Alexander Alekhine

Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion title), and the fourth World Chess Champion.

Alexandre Alekhine.

Quotes

• The fact that a player is very short of time is, to my mind, as little to be considered as an excuse as, for instance, the statement of the law-breaker that he was drunk at the moment he committed the crime.
  • In: Chess Life, Vol. 16-18, 1961. p. 113.
  • On the Zeitnot problem.

• I study chess eight hours a day, on principle.
  • Attributed in: David Hooper, ‎Kenneth Whyld (1996) The Oxford companion to chess. p. 8.

• Chess first of all teaches you to be objective.
  • Quoted in: M. Yudovich, ‎A. Kotov (2001) The Soviet School of Chess, p. 42.

• Chess for me is not a game, but an art. Yes, and I take upon myself all those responsibilities which an art imposes on its adherents.
  • Quoted in: Daniel James Brooks (2013) Poetics. Book 1, p. 72.

Disputed

• During a chess competition a chess master should be a combination of a beast of prey and a monk.
  • Attributed to Alekhine in page 11 of Essential Chess Quotations by John C. Knudsen (Falls Church, 1998), per Edward Winter[1]
    • This quotation and many variants of it are commonly attributed to Alekhine however per Winter "with regard to Alekhine there has been no primary source".

About Alexander Alekhine

• It was impossible to win against Capablanca; against Alekhine it was impossible to play.
  • Paul Keres, quoted in: Bruce Pandolfini (1992) Pandolfini's Chess Complete: The Most Comprehensive Guide. p. 208.

• Capablanca was the greatest talent, but Alekhine was the greatest in his achievements.
  • Mikhail Botvinnik, quoted in: Chess, Vol. 52, Nr. 1003-1018, 1987, p. 184.

• In playing through an Alekhine game one suddenly meets a move which simply takes one's breath away.
  • Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander, quoted in: Alexander Alekhine (1972) My Best Games of Chess, 1924-1937: . 1938-1945. p. 12.

• Alekhine's attacks came suddenly, like destructive thunderstorms that erupted from a clear sky.
  • Garry Kasparov; Quoted in: Raymond Keene (1999) Keene on Chess, p. 243.

• I can comprehend Alekhine's combinations well enough; but where he gets his attacking chances from and how he infuses such life into the very opening - that is beyond me.
  • Rudolf Spielmann in: Fred Reinfeld (1956) Why You Lose at Chess, p. 160.

• Alekhine is a poet who creates a work of art out of something that would hardly inspire another man to send home a picture post card.
  • Max Euwe, in: Fred Reinfeld (1956) Why You Lose at Chess, p. 180.

• Fortune favors the bold, especially when they are Alekhine.
  • Lodewijk Prins, in: Chess Review, Vol. 19-20 (1952).