I've met enough KGB colonels in my life.

By strictly observing Botvinnik's rule regarding the thorough analysis of one's own games, with the years I have come to realize that this provides the foundation for the continuous development of chess mastery.

I'm not paranoid, but I am cautious. I don't drink tea with strangers, I don't fly Aeroflot and I avoid certain countries with close ties to Russia.

Ukraine had quite serious impact on the many Russians. They could see that ordinary people in Ukraine which is a bordering state, very close to Russia, the people of this state are, they didn't want to tolerate anymore the power abuse by Ukrainian officials.

Weaknesses of character are normally shown in a game of chess.

We know that the governments in most of the successor states formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union are replaced through a process of regular elections.

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