibilities-which/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Oh! this opponent, this collaborator against your will, whose notion of beauty always differs from yours and whose means are often too limited for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/oh-this-opponent-this-collaborator-against-your-will-whose-notion-of/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Capablanca was snatched too early from the chess world. With his death we have lost a great chess genius, the like of whom we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/capablanca-was-snatched-too-early-from-the-chess-world-with-his-death/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) [Explore all 37 Alexander Alekhine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. 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If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. 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How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) [Browse all 1,640 Beast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of prey.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Alekhine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must-envisage-himself-as-a-cross/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beast" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must-envisage-himself-as-a-cross/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/alexander-alekhine-17228_beast_during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must_751028.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of…” — Alexander Alekhine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander Alekhine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "During a chess tournament a master...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must-envisage-himself-as-a-cross/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/during-a-chess-tournament-a-master-must-envisage-himself-as-a-cross/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```