The 'chess machine', by which admiring title he had been known, revealed the great drawback of a machine: it had not sufficient flexibility to adapt itself to altered circumstances.

Whoever sees no other aim in the game than that of giving checkmate to one's opponent will never become a good Chess player

Capablanca did not apply himself to opening theory (in which he never therefore achieved much), but delved deeply into the study of end-games and other simple positions which respond to technique rather than to imagination.

He can be regarded as the great master of simplification. The art of resolving the tension at the critical moment and in the most effacious way so as to clarify the position as desired is Capablanca's own.

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.

The essence of Capablanca's greatness is his rare talent for avoiding all that can complicate or confuse the conflict.

Alekhine's real genius is in the preparation and construction of a position, long before combinations or mating attacks come into consideration at all.