--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love to play chess. The last time I was…" description: "\"I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I started to really see the board. I don't mean just seeing a few moves ahead - something else. My g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg" --- # I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I… ![“I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I started to really see the board. I don't mean just seeing a few moves ahead - something else. My game started getting better. It's the patterns. The patterns are universal.” quote by Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg) > “I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I started to really see the board. I don't mean just seeing a few moves ahead - something else. My game started getting better. It's the patterns. The patterns are universal.” [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing the chessboard as a network of patterns improves strategic insight. **In simple terms:** Recognizing patterns deepens skill. Key Takeaway Study patterns to boost performance. Themes strategy learning pattern recognition Mood focused curious Type motivational instructional When to use this quote - chess practice - sports coaching - education - game analysis Key Concepts cognitive development systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply pattern recognition beyond chess? - What habits help you notice deeper patterns? A Different Perspective Patterns alone don't guarantee success without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Getting better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-better/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Chess is a time game, it’s a game of patience. That pretty much defines how I run the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priest-holmes/chess-is-a-time-game-it-s-a-game-of-patience-that-pretty-much-defines/) [Priest Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priest-holmes/) > [For me, chess is at the same time a game, a sport, a science and an art. And perhaps even more than that,. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bent-larsen/for-me-chess-is-at-the-same-time-a-game-a-sport-a-science-and-an-art/) [Bent Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bent-larsen/) > [Television is like speed chess, as you have no time and no money. It is like trying to play Grandmaster chess with a 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-devlin/television-is-like-speed-chess-as-you-have-no-time-and-no-money-it-is/) [Dean Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-devlin/) > [We all play chess with Fate as partner. He makes a move, we make a move. He tries to checkmate us in three moves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/we-all-play-chess-with-fate-as-partner-he-makes-a-move-we-make-a-move/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [In the barber shop you start playing checkers, and eventually you want to learn how to play chess. The pieces look a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/in-the-barber-shop-you-start-playing-checkers-and-eventually-you-want/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [He liked to play chess and do intelligent things, and I was a serious drinker and nonthinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-harding/he-liked-to-play-chess-and-do-intelligent-things-and-i-was-a-serious/) [Warren G. Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-harding/) > [Thank you, darling, for learning to play chess. It is an absolute necessity for any well organized family. (in a letter to his wife)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/thank-you-darling-for-learning-to-play-chess-it-is-an-absolute/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [It's the horsey-shape piece that moves in an L shape. It's what makes chess complicated, and why stupid people can't play chess. Go play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-love/it-s-the-horsey-shape-piece-that-moves-in-an-l-shape-it-s-what-makes/) [Courtney Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-love/) > [I see myself used in terms of reading mismatches. If it's small, go inside. If it's big, come outside. And if it's in between,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thon-maker/i-see-myself-used-in-terms-of-reading-mismatches-if-it-s-small-go/) [Thon Maker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thon-maker/) > [I like to play chess with bald men in the park although it's hard to find 32 of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-like-to-play-chess-with-bald-men-in-the-park-although-it-s-hard-to/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [“Deal me in. If they want to play checkers, we’ll play chess. Fuck them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-lehr/deal-me-in-if-they-want-to-play-checkers-we-ll-play-chess-fuck-them/) Dick Lehr > [“If u want to work in Corporate, then u should know how to play Chess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honeya/if-u-want-to-work-in-corporate-then-u-should-know-how-to-play-chess/) [honeya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honeya/) > [When humans team up with computers to play chess, the humans who do best are not necessarily the strongest players. They're the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/when-humans-team-up-with-computers-to-play-chess-the-humans-who-do/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Chess programs don't play chess the way humans play chess. We don't really know how humans play chess, but one of the things we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-j-russell/chess-programs-don-t-play-chess-the-way-humans-play-chess-we-don-t/) [Stuart J. Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-j-russell/) > [After giving a student the basic mating patterns and strategies you must begin giving them advanced concepts. At first these ideas will not make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-silman/after-giving-a-student-the-basic-mating-patterns-and-strategies-you/) [Jeremy Silman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-silman/) ## More by Forest Whitaker > [To try and act like we haven't had great progress is not true. Obama didn't fail - he changed the psyche of the nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/to-try-and-act-like-we-haven-t-had-great-progress-is-not-true-obama/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I'm really excited that people are receiving my performance like this. It makes me feel good, because I've been working really hard. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-m-really-excited-that-people-are-receiving-my-performance-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I go to a reunion in east Texas, my mother's side or my father's, one out of ten is a preacher or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-go-to-a-reunion-in-east-texas-my-mother-s-side-or-my-father-s/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [ As an artist, it's a great opportunity to play a character like this \[Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland\]. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/as-an-artist-it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-play-a-character-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's all about destiny. That's why people look at the zodiac or the I Ching - because there's a certain order to life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-all-about-destiny-that-s-why-people-look-at-the-zodiac-or-the-i/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [My wife is completely different from me: she's good with everyone, whereas I'm good at directed conversation when I have a purpose for it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/my-wife-is-completely-different-from-me-she-s-good-with-everyone/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I was a curious child. I'd debate with anyone who came to the door - people from the Islamic community... Jehovah's Witnesses... anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-was-a-curious-child-i-d-debate-with-anyone-who-came-to-the-door/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [There was a time in my acting career, where I was trying to figure out if acting was the thing to do. You know?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/there-was-a-time-in-my-acting-career-where-i-was-trying-to-figure-out/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [The first time I ever went out of the country, it was to London. I was with the choir from my college, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/the-first-time-i-ever-went-out-of-the-country-it-was-to-london-i-was/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I were to mark three, I'd mark Bird, because I grew immensely as an artist, I learned a lot, and also, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-were-to-mark-three-i-d-mark-bird-because-i-grew-immensely-as-an/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I try to be like a forest: revitalizing and constantly growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-try-to-be-like-a-forest-revitalizing-and-constantly-growing/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I stay true, because whatever the project is, I'm still looking for inside of that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-stay-true-because-whatever-the-project-is-i-m-still-looking-for/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's a contract of connection to be in the same space and watch and listen to stories and be caught in them. When you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-a-contract-of-connection-to-be-in-the-same-space-and-watch-and/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) [Explore all 142 Forest Whitaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I started to really see the board. I don't mean just seeing a few moves ahead - something else. My game started getting better. It's the patterns. The patterns are universal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Forest Whitaker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was-playing-i-started-to-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was-playing-i-started-to-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/forest-whitaker-3022_better_i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was_757372.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I started to really see the board. I don't mean just…” — Forest Whitaker", "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": "Forest Whitaker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I love to play chess. The...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was-playing-i-started-to-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-love-to-play-chess-the-last-time-i-was-playing-i-started-to-really/#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 } } ] } ```