There was open collusion between the Russian players. They agreed ahead of time to draw the games they played against each other. Every time they drew they gave each other half a point.

A strong memory, concentration, imagination, and a strong will is required to become a great Chess player

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.

I don't like American girls. They're very conceited, you know. In Europe they're more pleasant.

Chess is like war on a board

When I was eleven, I just got good.

Blitz chess kills your ideas.