Wise words

The wisest things anybody ever said about chess improvement:

"	...Almost all players lose the overwhelming majority of their games not because of things they don#8217;t know, but because of not consistently applying things they do know.		"
		-- Dan HEISMAN
	"Chess is more a game of skill than a game of knowledge" " <> If you want to get better at chess you need to place much less emphasis on 'study' whereby you increase your knowledge of positions, and place more emphasis on 'training,' whereby you try to solve problems, play practice games, or perhaps try to beat a strong computer program from an advantageous position <> ." (25).
		-- Jonathan ROWSON
	A knowledge of tactics is the foundation of positional play. This is a rule which has stood its test in chess history and one which we cannot impress forcibly enough upon the young chess player. A beginner should avoid Queen's Gambit and French Defence and play open games instead! While he may not win as many games at first, he will in the long run be amply compensated by acquiring a thorough knowledge of the game./em
		-- Richard RETI
	One of the main aims has been to highlight the differences in approach between a Grandmaster and a weaker player, and to try and narrow the gap. To some extent this comes down to technical matters - more accurate analysis, superior opening knowledge, better endgame technique and so forth; but in other respects the difference goes deeper and many readers will find that they need to rethink much of their basic attitude to the game. One example of this would be the tremendous emphasis which is placed on the dynamic use of the pieces, if necessary at the expense of the pawn structure, or even of material. This is no mere question of style; it is a characteristic of the games of all the great players.
		-- Peter Griffiths
	If you have any doubt what to study, study endgames. Openings teach you openings. Endings teach you chess/em.
		-- Stephan GERZADOWICZ
	The Most Common OTB Mistakes: Playing too fast because of overconfidence Not recognizing the critical moment Playing too fast because of carelessness Being overcautious Guarding instead of moving Miscounting Allowing a removal of the guard tactic Not adjusting from one phase of the game to another, or not playing differently when way ahead or behind Counterattacking a guarded rook when an unguarded minor piece is attacked Not developing all your pieces Making threats that are easily parried Overlooking that your move can be easily refuted by a check, capture, or threat Not asking yourself, #8220;What are all the reasons my opponent made that move?#8221; Repeatedly making the same opening mistake
		-- Dan HEISMAN
	..we are all occasionally guilty of underestimating the richness of ideas which lie beneath the surface of even the simplest, quietest-looking positions.
		nbsp;-- Mark DVORETSKY
	If you want to get better, you have to change.
		Jan Przewoznik and Marek Soszynski
	Don't play for traps! Don't hope that your opponent does something stupid! ... After deciding on the move you intend to play, ask yourself, "What wonderful thing does my move do for my position?"
		nbsp;-- Jeremy SILMAN
	"The most important feature of the chess position is the activity of the pieces. This is absolutely fundamental in all phases of the game (opening, middlegame and strongespecially endgame). The primary constraint on a piece's activity is the Pawn structure.
		-- Michael STEAN
	Deux fous gagnent toujours, mais trois fous, non!
		-- Alexander ALEKHIN, on the advantage of the Two Bishops at amateur level, and perhaps a reminder to walk before we can run