Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

GM - Norway

Magnus Carlsen

Universal - deep endgame technique, positional mastery, tactical precision

World Rank

2,882

Peak ELO

2,840

Current ELO

4,727

Videos

About Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen is a Norwegian chess grandmaster and the highest-rated player in history, achieving a peak FIDE rating of 2882 in 2014. He became a Grandmaster at 13. Carlsen won the World Chess Championship in 2013 and defended it four times before declining to defend in 2023.

Career highlights

World Chess Champion 2013-2023
Peak FIDE rating 2882 (all-time record)
World Rapid Champion x5
World Blitz Champion x9
Grandmaster at age 13

Opening repertoire

Flexible Black choice

Signature game

Magnus Carlsen vs Sergey Karjakin - World Championship 2016, rapid tiebreak game 4, New York - 1-0

Needing a win to keep his title, Carlsen breaks down Karjakin's Sicilian and finishes with 50.Qh6+!!, a queen sacrifice that forces mate. Karjakin resigned on the spot.