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For some time now, Magnus Carlsen has been labeled "the GOAT" (Greatest of All Time), and this has stirred debate. Is Magnus a better chess player than Bobby Fischer or Garry Kasparov? There isn’t a consensus on that. Moreover, Magnus is still relatively young and in the middle of his chess career, so much can still happen. While many people understand his decision to step away from the World Championship cycle, it does take some shine off his status. However, the fact that he remains the undisputed world number one and also dominates in rapid and blitz formats helps to restore that luster.
What’s particularly remarkable is that, in this electronic age where everyone has access to massive player databases and incredibly powerful engines, Carlsen continues to thrive. No opening novelty seems to bother him—he plays so many different types of openings and variations that he seems prepared for anything. The fact that no one can surprise him in the opening anymore is becoming increasingly noteworthy. Perhaps it’s also because he’s content to reach completely equal positions with White, where “normal chess” must be played. And then, he generally proves to be the better player.
Not only does he excel in both tactical and strategic play, but his game is also supported by his formidable endgame skills. When some pieces come off the board, Carlsen digs in and relishes endgames that are far too complicated for most other players. He’s also not afraid to take risks, believing, “If things start to go wrong, I can always escape into a bad endgame and hold it to a draw.”
It’s becoming clear that Carlsen is gradually stepping away from classical time controls. He seems to enjoy rapid and blitz chess more, as well as Fischer Random chess (which is played under various names). This also highlights the versatility of the world’s number one player: in almost any position, he seems to know intuitively what to play. He masters nearly every aspect of the game like no other, and in that regard, he is truly unique.
We knew that Kasparov was a great opening theoretician and a fantastic attacker. He often led his opponents into positions through his opening choices where he could use his near-limitless calculating ability. Later, especially after the five World Championship matches against Karpov, he became much more well-rounded in many other areas as well.
Magnus Carlsen, on the other hand, seems more like Fischer, who once said that he could basically play the move that the position required. “If I need to attack, I attack. If I need to defend, I defend to the utmost. And if I need to go into an endgame, I do that,” Fischer is said to have remarked. Fischer, for his time, was also an opening specialist to a certain degree, but that’s incomparable to today’s environment.
Nowadays, a player can prepare for an opponent using tools like the Chessbase Megadatabase, which contains over 10 million games, many of which are analyzed by top players. Additionally, online platforms now compile all of a player’s games, even down to bullet games (extremely short matches).
Magnus also caused a stir in 2022 at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, USA, when he withdrew from the tournament after losing to Hans Niemann. Carlsen posted a Tweet with a video of football coach José Mourinho saying, “I prefer really not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble.” The scandal went global, leading to lawsuits, with other players and Chess.com also getting involved. In the end, it fizzled out, and by 2024, Carlsen and Niemann faced off again. In September of this year, Carlsen soundly defeated his illustrious opponent in a blitz match.
It’s hard to pick from the many brilliant games Magnus has played, but I think I’ve managed to select a few notable ones. In this position, Magnus comes up with a nice strategical concept. Can you find what he played here and what the justification might be for his continuation?
Key Concepts of Chess - Pawn Structures Vol.1 and 2
In this two-part course the emphasis will be on typical pawn-structures.
This week’s show (for Premium Members only)
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