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Chess and me, it's hard to take them apart. It's like my alter ego.

I'm a pretty good chess player.

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.

Chess is a lot of fun for me. Football is a physical game, and in chess you can just beat someone mentally - you outwit somebody, outmaneuver them, think ahead of them.

Boards and myself get along somehow.

I don't play chess with my life, ya' know.

You bring to chess facets of your personality and what you are. I have interests other than chess, like music and world and current affairs. I also have many friends around the world with whom I like to keep in touch.

I didn't get along with most of the players I played against, but the one guy I did get along with was my greatest rival, so it can be done.

Chess is life.

Chess has given me a lot more than I could ask for. I have been able to feel special, travel the world and do what I truly enjoy. Moreover, chess players love being their own boss and hate having to wake up early!