Pawns not only create the sketch for the whole painting, they are also the soil, the foundation, of any position.
Chess is a very tough game, and psychologically a tough game. And of course, chess needs a lot of qualities, human qualities. And so you must have a very strong nervous system, and then you must be well prepared; you must be able to work a lot.
By all means examine the games of the great chess players, but don’t swallow them whole. Their games are valuable not for their separate moves, but for their vision of chess, their way of thinking.
I still remember Botvinnik’s reaction to each of my games, right from the opening moves. At first he would express amazement, then annoyance, and, finally irritation.
This whole fuss did not only damage Fischer’s image, but that of the USA as well. The way the Americans treated one of their most popular citizens did not make a positive impression worldwide.
I don’t pretend to anything more than harmony.
Happiness should always remain a bit incomplete. After all, dreams are boundless.
The first great chess players, including the world champion, got by perfectly well without constant coaches.
Style, I’ve got no style.
Bulgaria is the first state that has been awarded for its excellent fight against iodine deficiency by UNICEF.
I still love to play chess. So I do not even spend a minute on the possibility to step back.
It is dangerous to maintain equality at the cost of placing the pieces passively.
To be champion requires more than simply being a strong player; one has to be a strong human being as well.
Just make the right estimation of your own strengths and weaknesses, and also that of your opponent.
Like dogs who sniff each other when meeting, chess players have a ritual at first acquaintance: they sit down to play speed chess.
If you want to become a World Champion you should avoid playing in Open tournaments.
Seville never had a rich chess tradition. Valencia is entirely different, it is enough to say that one of the city squares is named after me.
It doesn’t require much for misfortune to strike in the King’s Gambit – one incautious move, and Black can be on the edge of the abyss.
Chess is my life, but my life is not chess.
No, I do not want to sacrifice four days for two games. My time is too valuable to do that.