Childhood
Carlsen was born in Tønsberg, Norway, on 30 November 1990. Carlsen showed an aptitude for
intellectual challenges at a young age. At two years, he could solve 500-piece jigsaw puzzles; at
four, he enjoyed assembling Lego sets with instructions intended for children aged 10–14.
The first chess book Carlsen read was a booklet named Find the Plan by Bent Larsen. Carlsen
developed his early chess skills playing by himself for hours on end— maneuvering the pieces
around, searching for combinations, and replaying games and positions his father showed him.
Carlsen was able to recall the locations, populations, flags and capitals of all the countries in the
world by age five. After finishing primary school, Carlsen took a year off to participate in international
chess tournaments in Europe during the autumn of 2003. During the year away from school, he
placed joint-third in the European Under-14 Championship and ninth in the 2003 World Under-14
Championship.
Career
On 17 March, in a blitz chess tournament in Iceland, he defeated former World Champion Anatoly
Karpov. It was a preliminary event leading up to a rapid knockout tournament beginning the next day.
In that event, Carlsen was paired with Garry Kasparov, then the top-rated player in the world.
Carlsen achieved a draw in their first game but lost the second, and was thus knocked out of the
tournament. In the sixth Dubai Open Chess Championship, Carlsen obtained his third and final GM
norm. It made him the world's youngest GM at the time, and the second-youngest GM in history at
the time (after Sergey Karjakin, who earned the title at 12 years and 7 months).
During the World Chess Championship 2013, Carlsen faced Anand in the World Chess
Championship 2013, at Chennai, India, from 9 to 22 November. Carlsen won the match 6½–3½ ,
becoming the new World Chess Champion. Though he was the challenger, and less experienced
than Anand, he handled the pressure with ease. He manages to hold five World Chess
Championship titles and stopped defending his World Champion Title title in 2023. “I am not
motivated to play another match; I simply feel that I don't have a lot to gain,” he said.
Playing Style
Magnus Carlsen is seen as an aggressive player who is fearless and always ready to offer material
for activity. From 2009 to 2010, Garry Kasparov served as Carlsen's tutor. According to Kasparov,
Carlsen prefers the positional style of former world champions Anatoly Karpov, José Ral
Capablanca, and Vasily Smyslov to that of Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal, and Kasparov.
How did he inspire you?
Magnus Carlsen is inspiring for his exceptional chess skills, global impact, and philanthropic efforts.
As the world's highest-rated chess player, he has revolutionized the game through his innovative
style and relentless pursuit of excellence. He has also used his platform to promote chess education
and support underprivileged communities. Carlsen's dedication and influence have inspired
countless young players and fans around the world.
