Motivational slogans for chess players

[Simon Rogers]

Two slogans. One for when you play a lot stronger player, the other is because I do a lot of voluntary work teaching juniors at Cleveleys and I also spend time teaching the beginner adults at Poulton.

1. Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first inauguration on 4th March 1933 said
" The only thing we have to fear is .... fear itself. "

2. Democrat President John F. Kennedy in his inauguration on 20th January 1961 said
" Ask not what your country can do for you- Ask what you can do for your country."

[Roger de Coverly]

Nimzovich (other spellings available) suggested

why must I lose to this *******

Insert derogatory term of choice.

(edit) Was it Nimzo? Alekhine is also a possibility (/edit)

[David Sedgwick]

Democrat President John F. Kennedy in his inauguration on 20th January 1961 said
" Ask not what your country can do for you- Ask what you can do for your country."

Milton Friedman, "Capitalism and Freedom", 1962, said:

"Neither half of the statement expresses a relation between the citizen and his government that is worthy of the ideals of free men in a free society. ...

The free man will ask neither what his country can do for him nor what he can do for his country. He will ask rather “What can I and my compatriots do through government” to help us discharge our individual responsibilities, to achieve our several goals and purposes, and above all, to protect our freedom?"

[Mike Gunn]

The usual version of the story has Nimzowitsch standing on the table and shouting: "Why must I lose to this idiot?" after losing a game to Samisch.

[Stewart Reuben]

I haddn't realised the idiot was Samisch. And to think, I once lost to him at 10 second chess.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I suppose he found it harder to lose that variety of chess on time.

[Stewart Reuben]

Matt >I suppose he found it harder to lose that variety of chess on time.<
Saemisch was invited to play in a round robin norm tournament. It was before the days of rating. They needed another GM to meet the requirements. He accepted, but thought it ridiculous. So he deliberately lost all his games on time.
He later played at Bognor in the standardplay open. He also played in the lightning tournament and I met him in, I think, the semifinal - but possibly quarterfinal. Bob Wade was the arbiter.

[Matt Mackenzie]

He scored zero points in two 1969 tournaments, not long before Elo ratings came into operation.

There is debate over which one featured only losses on time (unless, as is not impossible, it was both of them)