This Brilliant Secret Makes Magnus Carlsen Smarter than a Computer at Chess

Magnus Carlsen has been ruling the chess world for quite some time now. Given his stature, the current world champion is the most experienced and the most feared player in the game right now. Moreover, Carlsen is also the highest-rated player currently.

Known as a chess prodigy, Magnus Carlsen has revolutionized the game of chess. While in today’s day and age, grandmasters trained by supercomputers are on the rise, Carlsen brings a different game to the table.

Hence, fans question now, how exactly does Carlsen do this? How does he use the tricks taught by supercomputers and change them into human moves? Let’s find out.

Chess prodigy, Magnus Carlsen

The FIDE World Chess Championships is currently underway in Dubai. Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi face each other in a 14 game marathon, to determine the ultimate champion. Notably, the competitors have played 10 matches so far.

Due to the advent of supercomputers, it is often that most matches end up in a draw. However, Game 6 saw Carlsen pull off something so stunning, it brought the chess world to its toes.

After an intense battle, Magnus Carlsen won the match, eventually. He now has a lead of 6.5-3.5 over Nepomniachtchi. Carlsen has time and again exhibited excellence in the championship, using the digital knowledge of supercomputers and turning it into human moves.

KATWIJK AAN ZEE, NETHERLANDS – JANUARY 16: Magnus Carlsen of Norway competes against Daniil Dubov of Russia during the 82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament held at the home of PSV football club, Philips Stadion on January 16, 2020 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

When others were influenced by the endless possibilities of the game taught by supercomputers, Carlsen chose a different path for himself. He decided to keep the game humane.

Peter Heine Nielsen, Carlsen’s coach, revealed that the World Champion is a player who spends the least amount of time on the computer.

“Magnus is proud of saying that he’s probably the top player who works the least with the computer and is the least influenced by the computer,” said Nielsen.

Carlsen- The Game changer

There is a reason Carlsen is regarded as a legend of the game. Not only his with moves on the board, but he’s a master of mind games as well.

“They say chess is a deep dark forest full of snakes and thorns,” said Danny Rensch, the chief chess officer of Chess.com. “Magnus brings his opponents into that forest.”

Magnus Carlsen’s secret chess strategy: not always playing what statistical analysis says is the best move.

“They say chess is a deep dark forest full of snakes and thorns,” said Danny Rensch. “Magnus brings his opponents into that forest.”

https://t.co/uafz39zNnD via @WSJ

— Ben Kesling (@bkesling) December 9, 2021

Meanwhile, opposition Ian Nepomniachtchi has also laid his base of chess with traditional study. However, when it comes to Carlsen, no one can predict what goes on in his mind.

“We can all probably replicate what the top computers are saying,” said his coach. “What’s going in Magnus’s mind, only Magnus knows.”

With Carlsen taking the lead, the World Championship has witnessed the prodigy making his mark once again. As the championship progresses, it will be interesting to see if Magnus can get closer to the title or if Ian can pull off something extra-ordinary to stop him.

READ MORE: Garry Kasparov Breaks Silence on Ian Nepomniachtchi’s ‘Collapse’ to Magnus Carlsen

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