Players
Magnus Carlsen
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Magnus Carlsen

NorwayBorn 1990 (age 36)FIDE ID 1503014

Playing now: Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026

Luft classical

27002800290030002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2786
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000225025002750300020022007201220172022
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2823
Luft

Flair

Magnus Carlsen's classical flairs

4 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • TitanLuft classical rating averaged 2844 over the last 4 years
  • Lightning#1 at speed chess (blitz 2897, rapid 2833)
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 92, from 8 endgames
  • PositionalPositional 95, from 15 positional games they steered
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • UnderdogRegularly beats players rated 50+ higher
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games over the last 12 months
  • RisingAged 18 or under, Luft rating up 40+ over the last 12 months
  • TacticianTactics 90+: sharp, tactical games they made sharp
  • Hot StreakAt least 6 points from 7 straight games against strong opposition
  • SignatureSticks to one defence with black far more than most
  • ChameleonPlays a wide range of defences with black
  • WildcardBrilliant one event, off the next: hard to predict
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events
  • FighterRarely draws, and wins far more than they lose
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Titan
  • Lightning
  • Endgame Specialist

Trophy cabinet

Magnus Carlsen's classical titles

38 classical titles, 4 medals, newest first

  • World Championship×5
  • World Cup 
  • Norway Chess×10

Attributes

Tactics 85Positional 95Endgame 92Openings 89Composure 98Defence 88Speed 100Consistency 97

Luft classical rating

2786No. 7

From 21 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2755 level, with 1 win against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2755 level, blended with their FIDE rating−28
Tournament winsTePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026+8
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−4
Activity21 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 92 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Ruy Lopez1377%
Sicilian Defense475%
English Opening383%
Queen's Pawn Game350%
Bogo-Indian Defense2100%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 13 games, won 8, drew 4, lost 1 · 77%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense667%
Berlin Defense590%
Closed1100%
Open150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Modern Variations1100%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Najdorf Variation150%

English Opening

With White: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation2100%
King's English Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated London System1100%
Symmetrical Variation150%
Krause Variation10%

Bogo-Indian Defense

With White: 2 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Retreat Variation1100%
Grünfeld Variation1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 7 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 3 · 43%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation438%
Main line1100%
Barmen Variation150%
Three Knights Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 7 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 3 · 36%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation317%
Kan Variation250%
Moscow Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 1 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Closed383%
Morphy Defense250%
Berlin Defense10%

King's Indian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation1100%
Semi-Averbakh System1100%
Karpov System150%

Italian Game

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo275%
Classical Variation1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 202612 Nov 20262/4−7−5
Norway Chess 20265 Jun 20264th−18−16
TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20267 May 20261st+1+2
Norway Chess 20256 Jun 20251st+2−1
German Bundesliga 2024/2512 Jan 20251½/2+1+1

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMF. Caruana7 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242805
GMH. Nakamura28 May 2024 · Norway Chess 20242794
GMGukesh D.26 May 2025 · Norway Chess 20252787
GMA. Erigaisi29 May 2025 · Norway Chess 20252782
GMDing Liren2 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242762

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 2 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 20268143
GMH. NakamuraLast 2 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20257241
GMF. CaruanaLast 5 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20256321
GMGukesh D.Last 5 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 20266411
GMW. SoLast 4 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 20265131

Compare Luft

GMMagnus CarlsenNorway

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How attributes are calculated

From their games in top events over the last 12 months, each judged against the opponent's rating

  • TacticsHow well they score in sharp games they chose to make sharp.
  • PositionalHow well they score in quiet, manoeuvring games they steered.
  • EndgameHow they do in endgames against what the position promised when it began: converting a winning one earns a little, saving a losing one earns a lot, and throwing a winning one costs a lot.
  • OpeningsThe engine's verdict on their position around moves 15 to 20, against what's normal for that colour, as the score it points to. Over the last 4 years, with older games counting less.
  • ComposureHow well they score under pressure: the game straight after a loss, and the last 3 games of an event while they can still win it. Over the last 4 years.
  • DefenceHow they do in games where they were 0.8 pawns or more worse after move 18, against what that position usually scores: holding the draw earns, turning it around earns more, and losing costs a little.
  • SpeedTheir Luft rapid and blitz ratings. With neither, an estimate a little below their classical level.
  • ConsistencyTheir Luft rating, less their off days: tournaments (5+ games each) over the last 4 years where they played 50+ below it. Anything better never counts against them.

  • "How well they score" is a performance rating: the opponent's rating, plus 400 for a win and minus 400 for a loss, averaged. So it's always judged against who they played.

    The score out of 100: 80 is a 2600 level, and each 13 rating points adds one, so 2860 and up is 100.

    Fair to everyone: with only a few games of a kind, the result leans towards their overall Luft rating. Strengths and weaknesses are measured against their overall level and compared with the top 100, so a specialist's best side stands out. A little recent form is added to all but Speed.