33 Quotes by José Raúl Capablanca

Chess books should be used as we use glasses: to assist the sight, although some players make use of them as if they thought they conferred sight.

Sultan Khan had become champion of India at Indian chess and he learned the rules of our form of chess at a later date. The fact that even under such conditions he succeeded in becoming champion reveals a genius for chess which is nothing short of extraordinary.

Endings of one rook and pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate.

When you sit down to play a game you should think only about the position, but not about the opponent. Whether chess is regarded as a science, or an art, or a sport, all the same psychology bears no relation to it and only stands in the way of real chess.

In order to improve your game, you must study the Endgame before everything else.

An hour’s history of two minds is well told in a game of chess.

As one by one I mowed them down, my superiority soon became apparent.

Excellent! I will still be in time for the ballet!

The best way to learn endings, as well as openings, is from the games of the masters.