Not winning a tournament is not an option for me, unless it's no longer theoretically possible - then of course winning becomes impossible. But up to that point, not winning is just not an option.

I get more upset at losing at other things than chess. I always get upset when I lose at Monopoly.

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

I enjoy hiking and skiing, like most Norwegians. In winter, there will be snow for months on end. In the summer, there are the long evenings to enjoy.

When you have fun then you're more interested in learning.

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

Self-confidence is very important. If you don't think you can win, you will take cowardly decisions in the crucial moments, out of sheer respect for your opponent. You see the opportunity but also greater limitations than you should. I have always believed in what I do on the chessboard, even when I had no objective reason to. It is better to overestimate your prospects than underestimate them.