The cherished dream of every chessplayer is to play a match with the World Champion. But here is the paradox: the closer you come to the realization of this goal, the less you think about it.
Mikhail TalRead
Of course, errors are not good for a chess game, but errors are unavoidable and in any case, a game without ant errors, or as they say 'flawless game' is colorless.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mistakes are an inherent part of learning and creativity, adding richness to experiences.
Mikhail Tal's quote highlights the inevitability of errors in any endeavor, including chess. He suggests that while errors are generally seen as negative, they contribute to the depth and excitement of a game, making it more vibrant and engaging rather than just a sterile perfection devoid of lessons and growth.
Themes
ErrorsChessLearningGrowthCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about innovation, one could use this quote to illustrate that mistakes lead to breakthroughs.
More from Mikhail Tal
All quotes →In my games I have sometimes found a combination intuitively simply feeling that it must be there. Yet I was not able to translate my thought processes into normal human language.
Mikhail TalRead
I will not hide the fact that I love to hear the spectators react after a sacrifice of a piece or pawn. I don't think that there is anything bad in such a feeling; no artist or musician is indifferent to the reactions of the public.
Mikhail TalRead
For pleasure you can read the games collections of Andersson and Chigorin, but for benefit you should study Tarrasch, Keres and Bronstein.
Mikhail TalRead
To play for a draw (at any rate with White) is to some degree a crime against chess.
Mikhail TalRead
Botvinnik's right! When he says such things, then he's right. Usually, I prefer not to study chess but to play it. For me chess is more an art than a science. It's been said that Alekhine and I played similar chess, except that he studied more. Yes, perhaps, but I have to say that he played, too.
Mikhail TalRead
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