I don't consider myself a particularly young chess player. I have been playing in the best tournaments in the world since I was 16 years old. In other sports, if you have been playing for seven years, you are not a young prodigy any more. You're one of the pros.

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

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

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 really enjoy the experience of playing humans. The psychological game is so much more important.

I am trying to beat the guy sitting across from me and trying to choose the moves that are most unpleasant for him and his style.

There wasn't any particular player I modeled my game after. I tried to learn from everyone and create my own style. I studied past players... Truth be told I never had a favorite player. It's just not my nature to go around idolizing people. I just go try to learn.