--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a chess statistician were to try and…" description: "\"If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his curiousity over which stage of the game proved decisive in the majority of cases, he would certainl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png" --- # If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his… ![“If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his curiousity over which stage of the game proved decisive in the majority of cases, he would certainly come to the conclusion that it is the middlegame that provides the most decisive stage.” quote by Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png) > “If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his curiousity over which stage of the game proved decisive in the majority of cases, he would certainly come to the conclusion that it is the middlegame that provides the most decisive stage.” [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The middlegame determines most outcomes, so focusing on it yields insight into decisive moments. **In simple terms:** Middlegame decides most games. Key Takeaway Study middlegame patterns. Themes strategy analysis decisionmaking Mood analytical focused Type instructional strategic When to use this quote - coaching sessions - tournament preparation - game review Key Concepts Chess theory probability critical phases Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify pivotal middlegame positions? - What patterns signal a shift in advantage? A Different Perspective Middlegame importance varies by player style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Chess Statistician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess-statistician-5945507/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Conclusion Middlegame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion-middlegame-5945504/) [Curiousity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiousity/) [Decisive Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisive-stage-5945506/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Middlegame Provides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middlegame-provides-5945503/) [Provides Decisive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provides-decisive-5945505/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Statistician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistician/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [“To be read. To be heard. To be seen. I want to be read, I want to be heard. I don't need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/to-be-read-to-be-heard-to-be-seen-i-want-to-be-read-i-want-to-be/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Corruption and envy and lust for power. Cruelty and coldness. A vicious probing curiousity. Pure, poisonous, toxic malice. You have never from your earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/corruption-and-envy-and-lust-for-power-cruelty-and-coldness-a-vicious/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [From the first moment on the set I was consumed with curiousity about the technical side of shooting a sound picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-swanson/from-the-first-moment-on-the-set-i-was-consumed-with-curiousity-about/) [Gloria Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-swanson/) > [“I am most right because I realize I am most wrong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-most-right-because-i-realize-i-am-most-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[Constant curiousity leads to happiness:\] I wake up curious every day and every day I'm surprised by something. And if I can just recognize… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/constant-curiousity-leads-to-happiness-i-wake-up-curious-every-day/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [..and I thought how liking a boy was just the same as believing you wanted to know a secret - everything was better when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/and-i-thought-how-liking-a-boy-was-just-the-same-as-believing-you/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“I am not more gifted than the average human being. If you know anything about history, you would know that is so--what hard times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-am-not-more-gifted-than-the-average-human-being-if-you-know/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [If you don't know how it works, find out. If you're not sure if it will work, try it. If it doesn't make sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-don-t-know-how-it-works-find-out-if-you-re-not-sure-if-it-will/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Humans spent thousands of years looking up at the stars and wondering what was out there. You guys never saw stars at all but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/humans-spent-thousands-of-years-looking-up-at-the-stars-and-wondering/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [“They had no curiousity about him at all. As if they knew all that they needed to know. They stood and watched him pass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-had-no-curiousity-about-him-at-all-as-if-they-knew-all-that-they/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“I've sought what I ought to seek, fought what I ought to fight and did what I thought I had to do. Yet nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reiner-valentin/i-ve-sought-what-i-ought-to-seek-fought-what-i-ought-to-fight-and-did/) [Reiner Valentin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reiner-valentin/) > [I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiousity has its own reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-have-no-special-talent-i-am-only-passionately-curious-the-important/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nothing whets the intelligence more than a passionate suspicion, nothing develops all the faculties of an immature mind more than a trail running away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/nothing-whets-the-intelligence-more-than-a-passionate-suspicion/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [In a sense, Open City is a kind of Wunderkammer, one of those little rooms assembled with bric-a-brac by Renaissance scholars. I don't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/in-a-sense-open-city-is-a-kind-of-wunderkammer-one-of-those-little/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“Live on no complex dreams... When the meaning of what you want to do isn't clear, it means there is absolutely no meaning! Simplicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/live-on-no-complex-dreams-when-the-meaning-of-what-you-want-to-do-isn/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Alexander Kotov > [I can remember a case where Capablanca worked out an impressive combination, but then chose to make a simple move in answer to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/i-can-remember-a-case-where-capablanca-worked-out-an-impressive/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [There is no doubt that the reason for my awful oversight was over-confidence that sapped my sense of danger. So that is where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/there-is-no-doubt-that-the-reason-for-my-awful-oversight-was-over/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [In analysing complicated variations one must examine each branch of the tree once and once only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/in-analysing-complicated-variations-one-must-examine-each-branch-of/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [All candidate moves should be identified at once and listed in one's head. This job cannot be done piecemeal, by first examining one move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/all-candidate-moves-should-be-identified-at-once-and-listed-in-one-s/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [Just as the pianist practices the most complicated pieces to improve the technique of his fingers, so too a grandmaster must keep his vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/just-as-the-pianist-practices-the-most-complicated-pieces-to-improve/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [I cannot think that a player genuinely loving the game can get pleasure just from the number of points scored no matter how impressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/i-cannot-think-that-a-player-genuinely-loving-the-game-can-get/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [The placing of the centre pawns determines the "topography" of a game of chess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/the-placing-of-the-centre-pawns-determines-the-topography-of-a-game/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [I soon realized that it is not enough for a master simply to analyse variations scrupulously just like an accountant. He must learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/i-soon-realized-that-it-is-not-enough-for-a-master-simply-to-analyse/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [After a great deal of discussion in Soviet literature about the correct definition of a combination, it was decided that from the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/after-a-great-deal-of-discussion-in-soviet-literature-about-the/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [Anyone who wishes to learn how to play chess well must make himself or herself thoroughly conversant with the play in positions where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/anyone-who-wishes-to-learn-how-to-play-chess-well-must-make-himself/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [If you study the classic examples of endgame play you will see how the king was brought up as soon as possible even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/if-you-study-the-classic-examples-of-endgame-play-you-will-see-how/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [In choosing an opening plan players think most of all of harmonious development for the pieces, but sometimes leave the development of the queen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/in-choosing-an-opening-plan-players-think-most-of-all-of-harmonious/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [Experience and the constant analysis of the most varied positions builds up a store of knowledge in a player's mind enabling him often at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/experience-and-the-constant-analysis-of-the-most-varied-positions/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [Once in a Moscow chess club I saw how two first-category players knocked pieces off the board as they were exchanged, so that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/once-in-a-moscow-chess-club-i-saw-how-two-first-category-players/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [Bobby Fischer is the greatest Chess genius of all time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/bobby-fischer-is-the-greatest-chess-genius-of-all-time/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) [Explore all 39 Alexander Kotov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 6,420 Cases quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his curiousity over which stage of the game proved decisive in the majority of cases, he would certainly come to the conclusion that it is the middlegame that provides the most decisive stage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Kotov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and-satisfy-his-curiousity-over/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and-satisfy-his-curiousity-over/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/alexander-kotov-16700_cases_if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and_3201513.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his curiousity over which stage of the game proved decisive…” — Alexander Kotov", "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 Kotov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a chess statistician were to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and-satisfy-his-curiousity-over/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/if-a-chess-statistician-were-to-try-and-satisfy-his-curiousity-over/#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 } } ] } ```