Modern chess genius Magnus Carlsen. Magnus Carlsen (16th champion) Chess player Carlsen Magnus

Norwegian Magnus Carlsen retained his title of world chess champion. This news made some fans rejoice, but others were upset. Many hoped that the crown would go to Sergei Karyakin. Our grandmaster turned out to be a strong opponent - so far Carlsen has managed to win in regulation time.

Magnus Carlsen felt like a birthday boy in every sense: his birthday, and the world title as the best gift. For the third time. But when his opponent was given the floor, the hall exploded. Sergei Karjakin was applauded louder and longer than the winner.

“I felt supported throughout the match. In Russia it was simply fantastic, because there were incredible flash mobs, millions of people watched the match, without exaggeration, millions of Russians watched. I am very grateful to them. In America I was quite popular, for example, I can tell the following story: on a day off I needed to take a taxi, and there was a Russian-speaking taxi driver, and he recognized me, and after the trip he said that he would not take money from me, explaining that this such is his support,” said Sergei Karyakin.

For almost three weeks, fierce battles raged in a soundproof room behind glass. The last fight alone was watched on the Internet by more than 10 million people. This is how people cheered in New York on the last night of the championship: thousands of people came to watch the game in person. Tickets to the VIP area went up to $600! In Moscow, in the Central Chess House, all chess lovers were received for the sake of the match, even at night!

In Simferopol, where Karyakin is from, the athlete’s mother is worried: “It’s simply incredible to maintain such intensity of passion for five to seven hours, it’s very difficult. We sit, get nervous, worry, of course, drink coffee,” says Tatyana Karyakina.

In the Simferopol club, where Karjakin started, despite the late hour - and the matches began at 10 pm Moscow time, no one left until the very end. Karyakin's first coach Yuri Zagnitko. Now people are lining up to see him - 130 people signed up during the championship days alone!

In the 12 classic games of the championship, the players' chances were indeed equal: one win and 10 draws. Everything was to be decided by a tiebreaker, a series of four quick games in which players were given 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. Magnus Carlsen, the number one in the chess world, has never reached a tie-break before, achieving victory in regulation time.

The first rapid ended in a draw. In the second, Carlsen managed to create a dangerous position. But Karjakin managed to come out of it brilliantly, ending in a draw, although even the computer, which simultaneously calculates the situation, gave the opponent an 80% chance of winning.

“What Seryozha did now is simply some kind of feat, to get out of such a position! If I had nails, I would have chewed all my nails, I was in such a nervous state, and the fact that Carlsen eventually allowed me to make a combination blow and theoretically go into a draw swing, well, that’s the merit of Serezhin, well done! Oh, it's hard! It’s hard,” says Karyakin’s first coach, Yuri Zagnitko.

But in the third and fourth rapids, luck was on Carlsen's side. At the cost of incredible efforts, he managed to retain the chess crown.

“It was very difficult. Even if I couldn't turn some situations around in my favor, I still thought I could win. Although after the eighth game, when I lost, it was very difficult to pull myself together,” said Magnus Carlsen.

The American press presented this battle of the youngest grandmasters (their total age is only 52, a record for world championships) as a clash between Russia and Norway. But it turned out that many Norwegians were rooting for Karjakin. His team did not have time to respond to hundreds of rave reviews on social networks.

Magnus Carlsen will hold the world champion title for two years. And then - the championship again. Sergey Karjakin hopes that he will again become the opponent of the number one chess player. And this time even stronger.

I haven't seen Carlsen live for a long time. I would even say a very long time ago - five years, no less. Since I interviewed him in Dortmund, and then also in Khanty - after his first great adult successes. He was still just a boy then - awkward and shy, slowly choosing answers and glancing at his father. But even then it was noticeable that he felt his strength, understood: if he only added a little - and he had a lot of reserve - and he would take the lead...

Perhaps, with regard to Carlsen, time even sped up a little. Less than a few years later, without showing the chess world something fundamentally new and without becoming, like Karpov or Kasparov in their time, a trendsetter, he nevertheless bypassed the entire world elite... But the most interesting thing was something else - everyone noted its powerful practical strength, but no one could determine what it consisted of?

Even if you want to, it’s not so easy to lay a foundation for the Norwegian’s game or break it down into components. After all, you can’t call him a brilliant tactician or, say, a deep strategist - he is both! So if you look at a dozen of Magnus’ games “without a signature”, you won’t necessarily establish that it was him who played. Well, Korchnoi, unable to understand the phenomenon of the Norwegian, even declared him a hypnotist! Well, it can’t be that people made mistakes so often in games with him...

I was wondering how “Magnus who lives on the roof” has changed, how he is given world domination, what are the plans of a man who publicly refused to participate in the World Cup and the World Championship cycle, considering that the conditions in it were not suitable for him as a professional satisfied. A strong decision of a man who is aware of his strength, who believes that if he wants, he will win everything that he is destined to win in life!

Carlsen has changed... He has stretched out, gotten stronger, but remains, however, the same “thing in himself”. I began to smile and speak much less in public. When he showed his games to the audience, he used literally two or three phrases of the same type. And in general, it seemed to me that as soon as he entered the “field of attraction” of chess, it was as if some invisible shell was closing around him, which allowed him, almost alone, to cope with all the Big Overloads.

I involuntarily remembered the “image of Fischer” - he, too, always felt himself “alone against the whole world.” And therefore, during chess competitions, he became gloomy and irritable, but as soon as he relieved himself of the tension, he appeared completely different - a sociable and cheerful person. Carlsen is the same: during and after the tournament he is two different people. I felt this in the few 15 minutes that we walked with him and his father after the closing of the Tal Memorial - from the Pashkov House to the Ritz.

You won’t believe it, but even his gait changes, his forehead smooths out, and his childishness and smile return to him. And frankness. Frankly, before this interview I was afraid that nothing meaningful would come of it - Magnus would give standard and short answers and would not engage in the conversation... We talked for almost an hour! Moreover, Carlsen struck me with his unexpected frankness and precision of formulation. He lounged on the sofa so that it was convenient to “conduct” with his hands when he searched for the right word. And he smiled a lot, without showing any fatigue or impatience.

I was amazed and, while saying goodbye, I even expressed my respect to Henrik Carlsen. Well, when I started listening to the recording, I was even more amazed. How much is hidden under this imaginary Norwegian inaccessibility of the strongest chess player in the world...

THE MORE COMPLEX, THE MORE INTERESTING

To begin with, since we are talking right after the end of the Tal Memorial, what could you say about your game and your result in this tournament?

Well, of course, I'm happy with the result - first place is always first place. To a certain extent, I am satisfied with my game, especially with what I showed in the first half of the tournament... Yes, I made mistakes, and my opponents also made mistakes, but the games were interesting enough to remember them with pleasure later.

As for the second half, I have nothing to say. I would just like to forget about half the games. Starting with the game with Svidler, where I had to look in horror for ways to a draw. I have nothing to praise myself for in the game against Nepomniachtchi. Only a game with Nakamura can wash away the shame of a slurred performance at the finish.

What can you say about the tournament in general? Did you like the fight - is this what a record-breaking (in terms of ratings) tournament should be like?

I didn't think about what it should be like. People fought in every round, there were a lot of interesting games. Well, what about the fact that there are a lot of draws? This is how players simply gathered together and achieved great skill in defending difficult positions. Thus, in most of the games, one of the parties had a serious chance of winning, and as a result, more than 3/4 of all games ended in a draw. It's OK.

Do you like to play against top level players or do you prefer to play in tournaments with mixed squads like in Wijk aan Zee or London?

For me, the Tal Memorial was the most interesting tournament this year! I have no doubts here. There was not a single “passable” game here.

- Is it nice to feel the tension, to play at the limit?

Yes, the more complex, the more interesting! Every time is a test...

Can you formulate what chess means to you now? What do they mean in your life and how important a part are they?

I am a professional chess player, and if so, I must do everything in my power to realize my potential. I like to win, I strive for maximum results... At the same time, I still manage to have a lot of fun from the game! I can say that during the game I stop thinking about the result of the game, I am so captivated by what is happening on the board...

In relation to this tournament, I can remember two games - against Gelfand and Kramnik. I was just delighted when we got such non-standard positions! If every game I made was as interesting as these, then I would be simply happy. But chess, alas, consists of more than just creativity.

Would your attitude towards these games change if they ended not so favorable for you in terms of results?

The result, of course, is always important, but I'm talking about the pleasure of the game.

Are you just talking about the abstract pleasure of the game or the ability to turn the course of the game in the direction you want?

First of all, I like solving non-standard problems at the board. Maybe that’s why I don’t really like to do openings - it all starts from one position.

We must assume that you especially like playing with “creative” players like Aronian or Ivanchuk. Or is it, by and large, all the same?

The creative style of the opponents is, of course, important, but I don’t divide opponents into types. An interesting position can arise in a game against anyone.

Don’t you really “adapt” to your opponents, don’t you try to choose a different line of behavior against players of different types?

Hardly ever. That is, of course, I watch their games, I see in which positions they feel more confident, in which they “float”, but this does not become a decisive factor when choosing an option for the game. Only in very rare cases.

- Don't you mean to say that you don't care in what manner of playing?

Almost yes. The main thing is to make it interesting!

And, for example, when in this tournament he gave Kramnik the opportunity to put pressure on the entire front - what he loves most - did you not try to catch him in a trap, when it is necessary to move from general reasoning to specific actions?

Honestly, I didn’t think that deeply. When playing Black against Kramnik, you need to understand that it won’t be so easy to equalize in the opening, and therefore it doesn’t matter which line you play against him. It is much more important to prepare yourself for the fight.

- Do you have problems with this?

They happen to everyone. Sometimes you feel bad or just don’t feel like it...

- How do you act at such moments?

I go and play a game. As I already said, chess is my profession. I have to do what I have to do. And he must do it well, without losing concentration.

BE ABLE TO JOY

Can you imagine yourself as a person who will devote his whole life to this... like Ivanchuk, Anand or Kramnik? Or have you already set some boundaries for yourself?

I don't know. Not ready to say “yes” or “no” with certainty. I really like chess now and will play it as long as I feel motivated. And how it will go later, when she weakens - if she weakens - I still don’t know.

This is the main problem for many strong players who are approaching 40. On the one hand, they realize that they are able to play quite well, but on the other, they find it increasingly difficult to force themselves to work as hard as they used to. And play.

A very subtle point. I'm not sure about myself yet... Let's wait a couple of years.

- What is your main motivator at the moment?

Well, everything is simple here - just play chess. Show everything you can do. I don't set any special goals for myself in chess. From time to time I think about these topics... No, really, I can’t think of something like that! I could say that I want to win every game - but I just don’t think about it.

I don’t agree with those who think that the lack of a global goal is bad... I play, I have fun, I want to achieve the maximum. Isn't it enough?

At the age of 21, you confidently top the list of the world's leading chess players, but at the same time you say that you have no goals. In fact - none?

No! Of course, I think that someday I might become the world chess champion, but if this doesn’t happen, I won’t worry about it...

- This smacks of fatalism!

Perhaps... But for me this is the easiest way to maintain my current state, my attitude towards chess, which I really like.

How can one not remember Kasparov, who from the age of 13 was prepared for the fact that someday he would definitely become a world champion, they infected him with this idea!

What can I say... everyone has their own path. Thoughts about being a world champion do not interfere with my life. If I become a champion someday, fine, if I don’t, so be it. I don't want any obsessions to ruin my life.

You have said several times that you like to play chess. Could you compare today's perception with that when you first learned to play?

I probably loved chess a little more at that time than I do now. But I try to keep my perceptions fresh and never force myself into them.

At the first moment, the fascination of the game is strong, you will learn a lot of new things. But I can say that now it is replaced by the excitement of fighting, the satisfaction of winning tournaments, constantly improving, becoming stronger...

- Do you consider this feeling fundamentally important for an elite player?

Certainly! If you do something without pleasure, then you are unlikely to be able to achieve maximum results... I think it is important to maintain this feeling within yourself, to be able to rejoice and enjoy what you do. How else!

- How long ago did you make the choice to become a chess pro?

Not that long ago actually. A few years ago. I was finishing my studies at school then and realized that, by and large, I was not interested in anything except chess... And at that moment I decided that in the near future it would be my profession.

- So it was not an a priori choice?

I wouldn’t say that everything that happened before was not serious. But I didn't really look that far ahead. I was interested in doing this, but I didn’t divide: here is chess, here is everything else.

For many parents in Russia, their children’s early sports success is a good reason to think about a professional career. Isn't that right for you?

And many of us play chess simply for general development. They are believed to be useful. I have many friends who play chess just for fun. And I also started playing chess quite by accident. And he was not a child prodigy.

That is, if immediately after finishing school you told your father that you wanted to finish chess, he would not object to you?

It's better to ask him about this. But I think he definitely wouldn’t have forced me... But I didn’t have any thoughts of “giving up” - I liked what I was doing.

- Does your life, your future now depend on chess?

It depends on what you mean by this. I think no.

- How much time do you devote to them?

It's hard for me to count. When I'm at a tournament, chess takes up all my time. At this moment I am one hundred percent focused on the game. So, my TV and phone are turned off, I’m not available to anyone... When am I home? If I don’t have a training camp and don’t have to go to some tournament, I don’t play chess at all.

- Don’t work out at all?

Absolutely!

- And you don’t maintain your “sports shape” in any way?

Well, if I want, I can watch something that interests me. Or download fresh games... I don’t know, nothing specific. It is difficult to talk about any purposeful activities. It may seem strange, but I get a lot of benefit from just watching games. I don’t analyze, I don’t turn on modules, I just scroll through them one by one, looking at new ideas, who plays how...

Well, everyone has their own approach. Nobody knows how someone else spends their free time - Anand, Kramnik, Aronian...

- Free time - yes, but we more or less know how they do it.

I also have fees. But rarely. And I have a habit of remote work, which I did when I was little and didn’t have a coach.

- Norwegian specifics?

Partly. I guess I don't fit into the usual patterns a little.

ALONE AND WITHOUT A CAR

- Do you think you have a specific chess talent?

I don't know. Everyone has a lot of different talents. I probably have something like that too, but I can’t be 100% sure. Do you yourself know what this is?

I can only judge by what others have said about me. When I was 12-13 years old, many people said that I had great chess talent, that I could become a great chess player. At that moment, I basically didn’t care whether I became a strong chess player or not - I just played and was happy about it...

In fact, it is very difficult to determine who is more gifted and who is less. And who will turn out to be a truly great chess player, and who will remain a nobody.

But I still remember the scene with Alexander Nikitin, Kasparov’s coach, who at one of the first Aeroflots stood next to your table and witnessed how you defeated Dolmatov in 20 moves. He then walked around the hall with the form of that party and with a breath told everyone: “This is the party of a genius”...

Yes, I remember, I was 13 years old then (laughs). I want to thank Nikitin, he gave me good advertising then. He is an authoritative person, and I heard about it even after returning home. Yes, yes, and he also predicted a great future for me.

- And you really weren’t confused or confused by all this talk about genius?

I want to say again: I never considered myself a chess genius, and I never concentrated on other people’s scores. And I treat them calmly now... Many people tell me that I am too sober a person. And even then I thought what was the point of all this excessive enthusiasm - you just need to do what you do well.

- How much slower do you think your chess development would have been if you didn’t have a computer at hand?

Don't know. Never thought about it. I think (thinks), that for me personally, the computer did not have any fundamental influence on my game.

I can’t believe it... What sets you apart is that you are ready to play any position “from the sheets”, ready to defend positions where “ugly” machine moves are needed...

But it is so. I can say that in the first years I did not use the help of a machine at all, even as a database! Then I simply put the board in front of me, took the books that I was studying with and looked at everything on it. And the first time I needed a computer for chess was when I started playing on the Internet.

Honestly, when I was 11-12 years old, I didn’t even know what ChessBase was. I understand that coming from me this sounds rather implausible - and most people consider me a product of the era of “computer chess” - but this is actually true! I will say more, even my first coaches were surprised at my computer “illiteracy” in chess. I had nowhere to show them the databases, my analyzes...

Do you still have any children’s notebooks with tests that could “document this”? Are there any “living witnesses”?

Of course, people have not gone away - you can even ask my father. I'm not sure about any recordings. I didn't keep any special records.

- So, your understanding of chess, sense of position, is all human?

I think yes. And my fundamental understanding of chess was formed without the participation of a machine. This was my view of chess, my idea of ​​wrestling.

Do you think it helps you that you have acquired the habit of analyzing at the board and not at the computer? Some, for example, Kramnik or Anand, often say during analysis: “We need to see what the machine says here...”

I didn't think about it... I have a good memory, and usually I remember what I was looking at at the board. Yes, sometimes I'm interested to see what the machine thinks about the position, but it never bothers me, I'm not in a rush to put everything on the computer right away.

- Do you trust computer estimates?

It all depends on the position. There are situations where a computer is of no use.

- Could you rely entirely on a computer assessment?

When time is short, sometimes you have to trust his conclusions. But I try to see everything myself; you can’t trust the car 100%.

CHESS BAGGAGE

We “found out” that you are not a child of the computer age, but then, forgive me, the question is: where did you even come from in Norway, where there were no chess traditions?

I get asked this question all the time, but I don’t have an answer... Yes, in Norway we have never had strong chess players, we haven’t had continuity like you have. As a result, there was no training program for chess players.

- Just an accident?

I think, yes.

- Do you remember your first coach?

Yes. He looked at several of my games, we talked to him... And he gave me a couple of books: Shereshevsky on endings and several textbooks by Dvoretsky. At first, this was all my chess luggage!

- That is, you won’t be able to name someone who would “set” the game for you?

This happened much later. But I studied very carefully everything he gave me. I absorbed the “Soviet chess school”.

- Did you feel that your game changed after studying these books?

Yes. I began to navigate the board better, to evaluate better.

What about classic chess works like Nimzowitsch, Capablanca or Lasker? Khalifman once, speaking about the tournament in Wijk aan Zee, said that there were 13 chess players with a “school” and one who did not have it...

I really never got to the “classics”.

- Do you regret it?

It's hard for me to judge. Maybe someday...

Judging by the books you got from endgame specialists, you must have loved this stage of the game, although children usually like to attack!

I can’t say that I like tactics more than strategy or vice versa. It happened differently in different periods...

As a child, I liked strategy more - all these long plans and pawn chains, maneuvering... Then, when I started playing regularly in tournaments, a lot of small tactics appeared in my game. Well, when I found myself in super tournaments in 2006-2007, I had to thoroughly reconsider my view of chess. (Smiles.) I needed to make the game more edgy and tactical. And then try to improve the assessment of positions.

- So you can’t call yourself a tactician or strategist?

I would call myself an optimist! In fact, I don't have any strong preferences in chess. I do what circumstances require of me - attack, defend or go to the endgame. To have preferences is to have weaknesses.

Could you compare your feelings after winning a thin endgame or some kind of hurricane attack? Will they really be exactly the same for you?!

I really don't know what I like more about chess! Among others, a game can be distinguished by the feelings you experience after its completion. When you realize that you have created something truly worthwhile... But this happens very, very rarely. In any case, with me in my entire life - only a few times.

- Well, if you are just a spectator, which game do you like best?

Don't know. I'm interested in wrestling as such.

- Do you have a favorite chess player?

No. Is it true! It is very useful to study the games of great players. And not only world champions, but also those who came close to this title.

- Isn’t there at least a group of players whose game you like?

There are many of them, but there is no one favorite. I've watched many thousands of their games, and everyone has something to learn - perhaps because of this I don't want to single out any one. Maybe later?

- Have you experienced the influence of one or another chess player on your game?

Constantly. No - not directly, not in a way that I would like to be like someone. I just saw that different players can do different things well.

- Do you think that some boys are already learning from your games?

It never occurred to me. Maybe.

GIVE IT MORE LOAD

- Viktor Korchnoi recently put you on a par with Fischer and Tal...

Yep, he called me a “hypnotist”!

- Was it flattering for you to be on the same level as the world champions?

I'd rather be there for something else.

- How did you react to his assumption that you influence your rivals?

I don’t think that there is so much otherworldly in my victories. I don't have to use hypnosis to win on the chessboard!

But, you must admit, it was not surprising to assume something like that, considering the frequency with which your opponents make mistakes?

Give your opponents a lot of workload during the game - and they will make mistakes... I am not able to estimate how much more often they make mistakes when playing with me.

- Much more often!

I don’t know, I fight in every game until the end, I give it my all. I don’t want to feel after the game that I did less than I could... Probably, this attitude affects my opponents. Mistakes are a consequence of stress!

- Do you strive to create tension on the board in each of your games?

I'm trying! I can’t say that this is successful in every game. Take, for example, the game against Anand from this tournament: I simply could not create any tension in it. But in everything else I tried my best...

- Don't you think that chess has turned from an art into a fight?

Was it any different before? Take any serious confrontation - the players threw aside abstract considerations and fought very hard.

They also turned into a competition for opening bases! So, Grischuk recently said that now chess is 80% work on the opening...

That's pretty much how it is.

But... when I look at your games, I get the opposite feeling! Take the same Tal Memorial, where in the first four rounds of the opening you stood at 0 out of 4, but should have scored 3.5 out of 4. You constantly outplay your opponents...

Probably because I like the middlegame and endgame much more than the opening. I like it when a game turns into a competition of thoughts rather than a battle of home tests. But this, unfortunately, does not happen often.

- Does this upset you?

To some extent, but what can I do!

- More to do with the debut, like the others...

I already do this more than I want to.

- But at the same time, as I understand it, in general you are inferior to them?

Yes. It’s no secret that I’m inferior in the quality of opening preparation to Anand, Kramnik, and many others. They have much more experience and groundwork... They are great specialists in this! But I try to place my pieces correctly on the board so that this advantage is not so large that I don’t lose right away.

There was never an idea to create your own team, like Kramnik or Anand, so that people would prepare an opening for you, and you would sit at the board...

I have never had a team that, say, would give me a debut.

- But you wouldn't refuse to have it?

I think about it from time to time, but... I have long been accustomed to trusting my decisions - both on and off the board. Should you suddenly change your habits?

- What needs to happen for you to change your mind?

I don’t know, maybe if I happen to play a world championship match, I’ll simply be forced to assemble a team. And I think it won't be so bad...

- Are there any chess players with whom you like to analyze?

I have never collaborated with active chess players, with those with whom I have to compete in tournaments. We spent a lot of time with Peter-Heine Nielsen when I was younger, he gave me a lot of practice. Who knows, maybe I'll like it. But it’s difficult for me to name specific names now.

FOR THE HIGHEST TITLE

I am interested in one idea, perhaps it will seem strange to you. But would you continue to play chess if you had another activity that in the long term would bring in significantly more money than chess?

This sounds too hypothetical! Why such an unexpected question?

Well, after you refused to participate in FIDE competitions - first in the Grand Prix and World Cup tournaments, and then in the World Championship, Henrik said that you would be quite happy with participation in commercial competitions.

What's unusual here? Chess is my main income. I can't say that money means a lot to me. First of all, because when I first started playing chess, there was nothing but pleasure and interest in the game itself.

I have never really thought about this question. Who knows, maybe it will turn out that I can make a lot more money in some other area. But I don’t know this, because I haven’t tried myself in other areas yet... When I get tired of playing chess, I feel like I’ve reached my ceiling - then we’ll see.

It's great to feel freedom of choice, to be the master of your destiny. Decide when to do what. This is exactly the situation I’m in right now, but I’m not planning on leaving chess anywhere just yet. I have many unfulfilled ambitions.

Yes that's right. But let me remind you of Korchnoi, who, having lost a match to Karpov in Merano in 1981, said that he no longer wanted to play a world championship match, and therefore began to consider himself a chess amateur from that moment on.

- And you yourself, for no apparent reason, refused to fight for the title of champion!

I wouldn't say there are no reasons...

- But personally, I still don’t understand the real reasons why this happened?

At my core, I was not motivated to fight for such a title... I was not happy with a lot of things that FIDE proposed, including the very format of the candidates' matches. I don't want to expand on this topic. At one time, a lot was said about this, but the content of the matches in Kazan only confirmed my point of view. They were unlikely to please both the audience and the participants themselves.

- What, in your opinion, should the Candidates Tournament be like?

I think a two-round tournament, in which all contenders for the title would compete, would be a better alternative to short-lived matches. It would become an event. In it, everyone would have approximately equal chances, nothing would depend on blitz games...

- So you may well take part in the next “cycle”?

Yes, why not! Give me good conditions and I will play.

- No politics?

Absolutely.

Is it the same with the FIDE Grand Prix tournaments?

It's a little different, but overall, yes. I never shy away from competition, but I don’t want to be “for” or “against” anyone. I'm just playing chess.

- Phew, that’s relieved: I thought that you had completely given up on fighting for the title.

I made no secret of the fact that my decision was related to the unsatisfactory format of the competition. I didn't say that I don't want to be a world champion.

- Wait, but at the very beginning of our interview you said that you don’t have any global goal in chess!

There is no global goal. Is the world title a global goal?

- For some, it becomes a fixed idea throughout their entire life!

Well, it seems to me that every person has his own idea of ​​what the main goal in chess is. For me personally, it definitely wasn’t just about winning the title someday... Maybe this will seem very strange to some, but for me that’s exactly what it is. Well, if I don’t become a champion, so what?

- Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov would listen to you...

For the previous generation of chess players, the title of “world champion” meant much more than it does for me now. But what can you do?

- You didn’t discuss this issue with Kasparov when you were still studying?

No. It was my decision. He didn't try to convince me.

“WALKING WITH KASPAROV”

- What are your impressions of your work? Is this not a taboo topic?!

No, no, no problem. We started collaborating in 2009 and worked quite closely for more than a year. We had both live meetings and constant conversations on Skype. We analyzed a lot together, played, exchanged opinions...

- What was the main benefit for you from creative communication with him?

Thanks to him, I began to better understand a whole class of positions. It is clear that he knew much more than me... At times it was difficult for me to keep up with his speed and depth of analysis, but more often than not we were on the same wavelength. What can I say: it was a unique experience for me; Kasparov gave me a lot as a practitioner.

- Was he surprised by your level of opening preparation?

Yes, he was amazed at how little I turned out to know... But we didn’t dwell on this issue. He shared with me his methods of working on the debut, for which I am grateful. I moved in this direction thanks to him.

- What else did Kasparov share with you?

He told me a lot about the peculiarities of wrestling, a lot about individual elite players. He has a very unique view of the world's strongest players.

- Were you struck by the energy that he retained at 46 years old?

Yes, he is a very “energetic” person! He seems to be simply sharing his opinion with you, but in reality he is dictating how you should act...

- How different was your view of the positions you were looking at?

The difference is big... Kasparov is a researcher, and he looks at each position as a theorem that he must prove. And I am more pragmatic - I am looking for how best to use the capabilities of the parties. He tries to bring everything to the final assessment - “plus-minus” or “minus-plus”, but I’m not so picky, for me the main thing is to find the path that is worth following. From some of his comments, I realized that my approach was largely associated with the way Karpov made decisions. He knew him like no one else - I won’t say that such an assessment was unpleasant to me...

-Have you often fought with Kasparov?

At the board? Yes, we played a lot of blitz games! It was a meaningful struggle, at times it was difficult for him - it was felt that he had no practice.

- Based on these games, could you imagine how strong Kasparov was in his youth?

He's a fantastic player. I haven’t seen anyone feel the dynamics in difficult positions like that. And this is in the fifth decade! Of course, it would be very interesting to play with the then Kasparov, but, as we know, time cannot be returned... I think it would be a great challenge. They say that Karpov was magnificent in his youth.

You say this now with such delight that it’s hard to believe that you never had a chess idol...

I'm talking now about the pleasure of chess communication with a great player. I didn’t say that I wanted or want to be like him. Everyone has his own path.

- Okay, but if the ideal Carlsen and the ideal Kasparov sat down to play...

I don't know how it would have ended - we are too different players. But I think it would be interesting. The clash of players of different styles is always interesting.

- What do you think when someone starts comparing you and the greats?

In fact, this has been happening constantly for several years now, and I don't pay any attention to it. I think all this is quite superficial... Because everyone has their own opinion, but how many people there are, so many opinions.

- Do you regret that your collaboration with Harry eventually ended?

I don’t know, everything has its time... We parted with Kasparov quite amicably, without offense. I think he gave me a lot of useful knowledge. I think he was interested in me too. I don’t know what would have happened next if we had continued to work.

No one can say what would have happened now if we had continued to cooperate with him. From the perspective of today, I think that our separation was the right step.

- In a sense, did you get everything you wanted from Kasparov?

Through his coaches and acquaintances, it became clear: Harry was disappointed that the cooperation had stopped, that you had abandoned “sacred knowledge”...

It's hard for me to judge. I may have disappointed him, but that was my choice.

- And life goes on?

Yes, that's right! It seems to me that you shouldn’t reduce your life to one or two elections. I took a wrong turn - that's all. This doesn’t happen... I don’t believe in “fatal mistakes.” And even if I made some mistakes, these are my mistakes, and I will be responsible for them.

- How much did you want to change in your life?

Something is possible, but I wouldn't do it.

-Are you a fatalist?

No, I just wouldn't. And I'm still too young to start correcting mistakes. I just live, play chess. I try to have fun...

- And let others give the grades?

Yes, if they like it!

FAMILY VALUES

A question that is interesting to many: from the outside you look so... a little unsociable. Do you have many friends or do you prefer solitude?

I don’t presume to judge whether there are many of them. Of course, I have friends back home in Norway. It is clear that chess is a solitary sport, and I do not feel disadvantaged when I am alone for a long time. I feel good this way and that way. I'm not suffering...

- Are there any special topics of conversation when you meet with them?

We're talking... Hmm, I don't even know, ordinary conversations, like everyone else. But here you need to understand that most of my friends at home were in one way or another connected with chess. But I must say that we chat not only about chess topics.

- Do you have any common hobbies or common activities?

Yes, like everyone else! For example, we love football. This game gives us quite emotional discussions. Considering that my best friend is a real fan of Real Madrid, our company constantly has debates around Real and Barça. Transfer policy and Mourinho's playing methods, Ronaldo's goals and eccentricities - all this is discussed as often as Nimzowitsch's current defensive lines...

- In the confrontation between Real and Barcelona, ​​whose side do you sympathize with?

Of course, I'm for Real Madrid! (Here Magnus and I exchanged winks, and he appreciated my “creamy” cap from the official Real Madrid store.)

What about sports? All Scandinavians are obsessed with their health. What do you prefer: running, skiing, swimming, maybe something else?

I don’t have one specific interest; I like a lot. I like to play football with friends, in winter - skiing... I also like tennis and squash, as well as basketball.

- You don’t seem to be that long!

Yes, I'm not very good, but I like this game. A lot of fighting, martial arts, but a lot of fun. True, this year I tried to play basketball against your guys, and I didn’t really like it. They play much stronger!

- What about other entertainment? Books, movies, games...

I can't say that I'm fixated on anything. Everything happens at will... If I want, I can go to the movies or easily end up at home on the couch with a book. I can’t call myself an avid reader - in any case, not a single book has ever captivated me so much that I forgot about everything in the world until I finished reading it.

-Are you not into collecting, like Karpov, for example?

No, no, this is not mine... I can’t imagine that something could interest me so much. A lot of people like it, but I just can't understand it...

- Do you have any extreme hobbies?

Not yet. But... anything is possible!

You said that you don’t have clearly defined goals in chess, but do you have any in everyday life? And do you put them before yourself?

Which for example?

- I don’t know: let’s say, graduate from university, travel around the world, excavate Troy!

Of course, from time to time I think about such things, but so far I can’t say that I have found any clearly defined goals for myself... In many ways, it depends on how much time I will play chess. And How!

Aren't you afraid that you might deprive yourself in life if your chess career takes up more time from you than you are willing to devote to it?

It's a difficult question. As I already said, I have never worked out by force, and if I realize that it no longer gives me the same pleasure, I can always stop. Chess is moving me forward so far, and I like it.

- How does your family feel about the fact that you are now the first chess player in the world?

They like it! They support me in every possible way. They rejoice, congratulate...

- How important is their opinion to you?

I always listen to them, their advice is very competent. Sometimes we don’t agree on something, but this has never been a reason for quarrels.

- How important is your family to you?

Like any normal person... We have a big family - mom, dad, me, two sisters. And I enjoy spending time with them. It's great when you have some kind of closed circle to which no one has access... There are people for whom everything is turned outward, everything is on display. I'm not one of those people.

- You continue to go to all tournaments with your father...

Yes, I like it. It's always nice when a loved one is nearby. He takes care of me, supports me in difficult moments.

When you were little, this, of course, was not discussed. But when you grew up, whose idea was it for Henrik to continue to travel with you to tournaments?

To be honest, we never even discussed this topic with him. I have long been accustomed to having him nearby... I need this! When I was little, he often took part in tournaments himself. Then he stopped. He had a lot more worries. Every time he solves all household and other issues. Dad cooks for us, gets me ready for the party (for each batch, Magnus brings with him a whole food set - it contains fortified juices and Activia kefir, which his father flavors with honey and fresh fruit - E.A.), accompanies me to the hall, waits after the game. In his presence I always feel much more comfortable and calmer...

- How do you feel about the fact that many compare him with Kasparov’s mother?

I don't care... We never even discussed this with him.

- But do you understand that someday you will go to the tournament alone?

There is nothing special about this, there is no need to build any theories from this. From time to time I already travel alone... But, I repeat, there is no ritual here. I’m just pleased when he’s around: there’s always someone to talk to, discuss something... From time to time I went to tournaments with my friends - we have a good company.

HEAVY BURDEN OF FAME

- Doesn’t your father also serve as your manager?

No, my manager is Espen Agdestein, although the signature on all contracts is mine. We have complete mutual understanding; dad does not interfere in these matters.

- Is he involved in your non-chess affairs, “promotion”?

No. We do nothing at all in this regard. I have a friend who acts as my “impresario” - he answers questions and arranges for my participation, for example, in television programs or interviews for newspapers.

These are my regular sponsors for several years now. These are large, respected companies in Norway. I even blog at Simonsen, although not very regularly.

I don't presume to judge. But since they regularly renew the contract, apparently I benefit their business. From time to time I participate in some of their promotions. Normal work. I don't have any complexes about this.

- Are you famous in Norway? When you walk down the street, do people recognize you?

Yes, many people at home know me, they single me out from the crowd...

- Do you like it or, on the contrary, does it create problems?

It's OK. The only thing that’s a little annoying is when people come up on the street and start talking to me as if we just broke up yesterday... It looks a little strange! Usually there is no problem if they ask me for an autograph or, for example, ask me to take a photo with someone. I won't say that I like it very much, but it is an inevitable side of fame.

-Can you refuse someone?

If someone is too insistent, and I’m in a bad mood, I can refuse.

- Do you often appear on national TV and give interviews to newspapers?

As I said, there is Agdestein, who deals with all these issues... He receives some proposals every day. And if he thinks that the invitation is worth accepting, to go on television or give an interview to a newspaper, I do it.

- How do you feel about this side of your work?

I can’t say that this makes me delighted or repulsed. At times it can even be interesting. But I don't like to waste a lot of time on this.

- Do you think you have many fans in Norway?

No idea! I know that in our country there are many people who don’t even play chess, but still follow my performances. It is amazing! When I played in the World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk five years ago, they showed me statistics of site visits. Norway was confidently in the top three in terms of requests.

In short, many people in Norway know who I am. But I don’t have any statistics on personal fans. Perhaps we should hold the tournament at our house...

- Have you ever thought of “converting” your popularity into something tangible?

What, for example?

For example, meet a girl you like, get some thing that is not so easy for an “ordinary” person to get?

I can’t say that I’ve ever tried to squeeze something out of my fame. First of all, I’m not sure that this will necessarily “work”. And secondly... if I suddenly want to meet a girl in a bar, then I’m unlikely to tell her that I’m a famous chess player. The reason people drink there is to become bolder!

- Do you consider yourself brave in various life situations?

I try to go to the end. If I’ve decided something for myself, if I think I’m right.

-Have you ever fought to defend your rights?

Each of us has fought at least once in our lives. True, I don’t remember when.

- But what if you suddenly have to?

I'll try to find some other way to settle things.

- Do you prefer to take out your aggression on the chessboard?

I wouldn't say that I'm aggressive. This is not my brightest quality. Kasparov is much more aggressive than me, I felt it while working with him...

- What feelings do you experience when looking at the world rankings?

I like that I'm in first place. I wish it could stay like this for longer!

- Do you think about breaking Harry's rating records someday?

A little. I can’t say that this is my goal in itself, but I think that potentially I could score more than 2851. But, I repeat, this is not so important. If this works out, it will be great. If it doesn't work out, I won't be too upset...

POKER? NO - CHESS!

When I asked about your hobbies, I thought you would “split” - lately there have been persistent rumors that you are seriously interested in poker. This is true?

No, these rumors are greatly exaggerated. I play, but very rarely and in small ways.

Quoting the same rumors, they say that it was almost Kasparov who advised you to play poker - they say it is useful for developing intuition...

And this is completely complete nonsense! I'm not sure he plays poker himself.

- Well, then you yourself will have to tell how it all happened!

The story is simple... The first time I played was in 2005 at the European Team Championship. Nielsen explained the rules and gave me his account on one of the rooms so that I could try my hand. The fact is that many players in that tournament went to the casino after the game, but I was simply not allowed there - I was only 15 years old.

- And you started surfing the net?

I wouldn't call it a skating rink. Peter-Heine said I could take over his account and play, but warned me not to lose more than $25!

-What did you play?

I sat down at the $0.25/$0.50 no-limit hold'em cash tables. At first, he quickly gave $25 of Nielsen money, then, fearing that he might return, he won it back. At the moment when Peter-Heine returned, I was at a slight disadvantage, but then, alas, I lost everything... More than Nielsen determined for me. This was my first time.

- What were your first impressions?

I didn’t like that I lost, but I knew I could beat them! Considering the serious mistakes I made, these people could have been beaten...

-Have you tried your hand at online yet?

I wouldn't say that I was very interested in it, and chess took up a lot of my time. For about a year after that I didn’t play at all. And then I started playing live from time to time with my friends from school.

- For you, is poker pure entertainment in good company?

Yes, nothing serious. For example, I don’t play on the Internet at all.

- Has it really never captured you?

Once, a few years ago. I played from morning to evening for about a week, but it seems to me that that time was enough for me for years to come!

- Did you lose a lot that time?

No, I just got fed up with poker. I was often “run over”, I still sat down and played some more, but at some point I suddenly became uninterested. It happens.

- What's your favorite game?

Like everyone else, I play hold'em. The guys and I tried to play Omaha several times, but for us it’s too difficult a game: it all ends with an inevitable all-in on the flop, and then whoever gets lucky. I played Omaha on Full TlIt in much the same way.

What do you think about other players who switch from chess to poker in batches, believing that they can earn much more there?

This is the choice of everyone. Some people feel better playing poker, while others like chess. I don't have much bluffing on the board, I'm looking for the best move. Maybe this makes it harder for me at the poker table. And for some it happens more naturally.

And even when I play with my friends, my goal is not to win money from them, but to call their bluff, to show logic. I like to reveal other people's plans.

Based on your approach, it's unlikely we'll ever see you playing in any poker tournaments? Moreover, a serious, expensive tournament.

I can’t vouch for the future, but in the near future - no. I once played in a live tournament in Norway. I can't say that I really liked it. In a cash game, where you can leave the table at any time, it’s easier for me... And besides, I didn’t have the opportunity to really play. Every minute someone came up to me and asked about something: “You’re a famous chess player, how did you get here?!”

- Have you ever compared poker and chess?

There is something in common between them - in both cases it is necessary to analyze the situation, not lose concentration, and calculate the chances. But in poker a lot depends on chance, but in chess I have complete control over the situation. That's why I choose chess!

Magnus Carlsen is a Norwegian chess player with unique abilities. This young athlete has more than a dozen victories to his name. Already at the age of 23, he entered the top 100 most influential people in the world. To date, he has managed to overcome the Elo rating (a system for calculating the strength of players in chess tournaments) of 2800 points.

Highest achievements

• In 2013 he received the title of the 16th world chess champion.
• In the same year - world champion in classical chess.
• 2014-2016 - fights for the title of champion in active chess and receives it.
• During the same period he became the world blitz champion. He ranks 3rd among the youngest grandmasters in the world.
• Recognized as the most successful and youngest chess player to head FIDE.
• Carlsen managed to break the record set by Gary Kasparov and holding the position for 13 years.

9 episodes from the life of Magnus Carlsen

1. The future chess player was born in 1990 on November 30 in Tensberg (Norway). Parents are engineers. The athlete has three more sisters. His exceptional abilities were evident even in preschool age, when at the age of 3 he knew all brands of cars and built unusual buildings from construction sets. His memory allowed him to remember at the age of 6-7 all the countries and capitals of the world and distinguish their flags. He became interested in chess thanks to his father, who taught him to play. As a child, I set myself a goal - to beat my sister, which was the first small step towards a great victory. His father also played chess as a hobby, but he is very far from his son's success. His father's first attempts to teach Magnus chess at the age of 5 were not successful, but at the age of 8 his attempts were crowned with success.
2. Magnus took part in the first tournament in his life at the age of 8. In order to go on a competitive tour, the parents sacrificed both their house and their car for their son. And not in vain - already at the age of 13 their son became a grandmaster. Even then, newspapers wrote about him and called him “the Mozart of chess.”
3. One of his first professional teachers was Garry Kasparov himself, who shared with the future champion all the secrets and intricacies of chess.
4. Tendencies that Mangus follows during tournaments: not eating with his competitors, always having his father or sisters with him as support. In order to support and help his son in his career, the father gave up his job at an oil company. He became part of his son's team and is proud of his success. An athlete, in order to distract himself and take a break from chess, plays cards.
5. At the age of 19 he became the best grandmaster in the world, while Kasparov was a year older when he received this title.
6. In addition to chess, he enjoys football. He is a midfielder on the local football team and loves to ski in the mountains, read books and watch action films.
7. Carlsen manages to successfully combine his career as an athlete and a model. He advertised fashionable designer clothes and applications for smartphones. His face can be seen on billboards in America and Europe. Such activities bring him a large part of his income (more than a million dollars a year). He was a guest of many shows and programs. There were even offers to star in the film.
8. Magnus Carlsen played a game with Bill Gates himself and checkmate him on the ninth move. At the same time, without spending even half a minute on the game. Mark Zuckerberg also had the great honor of playing with him.
9. Carlsen has become the favorite of many girls, but is in no hurry to burden himself with a serious relationship. At the moment, his career comes first and he is not thinking about starting a family.

Play style features

Magnus is a true professional at all stages of the chess game. Even Sergei Koryakin noted his ideal working style. Carlsen is interested in psychology, which helps him quickly study his opponents. Some sports critics even stated that Carlsen wins not so much due to his talent as a player, but as a psychologist. Even the world-famous chess player Kasparov called Carlsen a representative of a new generation of athletes. This generation is influenced by information technology. Champion Carlsen's knowledge and skills are sometimes equated to computer skills.

Bareev is also surprised by Carlsen's playing technique and calls it phenomenal. He wins even in cases where defeat would seem inevitable. He is called a chess machine that always achieves its goal.

Magnus takes real pleasure from his victories and looks with the same pleasure at the opponent whom he managed to outwit. For him, chess is not a simple game, but a “war” for championship.

Magnus is philosophical about the game and life. He recommends looking at all situations objectively and not missing a single chance in life. This helps him focus on a specific game and lock himself in this shell for a while. Besides his career, he likes to meet with friends or play a chess game with a stranger in the park.

“The Mozart of chess,” as he was called in the media, became one of the youngest holders of the highest chess title - grandmaster, having earned it at the age of 13. He won the Chess Oscar five times and was able to brilliantly realize his absolutely fantastic potential, achieving in 2014 the highest Elo rating (an indicator of a player’s strength) in the history of its existence (2843 points according to 2018 data), breaking the record of Garry Kasparov , held by him for 13 years.

In 2010, the International Chess Federation declared Magnus the best player the chess world has ever known.

The Norwegian's victories caused delight and shock among experts and fans of the game, giving rise to rumors that hypnotic abilities allegedly helped him achieve such outstanding success.

Childhood and family

In addition to their grandmaster son, their family has three daughters. The elder sister, who was born a year earlier than her brother, Hellen, became a doctor, the youngest by 4 years, Ingrid, is a student at the Stockholm Ballet Academy, specializing in modern and jazz dance, and the youngest Signe, born in 1996, followed in the footsteps of her parents, enrolling in the same university they graduated from.

The head of the family is a passionate chess lover and a player with a fairly high Elo rating. He considered this game inspiring, motivating, training the qualities necessary for life - memory, discipline, the ability to quickly respond to a situation, decision making - and became his son’s first teacher when he was barely 5 years old.

According to the head of the family, initially the son did not show much success in the game. But at the age of 8, having started attending a chess school opened in a sports club by one of the Norwegian grandmasters, he was already demonstrating amazing results.

At home, he loved to play with himself for hours and quickly learned to beat his sisters. Magnus's first chess book was Find the Plan by Danish chess player Bent Larsen. At the age of 8 years and 7 months, he participated in the Norwegian Championship for the first time, scoring 6½/11 points, amazing the chess world with his determination and undoubted abilities.

In addition to chess, the future winner of the world chess crown enjoyed playing football and reading comics.

The path to the top of the chess Olympus

Magnus Carlsen: how to play in the opening

In 2003, Magnus and his family went on a tour sponsored by Microsoft, for which he left school for a year. During his course, he took part in a chess tournament in the Dutch Wijk aan Zee, where he lost only in one game - against Dusko Pavasovic, the holder of the highest rating in the group, and fulfilled his first grandmaster norm.

In the 2004 blitz tournament in Reykjavik, Iceland, Carlsen managed to defeat Anatoly Karpov and draw with Garry Kasparov. A year later, at the Championships in Norway, he shared 1st place with his teacher Simen Agdestein. In the subsequent series of quick matches, he still lost to his mentor.

After that, the Norwegian took part in the World Cup, held in Khanty-Mansiysk, and entered the top ten strongest players on the planet. In his homeland, he became a real national hero - people are proud of his achievements, the documentary film “The Prince of Chess” is dedicated to him.

During the period 2009-2010. The coach of the talented “Viking” was Garry Kasparov himself. In 2010, the Norwegian was awarded the Chess Oscar for the first time. 2012 brought him victory in three major tournaments - the Tal Memorial, the Grand Slam final and the London Super Tournament. In 2013, he managed to win silver in Van aan Zee and leadership in the world standings. His rating reached a fantastic 2882 points.

In 2013, in a candidates' match in London, he defeated Vladimir Kramnik, winning the right to fight the then-current leader Vishy Anand. In the duel for the chess crown, held in the Indian city of Chennai, he defeated him and became the world champion.

The positional skill of the new chess champion and style of play in the endgame (in the final part of the game), according to sports experts, equaled the exceptional class of former world champions: Jose Raul Capablanca, Bobby Fischer, Vasily Smyslov.

In 2014, he became the first “triple” champion in history – in classical chess, rapid and blitz. Then in Sochi he defended his championship title, defeating Vishy Anand.

In 2016 in New York, in a fight with Russian chess player Sergei Karjakin, his peer, Magnus Carlsen won and retained the title of champion, but lost in a blitz match.

Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin

Other Champion Activities

In 2013, he founded Play Magnus, a company specializing in the production of online applications. During the same period, he was included in Cosmopolitan's "Sexiest Men in the World" list and Time's "100 Most Influential People" list.

In 2014, a postage stamp with the image of the champion was issued in Norway. In the same year, the release of the TV show “King of Chess” on the NRK1 channel was timed to coincide with his birthday, during which he played live with national teams of athletes and celebrities.

Personal life of Magnus Carlsen

He has many (about 30-40) chess friends and three close friends.

He is a lover of sleep, loves sweets and fruits, enjoys table tennis, tennis, football, and is a long-time fan of Real Madrid. Recently, he also became a basketball fan, eager to watch every NBA game.

According to Magnus, he keeps in his head several thousand games played at different times by outstanding grandmasters. He draws particular inspiration from many of the solutions of the Russian chess player Vladimir Kramnik, considering them incredibly beautiful and worthy of being included in chess textbooks.

In Oslo he bought a large house where his parents live with him. But for himself, he bought another smaller house and is renting a studio apartment.

Magnus Carlsen now

Magnus Carlsen lost to Armenian MP Tachat Vardapetyan

In March-April, the “king” took part in a tournament in the German resort of Baden-Baden Grenke Chess Classic, where he played with the best players in the world, including Fabiano Caruana. This American grandmaster became the winner of the tournament of candidates for the chess throne, so in November in London we met him in a match for the world championship title. Carlsen emerged victorious from this battle, thus retaining his status as the best chess player in the world until 2020. It is estimated that almost 2 billion people watched the match online.

Magnus Carlsen is the current world champion. Many consider him the strongest chess player in history, although they can also lay claim to this honorary title. In any case, Carlsen is the best of the best, although he is not yet 30 years old.

It's not hard to see why. At 13, the Norwegian prodigy drew with Kasparov in the same tournament in 2004 and won a month before becoming the second-youngest grandmaster in history. In 2009, he became the youngest chess player to reach the rating level of 2800.

Carlsen soon moved from the ranks of powerful prodigy to the pantheon of the greatest chess players in history. He rose to first place in the world rankings in 2011 and has not lost it to anyone since then. Having become the world champion in classical chess, he defended the title three times. He repeatedly became the world champion in rapid (twice) and blitz (four times), set a world record for the highest rating and won dozens of victories in the strongest tournaments, including twice in Stavanger (Norway) and seven times in Wijk aan Zee ( Netherlands).

The most surprising thing is that Carlsen still has everything ahead of him. By continuing in this vein, he will leave a truly legendary legacy. In an era when chess is more competitive than ever, he is far ahead of all his opponents.

Childhood (1995 - 2004)

Carlsen learned to play chess at the age of five, but was not very interested in it at first. He surprised other people by demonstrating great intellectual potential at a very early age.

At age two, Carlsen assembled 50-piece jigsaw puzzles and played with Lego sets designed for children ages 10 to 14. When Henrik Carlsen, the child’s father, introduced him to chess, he already remembered the area of ​​the territory, the number of inhabitants, flags and capitals of all countries of the world. Later, Carlsen remembered the area, number of inhabitants, coats of arms and administrative centers of all regions of Norway, and there are 422 of them in the country.

Memory also helped Carlsen in his chess studies. At first he just wanted to beat his younger sister, but soon he began to analyze the games shown by his father, solve combinations on his own and read books. His first book is "Find a Plan", six-time Danish champion and the strongest chess player in Scandinavia before the advent of Carlsen.

At the beginning of his chess career, Carlsen was helped to develop his talent by the strongest grandmaster of Norway, a seven-time national champion Simen Agdestein and Norwegian junior champion Torbjorn Ringdal Hansen. Over the course of a year (2000), his rating increased by more than 1,000 points: from 904 to 1907.

Soon, Carlsen began to achieve impressive successes and victories. In July 2000, at the age of nine, he became the Norwegian U11 champion with a score of 10/11 and took part in several tournaments, in one of them showing a 1900 performance.

Then, according to Carlsen and his family, a real breakthrough occurred: at the Norwegian Children's Team Championship in September 2000, he scored 3.5 out of 5 against the country's strongest juniors. At nine years old, Carlsen played in a tournament with a performance above 2000.

Carlsen's meteoric rise continued in 2002. He finished sixth at the U12 European Championships and a few weeks later shared first place at the U12 World Championships, although he was beaten by additional points to become champion.

A year later, Carlsen was in the top ten of the European and World Championships already under 14 years old. At the age of 12, he earned three International Master points in a year, receiving this title in August 2003.

Teen Grandmaster (2004 - 2009)

The Norwegian phenomenon rose to fame around the world after a successful 2004. Carlsen first won the "C" tournament in Wijk aan Zee, scoring 10.5/13 with a performance of 2702. This was enough to earn his first grandmaster point, make headlines, and secure a sponsorship deal with Microsoft.
Having received his second grandmaster point the following month, Carlsen took part in a blitz tournament in Iceland, where he managed to win Anatoly Karpov, the 12th world champion and considered one of the 10 greatest chess players of all time. The next day, in a rapid chess tournament, 13-year-old Carlsen played against Kasparov, then the strongest chess player in the world.

It is surprising that Kasparov, who was in his prime, had difficulty achieving a draw. Carlsen gained a big advantage, but found himself in time trouble. Carlsen lost to Kasparov in the return game, but his fight with two chess legends aroused enormous interest among fans and the press.

In April of that year, Carlsen received his third and final grandmaster point, becoming one at the age of 13 years, four months and 27 days. Faster - at 12 years and seven months exactly - this achievement was achieved only by someone whose record has still not been surpassed.

In 2004, Carlsen shared first place at the Norwegian Championship with the defending champion Berge Ostenstad. Both sets of the tiebreak ended in draws, and Östenstad retained the title thanks to better additional performances.

The following year, Carlsen again shared first place, this time with his teacher, Agdestein. The rules had changed, and now additional indicators (Carlsen's best) meant nothing. Agdenstein defeated Carlsen in the sixth quick game of the tiebreaker. Carlsen won the champion title only the following year and has not taken part in the Norwegian championships since then.

In 2005, 14-year-old Carlsen took first place at the Arnold Eikrem Memorial with a score of 8/9 and a high performance of 2792, a point ahead of more experienced grandmasters. At the end of 2005, at the age of 15, he took tenth place in the FIDE World Cup, becoming the youngest chess player in history to qualify for the candidates' matches. In a match that took place only in 2007, he met with the first seed. Six classic games did not reveal a winner, but Aronian won the rapid tiebreaker.

In 2006, Carlsen, with a performance of 2696, shared first place in a two-round tournament in Sarajevo, where six grandmasters took part with an average rating of 2659. He also won the Glitnir Blitz tournament, winning the semi-finals and finals and Hannes Stefansson with the same score 2-0. At the 37th Chess Olympiad, he scored 6/8, showing the fifth performance among 42 chess players with a rating higher than Carlsen and 13 above 2700.

At the Biel tournament, Carlsen took last place in 2005 and second in 2006. In 2007, he won for the first time in Biel at a tournament of the 18th category (with an average rating of participants from 2676 to 2700), scoring 6/10 points with a performance of 2753 and overtaking four grandmasters who were among the 25 strongest in the world: (9), ( 14), (19) and (25).

The 17-year-old Carlsen began 2008 with two performances above 2800. On the starting list of the "A" tournament in Wijk aan Zee, where out of 14 participants 11 were among the 16 strongest in the world, and only two had a rating below 2700, he was tenth, but shared first place with Aronian.

At the two-round tournament in Linares, Carlsen was inferior in rating to the rest of the participants, but with a score of 8/14 he took a clear second place, behind only the world champion Anand. Also in 2008, Carlsen took first place at the Aerosvit tournament, scoring 8/11 points without defeat and with a then-best performance of 2877.

Youngest 2800+ (2009 - 2013)

In September-October 2009, Carlsen performed excellently at the super tournament in Nanjing, scoring 8/10, 2.5 points more than the remaining second, who had the highest rating in the world at that time. Everyone was delighted with Carlsen-3001’s performance, the fourth since the official use of the Elo system began in 1970. After the tournament, chess statistician Jeff Sonas named this success one of the 20 greatest tournament victories of all time and the greatest achieved by a teenager.

At the age of 18, the Norwegian prodigy won the Pearl Spring Chess tournament in Nanjing and raised his rating by 29 points, from 2772 to 2801. He became the fifth chess player in history to reach a rating of 2800 and is still the youngest to achieve this.

A month later, Carlsen, two weeks before his 19th birthday, became the world blitz champion, scoring 31/42 with a performance of 2894 - three points more than the reigning world champion in classical chess Viswanathan Anand and six more than the 14th world champion and Karjakin, who shared third place. The tournament was held in two rounds with the participation of 22 chess players with an average rating of 2718.

Carlsen's successful 2009 ended in London at a super tournament where an unusual point system was used: three for a win and one for a draw. Carlsen took first place, scoring 13 points with three victories, including over Kramnik.

The winning streak continued in 2010. In January, Carlsen won the tournament in Wijk aan Zee with a score of 8.5 out of 13 points, ahead of Kramnik, , Ananda and . In June, Carlsen won the Medias tournament 7.5/10 undefeated with a performance of 2918, two points ahead of Radjabov and .