--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is only one thing Fischer does in…" description: "\"There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!\" — Boris Spassky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png" --- # There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without… ![“There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!” quote by Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png) > “There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!” [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fischer only enjoys losing, indicating his competitive drive is tied to winning. **In simple terms:** Fischer hates losing. Key Takeaway Focus on winning, not just playing. Themes competition psychology chess Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - tournaments - training sessions - personal reflection Key Concepts motivation performance pressure Questions to Reflect On - What drives your desire to win? - How do you handle loss? A Different Perspective Even great players can feel joy in defeat if they learn. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) ## Related quotes > [Fischer does not merely outplay opponents; he leaves them bodily and mentally glutted. Fisher himself speaks of the exultant instant in which he feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/fischer-does-not-merely-outplay-opponents-he-leaves-them-bodily-and/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [How much pleasure they lose (and even the pleasures of heroic poesy are not unprofitable) who take away the liberty of a poet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-davenant/how-much-pleasure-they-lose-and-even-the-pleasures-of-heroic-poesy/) [William Davenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-davenant/) > [Bobby Fischer has an enormous knowledge of chess and his familiarity with the chess literature of the USSR is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/bobby-fischer-has-an-enormous-knowledge-of-chess-and-his-familiarity/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [When I played Bobby Fischer, my opponent fought against organizations - the television producers and the match organizers. But he never fought against me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/when-i-played-bobby-fischer-my-opponent-fought-against-organizations/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [The Soviet Union was an exception, but even there chess players were not rich. Only Fischer changed that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/the-soviet-union-was-an-exception-but-even-there-chess-players-were/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [I still hope to kill Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/i-still-hope-to-kill-fischer/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [I like to say that Bobby Fischer was the greatest player ever. But what made Fischer a genius was his ability to blend an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-pandolfini/i-like-to-say-that-bobby-fischer-was-the-greatest-player-ever-but/) [Bruce Pandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-pandolfini/) > [Fischer was a good kid but very unsophisticated about anything but chess. It was all chess for him, every waking moment. We'd go down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-gross/fischer-was-a-good-kid-but-very-unsophisticated-about-anything-but/) Ronald Gross > [Play out a boring game to the end and funny things can happen; Fischer knew it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-ree/play-out-a-boring-game-to-the-end-and-funny-things-can-happen-fischer/) Hans Ree > [The computer age has arrived, and it influences everything: analysis, preparation, information. Now a different talent is required - the ability to synthesize ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/the-computer-age-has-arrived-and-it-influences-everything-analysis/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [We can compare classical chess and rapid chess with theatre and cinema - some actors don't like the latter and prefer to work in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/we-can-compare-classical-chess-and-rapid-chess-with-theatre-and/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [On the other hand, chess is a mass sport now and for chess organisers shorter time control is obviously more attractive. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/on-the-other-hand-chess-is-a-mass-sport-now-and-for-chess-organisers/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [I also follow chess on the Internet, where Kasparov's site is very interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/i-also-follow-chess-on-the-internet-where-kasparov-s-site-is-very/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [When you play Bobby, it is not a question if you win or lose. It is a question if you survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/when-you-play-bobby-it-is-not-a-question-if-you-win-or-lose-it-is-a/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [“Emil Fischer represents a symbol of Germany's greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-dietrich-harries/emil-fischer-represents-a-symbol-of-germany-s-greatness/) Carl Dietrich Harries ## More by Boris Spassky > [I don't want ever to be champion again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/i-don-t-want-ever-to-be-champion-again/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [When you play Bobby, it is not a question if you win or lose. It is a question if you survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/when-you-play-bobby-it-is-not-a-question-if-you-win-or-lose-it-is-a/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [I also follow chess on the Internet, where Kasparov's site is very interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/i-also-follow-chess-on-the-internet-where-kasparov-s-site-is-very/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [On the other hand, chess is a mass sport now and for chess organisers shorter time control is obviously more attractive. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/on-the-other-hand-chess-is-a-mass-sport-now-and-for-chess-organisers/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [We can compare classical chess and rapid chess with theatre and cinema - some actors don't like the latter and prefer to work in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/we-can-compare-classical-chess-and-rapid-chess-with-theatre-and/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [The computer age has arrived, and it influences everything: analysis, preparation, information. Now a different talent is required - the ability to synthesize ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/the-computer-age-has-arrived-and-it-influences-everything-analysis/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [When I am in form, my style is a little bit stubborn, almost brutal. Sometimes I feel a great spirit of fight which drives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/when-i-am-in-form-my-style-is-a-little-bit-stubborn-almost-brutal/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [Time control directly influences the quality of play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/time-control-directly-influences-the-quality-of-play/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [Nowadays the dynamic element is more important in chess - players more often sacrifice material to obtain dynamic compensation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/nowadays-the-dynamic-element-is-more-important-in-chess-players-more/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [The best indicator of a Chess Player's form is his ability to sense the Climax of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/the-best-indicator-of-a-chess-player-s-form-is-his-ability-to-sense/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [My forte was the middlegame. I had a good feeling for the critical moments of the play. This undoubtedly compensated for my lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/my-forte-was-the-middlegame-i-had-a-good-feeling-for-the-critical/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [I still hope to kill Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/i-still-hope-to-kill-fischer/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [We were like bishops of opposite color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/we-were-like-bishops-of-opposite-color/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [Nowadays it would be reasonable to have an annual world championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/nowadays-it-would-be-reasonable-to-have-an-annual-world-championship/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [The shortcoming of hanging pawns is that they present a convenient target for attack. As the exchange of men proceeds, their potential strength lessens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/the-shortcoming-of-hanging-pawns-is-that-they-present-a-convenient/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) [Explore all 34 Boris Spassky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) ## 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 > [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": "There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Boris Spassky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in-chess-without-pleasure-to-lose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chess" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in-chess-without-pleasure-to-lose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/boris-spassky-18658_chess_there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in_2250829.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!” — Boris Spassky", "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": "Boris Spassky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is only one thing Fischer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in-chess-without-pleasure-to-lose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/there-is-only-one-thing-fischer-does-in-chess-without-pleasure-to-lose/#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 } } ] } ```