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Magnus Carlsen

2000s – PresentWorld Champion 2013 – 2023Peak rating 2882554 games

Five-time World Champion with exceptional all-round technique, endgame skill and practical pressure. His peak classical rating of 2882 is the highest published FIDE rating.

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How Carlsen plays

Carlsen wins games other players would agree drawn. He avoids the sharpest theory, steers for positions with small imbalances, and then outplays opponents move by move, especially in endgames where his technique and stamina are unmatched. His understanding of where the pieces belong is as good as any player's in history.

What to learn from Carlsen

From Carlsen, learn to keep playing when the position is level: find the move that improves your worst piece, keep the tension, and give your opponent chances to go wrong. And study his rook endings — he wins ones that look dead.

A game to play through

Carlsen, Magnus vs Mastrovasilis, Dimitrios - EU-Cup 24th 2008 1-0 — the final position. A typical Carlsen win: nothing spectacular in the opening, then steady pressure until the opponent's position gives way.

Magnus Carlsen: the final position
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O e5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.h3 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Bh2+ 14.Kh1 Be5 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Qa4 Qb6 17.Ne2 Rfc8 18.Bc3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Rc4 20.Qb3 Qc7 21.Rd4 Rc5 22.Rad1 Rc8 23.Kg1 b6 24.Qb1 g6 25.Qb2 Qe5 26.Qb4 Kg7 27.Qa3 Ra5 28.Ra4 Rcc5 29.Rdd4 Bd7 30.Rxa5 Rxa5 31.Qb2 Rb5 32.Rb4 Rc5 33.Qd2 Bf5 34.Nd4 Ne4 35.Qb2 Nd6 36.Be2 Bd7 37.Bd3 Kg8 38.Qd2 Qg5 39.h4 Qe5 40.Ne2 Bf5 41.Rd4 Bxd3 42.Qxd3 Ne4 43.f3 Ng3 44.Nf4 Nf5 45.Rxd5 Qxe3+ 46.Qxe3 Nxe3 47.Rxc5 bxc5 48.Nd3 c4 49.Nb2 f5 50.Kf2 f4 51.g3 Nd5 52.gxf4 Nxc3 53.a3 Nd5 54.Nxc4 Kf7 55.Kg3 Ke6 56.Kg4 Kf6 57.a4 h5+ 58.Kg3 a6 59.a5 Ke6 60.Ne5 Kf5 61.Nd3 Ne7 62.Nb4 Kf6 63.Kf2 Kf5 64.Ke3 Ke6 65.Nxa6 Kd6 66.Nb4 Kc5 67.Nc2 Nf5+ 68.Kf2 Kb5 69.Ne3 Ne7 70.f5 gxf5 71.Kg3 Kxa5 72.Kf4 Kb5 73.Nxf5 Nd5+ 74.Kg5 Kc4 75.Kxh5 Kd3 76.Kg5 Ke2 77.h5 Kxf3 78.h6
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