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.

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

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

My former coach, Simen Agdestein, used to be the best player in Norway.

I've never been much of a computer guy at least in terms of playing with computers. Actually until I was about 11 I didn't use a computer for preparing for games at all. Now, obviously, the computer is an important tool for me preparing for my games. I analyze when I'm on the computer, either my games or my opponents. But mostly my own.

I don't think there is a thing like overconfidence in chess. It's always better to be too confident than too reluctant.

For me, the most important thing is to continue to play well and to be a positive figure and hopefully a role model for kids as well.