---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The study of typical plans is something…"
description: "\"The study of typical plans is something that the leading grandmasters devote a great deal of time to. I would say that the most far-seeing of them devo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png"
---

#  The study of typical plans is something that the leading…

![“The study of typical plans is something that the leading grandmasters devote a great deal of time to. I would say that the most far-seeing of them devote as much time to this as to the study of openings.” quote by Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png)

> “The study of typical plans is something that the leading grandmasters devote a great deal of time to. I would say that the most far-seeing of them devote as much time to this as to the study of openings.”

[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.

Top players allocate extensive time to studying typical plans, as crucial as opening theory.

**In simple terms:** Studying typical plans is as vital as openings.

Key Takeaway

Invest time in typical plan analysis.

Themes

chess strategy learning preparation

Mood

focused analytical

Type

instructional strategic

When to use this quote

- Tournament preparation
- coaching sessions
- personal study
- analysis of master games

Key Concepts

Pattern recognition strategic planning

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance study of typical plans with creative play?
- When should you deviate from known plans?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on typical plans may limit creativity in novel positions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Grandmasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmasters-762530/) [Grandmasters Devote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmasters-devote-4392410/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leading Grandmasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leading-grandmasters-4392411/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Study Typical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-typical-4392412/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Typical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typical/) [Typical Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typical-plans-4392413/)

## Related quotes

> [The masters and grandmasters can be divided into three groups - the inveterate time trouble merchants, those who sometimes get into trouble, and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/the-masters-and-grandmasters-can-be-divided-into-three-groups-the/)

[Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/)

> [If we are to elevate the game of chess to a popular sport, grandmasters must become gladiators, otherwise the game will languish on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-basman/if-we-are-to-elevate-the-game-of-chess-to-a-popular-sport/)

[Michael Basman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-basman/)

> [Grandmasters decline with age. That's a given. There is nothing special about the age of 40, but age eventually takes its toll. That much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/grandmasters-decline-with-age-that-s-a-given-there-is-nothing-special/)

[Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/)

> [Nothing excites jaded Grandmasters more than a theoretical novelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-lawson/nothing-excites-jaded-grandmasters-more-than-a-theoretical-novelty/)

[Dominic Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-lawson/)

> [Even the best grandmasters in the world have had to work hard to acquire the technique of rook endings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-keres/even-the-best-grandmasters-in-the-world-have-had-to-work-hard-to/)

[Paul Keres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-keres/)

> [Among top grandmasters the Dutch is a rare defense, which is good reason to play it! It has not been studied very deeply by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bent-larsen/among-top-grandmasters-the-dutch-is-a-rare-defense-which-is-good/)

[Bent Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bent-larsen/)

> [Today, chess programs have become so good that even grandmasters sometimes struggle to understand the logic behind some of their moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/today-chess-programs-have-become-so-good-that-even-grandmasters/)

[Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/)

> [There aren't really any 'American' grandmasters that are higher rated than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hikaru-nakamura/there-aren-t-really-any-american-grandmasters-that-are-higher-rated/)

[Hikaru Nakamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hikaru-nakamura/)

> [I didn't picture myself as even a grandmaster, to say nothing of aspiring to the chess crown. This was not because I was timid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-karpov/i-didn-t-picture-myself-as-even-a-grandmaster-to-say-nothing-of/)

[Anatoly Karpov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-karpov/)

> [Nowadays grandmasters no longer study their opponent's games so much, but they study his character, his behaviour and his temperament in the most thorough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bronstein/nowadays-grandmasters-no-longer-study-their-opponent-s-games-so-much/)

[David Bronstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bronstein/)

> [“Grandmasters play chess by combining experience with intuition, backed up with calculation and study. Computers play chess by brute calculation; their “study” consists of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/grandmasters-play-chess-by-combining-experience-with-intuition-backed/)

[Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/)

> [There's a wide range of sales ability: there are many gradations between novices, experts, and masters. There are even sales grandmasters. If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/there-s-a-wide-range-of-sales-ability-there-are-many-gradations/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [Rich colors are typical of a rich nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-day-truex/rich-colors-are-typical-of-a-rich-nature/)

[Van Day Truex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-day-truex/)

> [The president we have today is a typical Washington politician that's prone to hyperbole and decisiveness and false outrage. And I think it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-president-we-have-today-is-a-typical-washington-politician-that-s/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/)

[Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/)

## 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 Chess quotes

> [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/)

[Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/)

> [Real chessplayers think about chess more or less 24 hours a day. It is a passion and a fate that one has to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simen-agdestein/real-chessplayers-think-about-chess-more-or-less-24-hours-a-day-it-is/)

[Simen Agdestein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simen-agdestein/)

> [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/)

[Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/)

> [“Relationships are chess for women," he said. "They can see the whole board, plan way ahead. They're the queens, after all. We're the kings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/relationships-are-chess-for-women-he-said-they-can-see-the-whole/)

[Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/)

> [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [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/)

> [“the shadows. “Why do you think they invented chess?” “He’s got you there,” said the captain, following Fletcher. Jake jogged slightly to catch up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-blake/the-shadows-why-do-you-think-they-invented-chess-he-s-got-you-there/)

[Russell Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-blake/)

> [ \[Photographer Julian Wasser\] had this great idea that I should play chess naked with Marcel Duchamp and it seem to be such a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-babitz/photographer-julian-wasser-had-this-great-idea-that-i-should-play/)

[Eve Babitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-babitz/)

> [Chess is a good mistress but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-abrahams/chess-is-a-good-mistress-but-a-bad-master/)

[Gerald Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-abrahams/)

> [I am not some sort of freak. I might be very good at chess but I'm just a normal person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-carlsen/i-am-not-some-sort-of-freak-i-might-be-very-good-at-chess-but-i-m/)

[Magnus Carlsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-carlsen/)

> [Some sacrifices are sound; the rest are mine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-tal/some-sacrifices-are-sound-the-rest-are-mine/)

[Mikhail Tal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-tal/)

> [My parents were very supportive of my chess. When I got home after a game of chess, having missed school or something, they always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/my-parents-were-very-supportive-of-my-chess-when-i-got-home-after-a/)

[Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/)

> [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/)

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/)

> [In high school, my sister went out with the captain of the chess team. My parents loved him... They figured that any guy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kiley/in-high-school-my-sister-went-out-with-the-captain-of-the-chess-team/)

[Brian Kiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kiley/)

> [The King is a fighting piece. Use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-steinitz/the-king-is-a-fighting-piece-use-it/)

[Wilhelm Steinitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-steinitz/)

[Browse all 2,003 Chess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The study of typical plans is something that the leading grandmasters devote a great deal of time to. I would say that the most far-seeing of them devote as much time to this as to the study of openings.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alexander Kotov"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something-that-the-leading-grandmasters/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chess"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something-that-the-leading-grandmasters/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/alexander-kotov-16700_chess_the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something_2942380.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The study of typical plans is something that the leading grandmasters devote a great deal of time to. I…” — 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": "The study of typical plans is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something-that-the-leading-grandmasters/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/the-study-of-typical-plans-is-something-that-the-leading-grandmasters/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
