People ask what my goal is. I don't have a goal.

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

Some people think that if their opponent plays a beautiful game, it's okay to lose. I don't. You have to be merciless.

If you want to get to the top, there's always the risk that it will isolate you from other people.

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.

One of the things that first attracted me to chess is that it brings you into contact with intelligent, civilized people - men of the stature of Garry Kasparov, the former world champion, who was my part-time coach.