Magnus Carlsen Chess Quotes & Sayings

I started by just sitting by the chessboard exploring things. I didn't even have books at first, and I just played by myself. I learnt a lot from that, and I feel that it is a big reason why I now have a good intuitive understanding of chess. — Magnus Carlsen

A despairing person should have kindness from his friend, said Job, "lest he forsake the fear of the Almighty" (Job 6:14 NASB). Job recognized, as only a person in pain can do, that simple answers not only fail to relieve pain, they can literally drive a person further away from God. The hurting person who takes this sort of advice to heart often has two problems instead of one: the pain she originally had, plus the guilt over not being able to apply the answers she was given. — Henry Cloud

I said I was looking for the temple of the saints, in order to find myself. He told me I didn't need the temple, he would show me all I needed to know. Here is what it takes, he said, and he set his burden on the ground and stood straight. But what do I do when I go home? I asked. Simple, he said. When you go home you do this - and he put the burden back on his shoulder. — Eliot Pattison

I had a game where I liked to imagine what sort of pyjamas each passerby might wear. This came from a belief that the more I know about the inner lives of others, the more I might understand the world. — Stephanie LaCava

I don't consider myself a particularly young chess player. I have been playing in the best tournaments in the world since I was 16 years old. In other sports, if you have been playing for seven years, you are not a young prodigy any more. You're one of the pros. — Magnus Carlsen

All I expect are wins and to get pleasure from the game. And if someone thinks something about me, if someone's dissatisfied with something ... that's not my headache. I hope someday I'll become World Champion - and I'll make all these people happy. But even if for some reason that doesn't happen it won't stop me getting pleasure from chess. I'm sure of that. — Magnus Carlsen

I enjoyed art in school. I've always done little drawings and stuff like that. I don't really know what I'm doing with the painting, but I experiment. — Alex Lifeson

I am not some sort of freak. I might be very good at chess but I'm just a normal person. — Magnus Carlsen

I've never been much of a computer guy at least in terms of playing with computers. Actually until I was about 11 I didn't use a computer for preparing for games at all. I was playing a bit online, was using the chess club mainly. Now, obviously, the computer is an important tool for me preparing for my games. — Magnus Carlsen

You'll sometimes hear from people that they actually do a better job of getting their work done when they have a lot of other obligations - in effect, it removes the possibility of procrastinating. — James Surowiecki

For me right now I think being the world number one is a bigger deal than being the world champion because I think it shows better who plays the best chess. That sounds self-serving but I think it's also right. — Magnus Carlsen

Not winning a tournament is not an option for me, unless it's no longer theoretically possible - then of course winning becomes impossible. But up to that point, not winning is just not an option. — Magnus Carlsen

I honestly don't read that much. Obviously I read chess books - in terms of favorites, Kasparov's 'My Great Predecessors' is pretty good. — Magnus Carlsen

I don't think there is a thing like overconfidence in chess. It's always better to be too confident than too reluctant. — Magnus Carlsen

My father, a fine chess player himself, has been a massive influence throughout my life. — Magnus Carlsen

I learnt an enormous amount, but there came a point where I found there was too much stress. It was no fun any more. Outside of the chessboard I avoid conflict, so I thought this wasn't worth it. — Magnus Carlsen

Maybe if I didn't have the talent in chess I'd find the talent in something else. The only thing I know is that I have talent in chess, and I'm satisfied with that. — Magnus Carlsen

The Nanjing games are homework by Garry Kasparov and me, [ ... ] Today's game was provided by Garry. — Magnus Carlsen

Chess only appeals to quite a small minority. It does not have the cachet of a mainstream popular sport. — Magnus Carlsen

I spend hours playing chess because I find it so much fun. The day it stops being fun is the day I give up. — Magnus Carlsen

I played like a child. — Magnus Carlsen

There is no question about that. Business is my hobby. It is not a burden to me. In any case Reliance now can run without me. — Dhirubhai Ambani

I get more upset at losing at other things than chess. I always get upset when I lose at Monopoly. — Magnus Carlsen

Our rewards in heaven are a result of God's crowning His own gifts. — Saint Augustine

Once you're a chess player, you spend a lot of time thinking about the game and you can't get it completely out of your head. — Magnus Carlsen

I was lucky enough to attend schools where they were understanding about when I needed to go abroad to play chess. Of course, socially it is important to go to school and interact with people your own age. — Magnus Carlsen

One of the things that first attracted me to chess is that it brings you into contact with intelligent, civilized people - men of the stature of Garry Kasparov, the former world champion, who was my part-time coach. — Magnus Carlsen

It's easy for me to get along with chess players. Even though we are all very different, we have chess in common. — Magnus Carlsen

Contrary to many young Colleagues, I do believe that it makes sense to study the Classics. — Magnus Carlsen

Right now I'm really happy with how things are going with my chess career, so I'm not thinking of doing anything else. — Magnus Carlsen