There are so many games that I've seen that I've learned from. I never - that's also part of the same - never single out a particular player or a particular game.

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 honestly don't read that much. Obviously I read chess books - in terms of favorites, Kasparov's 'My Great Predecessors' is pretty good.

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

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.

I got the travel bug when I was quite young. My parents took me and my sisters out of school and we travelled all over Europe. It was an eye-opening experience and, although I love Norway, I also enjoy visiting new countries. I don't get homesick.

Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.