---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I object to being called a chess genius…"
description: "\"I object to being called a chess genius, because I consider myself to be an all around genius, who just happens to play chess, which is rather differen..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bobby-fischer-2633_chess_i-object-to-being-called-a-chess-genius_1842474.jpg"
---

#  I object to being called a chess genius, because I…

![“I object to being called a chess genius, because I consider myself to be an all around genius, who just happens to play chess, which is rather different. A piece of garbage like Kasparov might be called a chess genius, but he is like an idiot savant, outside of chess he knows nothing.” quote by Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bobby-fischer-2633_chess_i-object-to-being-called-a-chess-genius_1842474.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bobby-fischer-2633_chess_i-object-to-being-called-a-chess-genius_1842474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bobby-fischer-2633_chess_i-object-to-being-called-a-chess-genius_1842474.jpg)

> “I object to being called a chess genius, because I consider myself to be an all around genius, who just happens to play chess, which is rather different. A piece of garbage like Kasparov might be called a chess genius, but he is like an idiot savant, outside of chess he knows nothing.”

[Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He rejects the label “chess genius,” seeing himself as a general genius who merely plays chess, unlike others labeled as such.

**In simple terms:** He sees himself as broadly talented, not just a chess prodigy.

Key Takeaway

Recognize your broader abilities beyond a single skill.

Themes

identity talent humility specialization

Mood

introspective confident

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career development
- skill assessment
- personal branding

Key Concepts

self‑concept expertise

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you limit yourself with narrow labels?
- How can you showcase multifaceted talent?

A Different Perspective

Specializing can still be valuable; broad talent may be harder to market.

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[Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/)

## Related quotes

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> [Chess may be the deepest, least exhaustible of pastimes, but it is nothing more. As for a chess genius, he is a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/chess-may-be-the-deepest-least-exhaustible-of-pastimes-but-it-is/)

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> [Savant syndrome and autism, I think, are not disorders of brain structure, but they're disorders of brain function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-and-autism-i-think-are-not-disorders-of-brain/)

[Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/)

> [We have preachers and savants who dilate endlessly on the sanctity of family and childhood but who tolerate a system in which a casual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/we-have-preachers-and-savants-who-dilate-endlessly-on-the-sanctity-of/)

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> [With respect to why some acquired savants are musical, and some are good at the arts, and some are mathematical, why aren't they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/with-respect-to-why-some-acquired-savants-are-musical-and-some-are/)

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> [When I met my first savant in 1962, I was impressed by the abilities in these youngsters who had severe disabilities. They appeared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-i-met-my-first-savant-in-1962-i-was-impressed-by-the-abilities/)

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> [The globe has been circumnavigated, but no man ever yet has; you may survey a kingdom and note the result in maps, but all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/the-globe-has-been-circumnavigated-but-no-man-ever-yet-has-you-may/)

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[Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/)

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[Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/)

## More by Bobby Fischer

> [The Russians have held my title for ten years and they're going to be in for it when I win the Championship. They're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/the-russians-have-held-my-title-for-ten-years-and-they-re-going-to-be/)

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> [Tactics flow from a superior position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/tactics-flow-from-a-superior-position/)

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> [It is time to finish off the U.S. once and for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/it-is-time-to-finish-off-the-u-s-once-and-for-all/)

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> [I read a book lately by Nietzsche and he says religion is just to dull the senses of the people. I agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/i-read-a-book-lately-by-nietzsche-and-he-says-religion-is-just-to/)

[Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

> [The system set up by F.I.D.E. ... Insures that there will always be a Russian world champion... The Russians arranged it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/the-system-set-up-by-f-i-d-e-insures-that-there-will-always-be-a/)

[Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

> [ I have nothing to do with politics. I came here \[Yugoslavia\] to play chess and nothing else. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/i-have-nothing-to-do-with-politics-i-came-here-yugoslavia-to-play/)

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> [I was never invited to the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/i-was-never-invited-to-the-white-house/)

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> [It's the fault of the chess players themselves. I don't know what they used to be, but now they're not the most gentlemanly group.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/it-s-the-fault-of-the-chess-players-themselves-i-don-t-know-what-they/)

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> [I like the moment when I break a man's ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/i-like-the-moment-when-i-break-a-man-s-ego/)

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> [I know people who have all the will in the world, but still can't play good Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/i-know-people-who-have-all-the-will-in-the-world-but-still-can-t-play/)

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> [Nobody has single-handedly done more for the US image than me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/nobody-has-single-handedly-done-more-for-the-us-image-than-me/)

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> [When I win, I'll put my title on the line every year, maybe even twice. I'll give players a chance to beat me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/when-i-win-i-ll-put-my-title-on-the-line-every-year-maybe-even-twice/)

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[Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

[Explore all 157 Bobby Fischer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

## 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/)

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[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/)

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

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