El famoso escritor estadounidense Norman Mailer (1923-2006), autor, entre otras grandes novelas de ‘Los desnudos y los muertos’, escribió un curioso libro, ‘The Fight’ sobre el famoso combate de Muhammad Ali y George Foreman, que contiene una interesante referencia ajedrecística:

«In chess, no concept had once been more firmly established than control of the centre, and for much the same reason as boxing –it gave mobility for attack by the left or the right. Later, a revolution came to chess, and new masters argued that if one occupied the centre too early, weaknesses were created as well a strengths. It was better to invade the centre after the opponent was committed. Of course with such a strategy you had to be resourceful in a cramped space. Tactical brilliance was essential at every step. Was not exactly what Ali had accomplished?»

A propósito del combate Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman, Zaire 1974.