I am not some sort of freak. I might be very good at chess but I'm just a normal person.

If you want to get to the top, there's always the risk that it will isolate you from other people.

I can’t count the times I have lagged seemingly hopelessly far behind, and nobody except myself thinks I can win. But I have pulled myself in from desperate [situations]. When you are behind there are two strategies - counter-attack or all men to the defences. I’m good at finding the right balance between those.

It's just not my nature to go around idolizing people.

I spend hours playing chess because I find it so much fun. The day it stops being fun is the day I give up.

I've never really had a favorite player, past or present.

My father, a fine chess player himself, has been a massive influence throughout my life.