--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think most people are fascinated by…" description: "\"I think most people are fascinated by chess for that reason. It's just these mystical shapes. It's almost like Harry Potteresque, like wizard's chess i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/maurice-ashley-29390_alive_i-think-most-people-are-fascinated-by-ch_48874.png" --- # I think most people are fascinated by chess for that… ![“I think most people are fascinated by chess for that reason. It's just these mystical shapes. It's almost like Harry Potteresque, like wizard's chess in a way. The pieces come alive and you're the sorcerer. You're the magician and you get to do what you want with them and hopefully you don't screw…” quote by Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/maurice-ashley-29390_alive_i-think-most-people-are-fascinated-by-ch_48874.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/maurice-ashley-29390_alive_i-think-most-people-are-fascinated-by-ch_48874.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/maurice-ashley-29390_alive_i-think-most-people-are-fascinated-by-ch_48874.png) > “I think most people are fascinated by chess for that reason. It's just these mystical shapes. It's almost like Harry Potteresque, like wizard's chess in a way. The pieces come alive and you're the sorcerer. You're the magician and you get to do what you want with them and hopefully you don't screw it up.” [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Chess captivates because it transforms abstract pieces into a living, magical battlefield where the player wields power and creativity. **In simple terms:** Chess feels like a spellbound game where the player controls animated pieces. Key Takeaway The game blends strategy with a sense of wonder. Themes strategy imagination control playfulness mythic Mood wonder excitement mystery Type analogy metaphor personal observation When to use this quote - learning chess - teaching strategy - designing games - writing fantasy narratives Key Concepts board game symbolic representation player agency Practical Applications - gamified education - creative problem solving Questions to Reflect On - How does framing a game as magical affect engagement? - What does the 'wizard' metaphor reveal about player identity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Chess Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess-reason-703291/) [Chess Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess-way-703295/) [Fascinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinated/) [Fascinated Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinated-chess-703290/) [Harry potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry-potter/) [Hopefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopefully/) [Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) [Mystical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystical/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Screws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screws/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) [Wizard Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wizard-chess-703293/) [Wizards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wizards/) ## Related quotes > [Actually, one of the fascinating things that I've learned playing chess is that the way you play chess is kind of like the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-carrigan/actually-one-of-the-fascinating-things-that-i-ve-learned-playing/) [Anthony Carrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-carrigan/) > [“Wow!” gasped Julia. They saw 20 or more young children of every sort lying on the cold, bare ground.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magda-m-olchawska/wow-gasped-julia-they-saw-20-or-more-young-children-of-every-sort/) [Magda M. Olchawska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magda-m-olchawska/) > [“Those of strong character and training are chosen by fate. They cannot help but rise to the forefront when their nations are troubled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/those-of-strong-character-and-training-are-chosen-by-fate-they-cannot/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [I started acting as a child in Community Theatre but I didn't do any serious stuff. It was all musicals like 'Annie' and 'Wizard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/i-started-acting-as-a-child-in-community-theatre-but-i-didn-t-do-any/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [I'm not the world's greatest expert, but I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, ... broomsticks and spells would have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-m-not-the-world-s-greatest-expert-but-i-would-have-thought-that-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“If you use magic outside the school, we are going to get into more trouble than ever. I’m still not allowed to eat sweets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magda-m-olchawska/if-you-use-magic-outside-the-school-we-are-going-to-get-into-more/) [Magda M. Olchawska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magda-m-olchawska/) > [When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“You are blessed with a knack for sucking the wonder out of the extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/you-are-blessed-with-a-knack-for-sucking-the-wonder-out-of-the/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [Wizard's Third Rule Passion rules reason, For better or for worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/wizard-s-third-rule-passion-rules-reason-for-better-or-for-worse/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Imagine an American Hans Christian Andersen, conceive of the Brothers Grimm living in Missouri, and you will approximate Howard Schwartz, a fable-maker and fable-gatherer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/imagine-an-american-hans-christian-andersen-conceive-of-the-brothers/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [It took a qualified wizard to detect a summoning in progress. It required only a half-literate idiot with a twitch of power and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/it-took-a-qualified-wizard-to-detect-a-summoning-in-progress-it/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“A magician must always value his magic effects more than himself, because after few years audience may not remember his name but they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/a-magician-must-always-value-his-magic-effects-more-than-himself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy’ll be able to do is send sparks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-people-only-die-in-proper-duels-you-know-with-real-wizards-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/in-a-way-we-are-magicians-we-are-alchemists-sorcerers-and-wizards-we/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) ## More by Maurice Ashley > [I let my game do the talking. I've had incidents like that but when I compare my own story to the stories that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-let-my-game-do-the-talking-i-ve-had-incidents-like-that-but-when-i/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [You playing chess well is just a reflection of your inner thought process and your ability to maintain discipline throughout. If we can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/you-playing-chess-well-is-just-a-reflection-of-your-inner-thought/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [Just because you lose doesn't mean you're a loser, and champions don't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/just-because-you-lose-doesn-t-mean-you-re-a-loser-and-champions-don-t/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [There's so many lessons I get from chess, it's incredible, but I think the biggest thing for me has always been is that losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/there-s-so-many-lessons-i-get-from-chess-it-s-incredible-but-i-think/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [He actually came up to me and we started speaking. And from that conversation we were able to come to a meeting of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/he-actually-came-up-to-me-and-we-started-speaking-and-from-that/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [Well, I'm still looking for Maurice Ashley. My essential qualities. I think that more than anything, I try to do the right thing, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/well-i-m-still-looking-for-maurice-ashley-my-essential-qualities-i/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [I think that by and large chess players have been very kind. Like I said there have been a few incidents, but they certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-think-that-by-and-large-chess-players-have-been-very-kind-like-i/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [If the kids get a good grasp of what the main lessons are for chess after two or three years of staying with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/if-the-kids-get-a-good-grasp-of-what-the-main-lessons-are-for-chess/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [I have to say that I got off very easy. There were incidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-have-to-say-that-i-got-off-very-easy-there-were-incidents/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [My brother played the game with his friends, so I thought I was a pretty smart kid and I played this friend of mine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/my-brother-played-the-game-with-his-friends-so-i-thought-i-was-a/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [Today, you talk to kids about books and they almost want to run away because they've got computers, iPads and all that, while we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/today-you-talk-to-kids-about-books-and-they-almost-want-to-run-away/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [I love to win. I'm very competitive in most games, but I think also the beauty of the game. There was something about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-love-to-win-i-m-very-competitive-in-most-games-but-i-think-also-the/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [Well I just so happened to bump into a chess book in the library at school and I didn't know that there were books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/well-i-just-so-happened-to-bump-into-a-chess-book-in-the-library-at/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [I see myself more as an ambassador of the game. And I hope to bring chess to a higher level in the United States.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-see-myself-more-as-an-ambassador-of-the-game-and-i-hope-to-bring/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [I don't like getting hit for one, although you know I did take Aikido for many years, but Aikido is a different kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/i-don-t-like-getting-hit-for-one-although-you-know-i-did-take-aikido/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) [Explore all 18 Maurice Ashley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think most people are fascinated by chess for that reason. It's just these mystical shapes. It's almost like Harry Potteresque, like wizard's chess in a way. The pieces come alive and you're the sorcerer. 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