[Vladimir] Putin intended to provide for a broad safety corridor [for the Olympic Games]. That's why Abkhazia was a more important and desired goal of Russian aggression against Georgia than South Ossetia, which merely served as a pretext. Concerns mainly centered on the Crimea.

Any experienced player knows how a change in the character of the play influences your psychological mood.

The highest Art of the Chess player lies in not allowing your Opponent to show you what he can do.

I don't have enough information, and enough courage, to come up with a definite version of events. And I think it is too dangerous for me to do so.

The biggest problem I see among people who want to excel in chess – and in business and in life in general – is not trusting their instincts enough.

The only successor to President Putin is President Putin himself and we could of course dream about President Putin stepping down voluntarily and picking out successor which would be probably as bad as him.

Russia is a mafia state today, and Putin is its top godfather.