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.

I was lucky enough to attend schools where they were understanding about when I needed to go abroad to play chess. Of course, socially it is important to go to school and interact with people your own age.

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

What I admired most about him [Bobby Fischer] was his ability to make what was in fact so difficult look easy to us. I try to emulate him.

There are certainly loads of players that I admire; I try to learn from all of the great masters both of the past and contemporary as well.

It's easy for me to get along with chess players. Even though we are all very different, we have chess in common.

Unfortunately I'm still not a fashion expert.