Chess: Nice interview with Magnus Carlsen

[shaad]

Here's a nice little interview with Magnus Carlsen from Der Spiegel, which I think some of you chess buffs might enjoy. For those who don't follow chess, Magnus became a GM at the age of 13 years, 148 days, making him the third youngest Grandmaster in history. His rating of 2810 as of January 2010 makes him the highest ranked player by FIDE at the age of 19. Though he won't be challenging Anand for the title of World Chess Champion in April this year (the challenger will be Topalov), he did qualify for the Candidates Tournament of the World Chess Championship 2011 cycle.

"I am chaotic and lazy"

Interview by Maik Grossekathöfer

SPIEGEL: Mr Carlsen, what is your IQ?

Carlsen: I have no idea. I wouldn’t want to know it anyway. It might turn out to be a nasty surprise.

SPIEGEL: Why? You are 19 years old and ranked the number one chess player in the world. You must be incredibly clever.

Carlsen: And that’s precisely what would be terrible. Of course it is important for a chess player to be able to concentrate well, but being too intelligent can also be a burden. It can get in your way. I am convinced that the reason the Englishman John Nunn never became world champion is that he is too clever for that.

SPIEGEL: How that?

Carlsen: At the age of 15, Nunn started studying mathematics in Oxford; he was the youngest student in the last 500 years, and at 23 he did a PhD in algebraic topology. He has so incredibly much in his head. Simply too much. His enormous powers of understanding and his constant thirst for knowledge distracted him from chess.

SPIEGEL: Things are different in your case?

Carlsen: Right. I am a totally normal guy. My father is considerably more intelligent than I am.

Continued at ChessBase...