--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War is like a game of chess ... but with…" description: "\"War is like a game of chess ... but with this little difference, that in chess you may think over each move as long as you please and are not limited f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg" --- # War is like a game of chess ... but with this little… ![“War is like a game of chess ... but with this little difference, that in chess you may think over each move as long as you please and are not limited for time, and with this difference too, that a knight is always stronger than a pawn, and two pawns are always stronger than one, while in war a…” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg) > “War is like a game of chess ... but with this little difference, that in chess you may think over each move as long as you please and are not limited for time, and with this difference too, that a knight is always stronger than a pawn, and two pawns are always stronger than one, while in war a battalion is sometimes stronger than a division and sometimes weaker than a company. The relative strength of bodies of troops can never be known to anyone… Success never depends, and never will depend, on position, or equipment, or even on numbers, and least of all on position.” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War’s outcomes are unpredictable; strength isn’t solely based on size or position, and success depends on many hidden factors. **In simple terms:** War results can’t be guessed by numbers alone. Key Takeaway Don’t rely on apparent strength alone. Themes war strategy uncertainty Mood cautious reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - battle planning - policy making - risk assessment - leadership decisions Key Concepts military balance asymmetry complexity Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess hidden strengths? - What factors beyond size influence success? A Different Perspective Numbers and positions can mislead; morale and intelligence matter too. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Knights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knights/) [Pawns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pawns/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troops/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“There sometimes isn’t much difference between a knight’s quest and a fool’s errand. - Drew”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/there-sometimes-isn-t-much-difference-between-a-knight-s-quest-and-a/) [Morgan Matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [“Peace is stronger than war because it heals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foundation-for-inner-peace/peace-is-stronger-than-war-because-it-heals/) [Foundation for Inner Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foundation-for-inner-peace/) > [Chess is similar to boxing. You need to develop a strategy, and you need to think two or three steps ahead about what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/chess-is-similar-to-boxing-you-need-to-develop-a-strategy-and-you/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Touch the pawns before your king with only infinite delicacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-santasiere/touch-the-pawns-before-your-king-with-only-infinite-delicacy/) Anthony Santasiere > [I realized that it's my own fault that people take advantage of me. I should be around people who cherish my talents, my health,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-realized-that-it-s-my-own-fault-that-people-take-advantage-of-me-i/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [White has no positional equivalent for the centralized pawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/white-has-no-positional-equivalent-for-the-centralized-pawn/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [I'll listen to you, but you need to treat me with a little respect. Because it doesn't sound like I'm a pawn. Sounds like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larissa-ione/i-ll-listen-to-you-but-you-need-to-treat-me-with-a-little-respect/) [Larissa Ione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larissa-ione/) > [Modern Chess is too much concerned with things like Pawn structure. Forget it, Checkmate ends the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-short/modern-chess-is-too-much-concerned-with-things-like-pawn-structure/) [Nigel Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-short/) > [As a rule, pawn endings have a forced character, and they can be worked out conclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dvoretsky/as-a-rule-pawn-endings-have-a-forced-character-and-they-can-be-worked/) [Mark Dvoretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dvoretsky/) > [Fate knows all about you, it knows your fears and your weaknesses and your confidences and strengths, and it can be ready for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lebbon/fate-knows-all-about-you-it-knows-your-fears-and-your-weaknesses-and/) [Tim Lebbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lebbon/) > [Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone. There are, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-can-build-the-bridge-for-you-to-walk-across-the-river-of-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ultimately, of course, you must decide for yourself whether the subjective psychological effects created by your evolved cognitive biases reflect an objective reality, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-bering/ultimately-of-course-you-must-decide-for-yourself-whether-the/) [Jesse Bering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-bering/) > [He is nothing more than one of my pawns. However, he is not a normal pawn. He is a pawn that can get across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yana-toboso/he-is-nothing-more-than-one-of-my-pawns-however-he-is-not-a-normal/) [Yana Toboso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yana-toboso/) > [When your house is on fire, you cant be bothered with the neighbors. Or, as we say in Chess, if your King is under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/when-your-house-is-on-fire-you-cant-be-bothered-with-the-neighbors-or/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [The male is always the pawn in a romantic comedy. Come together, break up, go chase her, get her, roll credits. That's what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/the-male-is-always-the-pawn-in-a-romantic-comedy-come-together-break/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "War is like a game of chess ... but with this little difference, that in chess you may think over each move as long as you please and are not limited for time, and with this difference too, that a knight is always stronger than a pawn, and two pawns are always stronger than one, while in war a battalion is sometimes stronger than a division and sometimes weaker than a company. The relative strength of bodies of troops can never be known to anyone… Success never depends, and never will depend, on position, or equipment, or even on numbers, and least of all on position.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Tolstoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-this-little-difference-that-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-this-little-difference-that-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/leo-tolstoy-55_body_war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-thi_2397431.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“War is like a game of chess ... but with this little difference, that in chess you may think over each move…” — Leo Tolstoy", "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": "Leo Tolstoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "War is like a game of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-this-little-difference-that-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/war-is-like-a-game-of-chess-but-with-this-little-difference-that-in/#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 } } ] } ```