Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen is a Norwegian chess grandmaster and a dominant figure in the world of chess. He holds numerous titles, including five-time World Chess Champion, five-time World Rapid Chess Champion, and seven-time World Blitz Chess Champion. He has been the top-ranked chess player in the world since July 2011, holding the record for the highest rating ever achieved (2882). Carlsen also boasts the longest unbeaten streak in elite classical chess, at 125 games. His achievements make him one of the most accomplished chess players in history, and he is considered by many to be the strongest player ever.
1963: Birth of Magnus Carlsen's mother
Magnus Carlsen's mother, Sigrun Øen, was born in 1963.
1970: Fischer's Performance at 1970 World Blitz Championship
Bobby Fischer's performance at the 1970 World Blitz Championship was exceptional, according to Leonard Barden.
November 1990: Birth and Early Childhood
Magnus Carlsen was born in November 1990. His family lived in Finland and Belgium before returning to Norway in 1998.
November 1990: Birth of Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen was born in Tønsberg, Norway in November 1990.
1998: Return to Norway
The Carlsen family returned to Norway in 1998.
1999: First Chess Tournament
Carlsen participated in his first chess tournament, the youngest division of the 1999 Norwegian Chess Championship, at age 8.
June 2000: Rapid Rating Increase
Between June and September 2000, Carlsen's chess rating increased significantly.
September 2000: Junior Championship Breakthrough
In September 2000, Carlsen had a breakthrough performance at the Norwegian junior teams championship.
2000: Coaching and Mentorship
In 2000, Carlsen began working with coach Simen Agdestein and was introduced to Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen.
October 2002: European Under-12 Championship
Carlsen placed sixth in the European Under-12 Championship in October 2002.
January 2003: First IM Norm
Carlsen achieved his first IM norm at the Gausdal Troll Masters in January 2003.
June 2003: Second IM Norm
Carlsen earned his second IM norm at the Salongernas IM-tournament in June 2003.
July 2003: Third IM Norm
Carlsen obtained his third IM norm at the Politiken Cup in July 2003.
August 2003: Awarded IM Title
Carlsen was officially awarded the IM title in August 2003.
2003: International Tournaments and School
In 2003, Carlsen took time off school to play in international chess tournaments, returning to complete his secondary education at a sports school.
2004: Corus Chess Tournament Group C Victory
In 2004, Magnus Carlsen secured first place in the Corus Chess Tournament Group C.
2004: Smartfish Chess Masters and Ciudad de León
In the 2004-05 Smartfish Chess Masters, Carlsen defeated Alexei Shirov. He also played against Viswanathan Anand in the Ciudad de León rapid chess tournament.
2004: Victory at Corus Chess Tournament
At age 13, Carlsen won the C group at the 2004 Corus chess tournament, earning his first GM norm and the nickname "the Mozart of chess".
2005: Youngest Candidates Tournament Qualifier
In 2005, at age 15, Carlsen became the youngest player to qualify for the Candidates Tournament.
2005: Chess World Cup and Candidate Status
Carlsen participated in the 2005 Chess World Cup, finishing in tenth place and becoming the youngest World Championship Candidate.
2005: Qualified for Corus B Group
Carlsen's victory in the 2004 Corus C group qualified him for the B group in 2005.
January 2006: Youngest to Surpass 2600 Elo
At 15, Carlsen became the youngest person to surpass a 2600 Elo rating, a record later broken.
2006: Bosna International Tournament
In 2006, Carlsen shared first place in the Bosna International Tournament in Sarajevo with Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu and Vladimir Malakhov. This was considered his first elite tournament win.
2006: First Norwegian Chess Championship
In 2006, after a playoff against Berge Østenstad, Carlsen won his first Norwegian Chess Championship.
July 2007: Youngest to Surpass 2700 Elo
At 16, Carlsen became the youngest to surpass the 2700 Elo mark, a record later broken by Wei Yi.
2007: Assisting Anand
Carlsen assisted Anand in his preparation for the 2007 World Chess Championship.
2007: Candidates Tournament
In 2007, Carlsen competed in the Candidates Tournament for the FIDE World Chess Championship but was eliminated by Levon Aronian in the tiebreak blitz games.
2007: Corus Chess Tournament Group B Victory
In 2007, Carlsen shared first place with Alexander Motylev in the Corus Chess Tournament Group B, qualifying him for the Group A tournament.
September 2008: Unofficial World No. 1
At 17, after winning the Bilbao Masters, Carlsen briefly became No. 1 on the unofficial live ratings list.
2008: Assisting Anand
Carlsen assisted Anand in his preparation for the 2008 World Chess Championship.
2008: World Championship Cycle Criticism
Carlsen criticized the 2008-2012 World Championship cycle format.
2008: FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2010
Carlsen participated in the FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2010, a qualifier for the World Chess Championship 2012. He tied for first in the Baku tournament.
2008: Espen Agdestein Becomes Carlsen's Manager
In late 2008, Espen Agdestein became Carlsen's manager, initially focusing on sponsorships and media relations.
July 2009: World Chess Championship 2012 Qualification
Based on his average ranking from July 2009 and January 2010, Carlsen qualified for the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship 2012.
December 2009: Chess Study Habits Revealed
In December 2009, Carlsen revealed that he doesn't use a physical chess set when studying alone.
2009: Exceptional Performance at Nanjing 2009
In 2009, Carlsen achieved an exceptional performance rating at the Nanjing tournament.
2009: Partnership with Garry Kasparov
In early 2009, Carlsen began training with Garry Kasparov, which was revealed publicly in September 2009.
2009: First Chess Oscar
Carlsen won his first Chess Oscar in 2009, awarded by the Russian chess magazine 64 to the best player of the year.
2009: Carlsen Coached by Kasparov
In 2009, Magnus Carlsen began receiving coaching from Garry Kasparov. Kasparov observed that Carlsen's positional style was reminiscent of former world champions like Karpov, Capablanca, and Smyslov.
2009: VG Name and Sportsman of the Year & Folkets Idrettspris
Carlsen was named "Name of the Year" and "Sportsman of the Year" by VG and won the Folkets Idrettspris award.
2009: Youngest to Surpass 2800 Elo
After winning the Nanjing Pearl tournament, Carlsen became the youngest player to achieve a 2800+ Elo rating at age 18, a record later broken by Alireza Firouzja.
January 2010: Loss to Anand
In January 2010, Carlsen lost a game as White against Viswanathan Anand.
January 2010: Official World No. 1
Carlsen became the youngest official world No. 1 chess player at 19, and the first Westerner since Bobby Fischer in 1971.
January 2010: World Chess Championship 2012 Qualification
Based on his average ranking from July 2009 and January 2010, Carlsen qualified for the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship 2012.
March 2010: 2813 Elo Rating
Carlsen reached a 2813 Elo rating, a mark only surpassed by Kasparov at the time.
November 2010: Withdrawal from Candidates Tournament
In November 2010, Carlsen withdrew from the Candidates Tournament, citing dissatisfaction with the format.
2010: End of Kasparov's Coaching
In 2010, Garry Kasparov concluded his coaching of Magnus Carlsen.
2010: Withdrawal from FIDE Grand Prix
In 2010, Carlsen withdrew from the FIDE Grand Prix, criticizing FIDE for rule changes.
2010: Pearl Spring Tournament Victory
In 2010, Carlsen won the Pearl Spring tournament in Nanjing, China, finishing ahead of Anand and Topalov.
2010: Sibling Rivalry
In 2010, Carlsen stated that his desire to beat his older sister was an early motivation for playing chess seriously.
2010: Folkets Idrettspris
Carlsen won the Folkets Idrettspris award for the second time.
2010: Youngest World No. 1
At 19, in 2010, Carlsen became the youngest person to reach No. 1 in the FIDE world rankings.
March 2011: Tata Steel Chess Tournament and World No. 1 Ranking Change
In March 2011, after the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Anand regained the world No. 1 ranking from Carlsen.
July 2011: World No. 1 Ranking
In July 2011, Carlsen achieved the No. 1 position in the FIDE world chess rankings.
November 2011: Drop in FIDE Rating
In November 2011, Carlsen's FIDE rating dropped to 2826, his lowest at the time.
2011: Withdrawal from 2011 Candidates Tournament
In 2011, Carlsen withdrew from the Candidates Tournament due to dissatisfaction with the World Championship cycle format.
2011: Agdestein Takes Over Management Duties
Since 2011, Agdestein took over complete management duties from Henrik Carlsen.
2011: Last Loss to a Teenager at Standard Time Controls
In 2011, Magnus Carlsen lost a game to a teenager at standard time controls, a rare occurrence that happened again in 2021 when he lost to Andrey Esipenko.
2011: Peer Gynt Prize
Carlsen was awarded the Peer Gynt Prize for his societal distinction.
2012: Carlsen's Earnings
In 2012, Carlsen earned $1.2 million, mostly from sponsorships.
2012: Biel Grandmaster Tournament
In 2012, Carlsen finished second in the Biel Grandmaster Tournament, behind Wang Hao.
2012: Carlsen's Media Appearances
In 2012, Carlsen was featured on 60 Minutes and The Colbert Report. He was also offered a role in Star Trek Into Darkness but couldn't obtain a work permit.
2012: Carlsen's Endgame Prowess
In 2012, Jon Speelman analyzed Carlsen's endgames from the London Classic and praised his exceptional skills, describing the "Carlsen effect."
2012: Anand's Praise for Carlsen
In 2012, Viswanathan Anand praised Carlsen's innate sense and flexibility, comparing him to Boris Spassky. Kasparov echoed this admiration, stating that Carlsen's ability to evaluate any position was comparable to Karpov.
2012: Kramnik on Carlsen's Physical and Mental Strength
In 2012, Vladimir Kramnik highlighted Carlsen's physical fitness as a key factor in his success, preventing psychological lapses.
2012: High Performance at London 2012
Magnus Carlsen achieved a high performance rating at the London tournament in 2012.
2012: World Chess Championship 2012
The Candidates Tournament was meant to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship 2012.
2012: World Chess Championship 2012 Qualifier
The FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2010 served as a qualifier for the World Chess Championship 2012.
January 2013: Surpasses Kasparov's Record
Carlsen surpassed Garry Kasparov's Elo record of 2851.
August 2013: Carlsen Becomes Nordic Semiconductor Ambassador
In August 2013, Carlsen became an ambassador for Nordic Semiconductor and was named one of Cosmopolitan's "sexiest men of 2013."
October 2013: Play Magnus AS Founded
In October 2013, Carlsen co-founded Play Magnus AS, releasing the Play Magnus app, which allows users to play against a chess engine trained on Carlsen's games from age five onwards.
2013: Carlsen's Style and Kasparov's Comparison
In 2013, Peter Heine Nielsen commented on Carlsen's style, noting the decline of big novelties. Kasparov likened Carlsen's style to a combination of Karpov and Fischer, highlighting his tenacity. Carlsen himself claimed not to have any style preferences but acknowledged similarities with Karpov, Fischer, and Reuben Fine.
2013: Final Chess Oscar
Carlsen won his last Chess Oscar in 2013. The award was discontinued after this year.
2013: 2013 Candidates Tournament Victory
In 2013, Magnus Carlsen won the Candidates Tournament held in London from March 15 to April 1, earning the right to challenge Viswanathan Anand for the World Chess Championship.
2013: Carlsen's Interview with Rainn Wilson
In 2013, Carlsen was interviewed by Rainn Wilson for SoulPancake.
2013: Time 100
Carlsen was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people.
2013: VG Name of the Year
Carlsen was named "Name of the Year" by VG for the second time.
2013: World Chess Champion
Carlsen became World Chess Champion in 2013 by defeating Viswanathan Anand.
February 2014: Carlsen's Second G-Star Raw Campaign
In February 2014, Carlsen appeared in G-Star Raw's Spring/Summer campaign with Lily Cole.
May 2014: Peak Elo Rating
Carlsen achieved a peak Elo rating of 2882, with a live rating peak of 2889.
2014: Triple Crown Winner
In 2014, Carlsen won the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, becoming the first to hold all three world titles simultaneously.
2014: 2014 Sinquefield Cup
In 2014, Fabiano Caruana won the Sinquefield Cup.
2014: Peak Rating Achieved
In 2014, Magnus Carlsen achieved his peak rating, a feat he later matched in 2019.
2014: Simultaneous World Titles Held
In 2014, Magnus Carlsen achieved the remarkable feat of holding the Classical, Rapid, and Blitz World Titles simultaneously. This achievement was repeated in 2019 and 2022.
2015: Tournament Victories at Grenke Chess Classic and Shamkir Chess
In 2015, Carlsen won both the Grenke Chess Classic and Shamkir Chess, continuing his winning streak. His performance at Shamkir Chess was one of his best ever.
2015: Last loss to a sub-2700 rated player
Magnus Carlsen's last loss to a player rated below 2700 occurred in 2015. This marked a significant achievement in his career, highlighting his dominance against lower-rated opponents.
2015: Aronian on Carlsen's Composure
In 2015, Levon Aronian emphasized Carlsen's composure and ability to handle mistakes without dwelling on them. Tyler Cowen also discussed Carlsen's "nettlesomeness," his ability to induce mistakes in opponents.
2015: 2015 Sinquefield Cup
In 2015, Carlsen placed second in the Sinquefield Cup, behind Levon Aronian.
2015: Poor Performance at 2015 European Team Chess Championship
In 2015, Carlsen had his lowest performance rating since the European Team Chess Championship.
2015: Evolution of Playing Style
By 2015, Carlsen had developed a more universal playing style compared to his aggressive youth, focusing on "pure chess" in the middlegame.
2016: Giri on Carlsen's Style
Anish Giri commented on the differences in playing styles between himself and Carlsen, noting Carlsen's emphasis on minimizing preparation and maximizing gameplay.
2016: Carlsen's Political Views and Diet
As of 2016, Carlsen identified as a social democrat and followed a mostly vegetarian diet, similar to two of his sisters.
2016: Title Defense against Karjakin
Carlsen successfully defended his World Chess Championship title against Sergey Karjakin in 2016.
2016: Loss of World Rapid Chess Championship Title
In 2016, Magnus Carlsen lost his World Rapid Chess Championship title, which he later reclaimed in 2019.
2016: Karpov's Influence on Carlsen
In 2016, when asked about similarities between his style and Carlsen's, Anatoly Karpov acknowledged a potential influence, suggesting Carlsen might have studied his games while growing up.
2016: 2016 World Chess Championship Victory
On his 26th birthday in 2016, Magnus Carlsen retained his World Champion title after a tiebreak against Sergey Karjakin in New York City.
October 2017: Start of Chess.com Speed Chess Championship
Carlsen began his participation in the second edition of Chess.com's Speed Chess Championship in October 2017.
2017: Carlsen Appears on The Simpsons
In 2017, Carlsen made a guest appearance on The Simpsons.
2017: Early Exit from Chess World Cup 2017
In 2017, Carlsen was eliminated from the Chess World Cup by Bu Xiangzhi in the third round.
2017: 2017 World Rapid and Blitz Championships
In 2017, Carlsen won his third World Blitz Chess Championship in Riyadh, while finishing fifth in the Rapid event.
2017: Victory at Paris Grand Chess Tour
In 2017, Carlsen won the Paris leg of the Grand Chess Tour after a playoff against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
2017: 2017 Grand Chess Tour Champion and London Chess Classic Result
In 2017, despite finishing fifth at the London Chess Classic, Carlsen won the overall 2017 Grand Chess Tour.
2017: Victory at 2017 Champions Showdown
Magnus Carlsen defeated Ding Liren in the 2017 Champions Showdown in St. Louis.
January 2018: Victory in Chess.com Speed Chess Championship
In January 2018, Carlsen won the Chess.com Speed Chess Championship for the second consecutive time.
2018: Title Defense against Caruana
Carlsen defended his title against Fabiano Caruana in 2018.
2018: 2018 World Chess Championship Victory
Magnus Carlsen retained his World Champion title against Fabiano Caruana after tiebreaks in the 2018 World Chess Championship in London.
2018: Chess World Cup 2018 Part of World Championship Cycle
The 2018 Chess World Cup was part of the cycle to challenge the World Champion.
March 2019: Play Magnus Merges with chess24.com
In March 2019, Play Magnus AS merged with chess24.com to form the Play Magnus Group.
August 2019: Equals Peak Elo Rating
Carlsen equalled his peak FIDE rating of 2882.
December 2019: Carlsen Tops Fantasy Premier League
In December 2019, Carlsen briefly held the No. 1 spot in a Fantasy Premier League game.
2019: Carlsen Founds Offerspill Chess Club
In 2019, after the Norwegian Chess Federation rejected a sponsorship from Kindred, Carlsen founded Offerspill Chess Club, which is now Norway's largest, with Carlsen as chairman.
2019: Tournament Victories in Côte d'Ivoire and Lindores Abbey
In 2019, Magnus Carlsen secured victories in two significant chess tournaments. He won the Côte d'Ivoire Rapid & Blitz, the first leg of the Grand Chess Tour, and shortly after, claimed the title at the Lindores Abbey Chess Stars Tournament.
2019: Simultaneous World Titles Held
In 2019, Magnus Carlsen replicated his 2014 success by holding all three World Chess Championship titles (Classical, Rapid, and Blitz) simultaneously, an achievement he again accomplished in 2022.
2019: World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships Victories
In 2019, Magnus Carlsen reclaimed his World Rapid Chess Championship title after winning the tournament undefeated. He also went on to win the World Blitz Chess Championship after a tiebreak against Hikaru Nakamura.
2019: Sixth Place at FIDE Grand Swiss and Unbeaten Streak Record
In 2019, Carlsen placed sixth at the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, extending his unbeaten streak in classical chess to a record-breaking 101 games.
2019: World Fischer Random Chess Championship and Grand Chess Tour Finals
In 2019, Carlsen participated in the World Fischer Random Chess Championship, reaching the finals but losing to Wesley So. He also competed in the Grand Chess Tour finals, finishing in third place.
2019: Setbacks at St. Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup
In 2019, Carlsen faced setbacks at the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup, placing sixth in the former and losing the tiebreak for first place in the latter.
2019: Victory at Norway Chess and Zagreb Grand Chess Tour
In 2019, Carlsen continued his winning streak, securing first place at Norway Chess and the Zagreb Grand Chess Tour, the latter marking his eighth consecutive tournament victory and equaling his peak rating from 2014.
2019: Second Triple Crown
Carlsen repeated his triple crown achievement in 2019, winning the World Rapid, Blitz, and Classical Chess Championships.
October 2020: Play Magnus Group Listed on Oslo Stock Exchange
In October 2020, Play Magnus Group was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
2020: Carlsen's Sponsorship with Unibet
In 2020, Carlsen signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Unibet, whose parent company also sponsors Offerspill Chess Club.
2021: World Chess Championship Victory and Future Intentions
In 2021, Magnus Carlsen successfully defended his World Chess Championship title against Ian Nepomniachtchi. He also stated his intention to potentially not participate in future World Championship matches unless Alireza Firouzja won the Candidates Tournament.
2021: Third Place at FIDE World Cup
In 2021, Magnus Carlsen secured third place at the FIDE World Cup in Sochi, after losing to Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the semi-finals.
2021: World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships Performance
In 2021, Carlsen finished third in the World Rapid Chess Championship and twelfth in the World Blitz Chess Championship.
2021: Title Defense against Nepomniachtchi
Carlsen defended his title against Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2021.
April 2022: Unibet Extends Partnership with Carlsen
In April 2022, Unibet extended its sponsorship of Carlsen and Offerspill for another two years.
August 2022: Chess.com Acquires Play Magnus Group
In August 2022, Chess.com agreed to acquire Play Magnus Group.
December 2022: Acquisition of Play Magnus Group Finalized
On December 16, 2022, Chess.com officially acquired Play Magnus Group, with Carlsen becoming a brand ambassador for Chess.com.
2022: World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships Victories
In 2022, Magnus Carlsen won both the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, marking the third time he held all three world titles concurrently (Classical, Rapid, and Blitz), alongside 2014 and 2019.
2022: Niemann Accusation and Lawsuit
In 2022, following his withdrawal from the Sinquefield Cup, Magnus Carlsen publicly accused Hans Niemann of cheating, leading to a lawsuit filed by Niemann that was later dismissed in June 2023. Carlsen was also fined by FIDE in December 2023 for his withdrawal.
2022: Champions Chess Tour Victories
Throughout 2022, Magnus Carlsen competed in the Champions Chess Tour, winning the Airthings Masters, Charity Cup, and FTX Crypto Cup.
2022: Sinquefield Cup Withdrawal and Niemann Controversy
In 2022, Magnus Carlsen withdrew from the Sinquefield Cup after a loss to Hans Niemann, sparking controversy and allegations of cheating against Niemann. This marked the first time Carlsen withdrew from a major chess event.
2022: Third Triple Crown
Carlsen achieved his third triple crown in 2022.
June 2023: Dismissal of Niemann's Lawsuit
In June 2023, Hans Niemann's lawsuit against Magnus Carlsen and others was dismissed by a federal judge.
December 2023: FIDE Fine for Sinquefield Cup Withdrawal
In December 2023, Magnus Carlsen received a fine from the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission for his withdrawal from the 2022 Sinquefield Cup.
2023: Champions Chess Tour Victory
Carlsen won the 2023 Champions Chess Tour, defeating Wesley So in the finals, marking his third consecutive win of the tour.
2023: World Championship Forfeiture
In 2023, Carlsen declined to defend his World Championship title, which was subsequently won by Ding Liren. He cited a lack of motivation for classical chess due to the influence of opening preparation.
2023: Declined Title Defense
In 2023, Carlsen declined to defend his World Chess Championship title.
2023: Tata Steel Chess Tournament and Airthings Masters
In 2023, Carlsen participated in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, where he placed 3rd after losing consecutive games to Anish Giri and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. He then won the Airthings Masters by defeating Hikaru Nakamura.
2023: Julius Baer Generation Cup Victory
In 2023, Carlsen secured his third tournament victory on the Champions Chess Tour by defeating Alireza Firouzja in the Julius Baer Generation Cup finals.
2023: World Rapid and Blitz Championships
In 2023, Carlsen won both the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, becoming the first person to defend both titles concurrently. These were his 5th Rapid and 7th Blitz championship titles.
2023: Withdrawal from World Chess Championship
In 2023, Magnus Carlsen announced his decision to not defend his World Championship title, preferring to focus on chess tournaments.
2023: First World Cup Win
In 2023, despite suffering from food poisoning, Carlsen won the Chess World Cup for the first time, defeating R Praggnanandhaa in the finals.
December 2024: No. 1 in Rapid and Blitz
As of December 2024, Carlsen held the top spot in both FIDE rapid and blitz rankings.
2024: Champions Chess Tour Victory
Carlsen won the Champions Chess Tour 2024 for the fifth consecutive time, defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in the finals.
2024: Withdrawal from World Championship Cycle
Following his decision to not defend his title in 2023, Carlsen did not participate in the cycle for the 2024 World Chess Championship.
2024: Speed Chess Championship, Chess Olympiad, and Julius Baer Generation Cup
In 2024, Carlsen won his fourth Speed Chess Championship, defeating Alireza Firouzja. He also represented Norway in the Chess Olympiad, placing 14th, and won the 2024 Julius Baer Generation Cup, remaining undefeated.
2024: Death of Magnus Carlsen's mother
Sigrun Øen, Magnus Carlsen's mother, passed away in 2024.