Vasily Smyslov
In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent.Collection: Men
No fantasy, however rich, no technique, however masterly, no penetration into the psychology of the opponent, however deep, can make a chess game a work of art, if these qualities do not lead to the main goal - the search for truth.Collection: Art
I have frequently stated that I regard chess as an art form, where creativity prevails over other factors.Collection: Art
Despite the development of chess theory, there is much that remains secret and unexplored in chess.Collection: Secret
In my opinion, the style of a player should not be formed under the influence of any single great master.Collection: Player
My study of chess was accompanied by a strong attraction to music, and it was probably thanks to this that from childhood I became accustomed to thinking of chess as an art, for all the science and sport involved in it.Collection: Sports
My fascination for studies proved highly beneficial, it assisted the development of my aesthetic understanding of chess, and improved my endgame play.Collection: Play
The Ruy Lopez occupied a constant place in my opening repertoire. In it is reflected the classical interpretation of the problem of the centre.Collection: Chess
The first chess book that I read was Dufresne's self-tutor, published with Lasker's Common Sense in Chess as an appendix.Collection: Book
A considerable role in the forming of my style was played by an early attraction to study composition.Collection: Style