1990s
Magnus Carlsen said Garry Kasparov gained big opening advantages as White because he was creative in finding ideas and looked where others did not.
“he was more creative in finding ideas, he was able to look places others didn't.”
Topic
Magnus Carlsen
17 facts from 1 episode, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
2000
Magnus Carlsen said his most satisfying tournament victory was the Norwegian under-eleven championship in 2000.
“most satisfying tournament victory of my career. Um, so that was the Norwegian Championship under eleven in 2000.”
2004
Magnus Carlsen said he became the second-youngest chess grandmaster ever, and would now rank about seventh youngest.
“I was the 2nd youngest ever. I think I'm like the 7th youngest now.”
2011
Magnus Carlsen said he has been the world's top-rated player since about the summer of 2011 and is prouder of that than of his world championships.
“I'm a lot more proud of my streak of being rated number one in the world, which is now since, I think, the summer of 2011.”
2012
Magnus Carlsen said that at the 2012 World Blitz Championship, after a few drinks while suffering food poisoning, he won his last eight games and finished second.
“I won my remaining eight games and if there had been one more round, I probably would've won the whole thing.”
2013
Magnus Carlsen said he declined to play the Candidates tournament in 2011 because he disliked the format, then won the world championship in 2013.
“I won the championship in 2013, I said no to the candidates in 2011, I didn't particularly like the format”
2018
Magnus Carlsen said the only world championship after his first that he really enjoyed was the 2018 match against Fabiano Caruana.
“the only world championship after that that I really enjoyed was the one in 2018 against the American Fabiano Caruana.”
2018
Magnus Carlsen said all the classical games of his 2018 world championship match against Fabiano Caruana ended in draws.
“And eventually they they were all, they were all drawn.”
2018
Magnus Carlsen said he was most nervous during game ten of the 2018 World Championship, where he sacrificed on the queenside to attack the king.
“I think the most nervous I ever been was game ten of, uh, the World Championship in 2018.”
2019
Magnus Carlsen said neural-network chess engines had only just emerged at the start of 2019, and some top players were not using them well.
“at the start of 2019, neural networks had just started to be a thing in in in chess.”
2021
Lex Fridman described game six of the 2021 World Chess Championship as the longest game ever played in chess.
“if you look at game six of the previous world Championship, uh, the longest game ever played in chess”
2022
Magnus Carlsen said his FIDE rating at the time of the conversation was 2,861.
“my rating is obviously carried through thousands of of games. Um, right now my rating is 2,861, which is decent.”
2022
Magnus Carlsen said he was unbeaten in five world championship matches and had been world number one for eleven years straight.
“I'm, of course, unbeaten as as a world champion in in five tries. I've been world number one for eleven years straight”
Undated
Magnus Carlsen said chess positions with seven or fewer pieces are solved, so an online tablebase can show whether they are a win or a draw.
“chess with seven or less pieces on the board is solved, so you can, like people who are watching online, they can just check it”
Undated
Magnus Carlsen said FIDE suggested a world championship format of two games a day with 45 minutes plus 15 or 30 seconds per move.
“you have two games per day and let's say you have 45 minutes, uh, a game, plus 15 or or 30 seconds per move.”
Undated
Magnus Carlsen said Garry Kasparov's first homework for him was to analyze several of his worst losses, and he disliked the structured approach.
“the 1st like homework exercise he gave me was to analyze, like he picked out, I think, three, four of my worst losses”
Undated
Magnus Carlsen said he played his first chess tournament at age eight and a half, later than many of his competitors.
“I played my 1st tournament when I was eight and a half”
Episodes