My sister bought me a set at a candy store and taught me the moves.

Let's play. I'm willing to play anywhere.

When I won the World Championship in '72, the United States had an image of, you know, a football country, baseball country, but nobody thought of it as an intellectual country.

They're lying bastards. Jews were always lying bastards throughout their history. They're a filthy, dirty, disgusting, vile, criminal people.

Chess is a matter of delicate judgement, knowing when to punch and how to duck.

I love the game - and I hate the Russians because they've almost ruined it. They only risk the title when they have to, every three years. They play for draws with each other but play to win against the Western masters. Draws make for dull chess, wins make for fighting chess.

I really love the dark of the night. It helps me to concentrate.