Elsewhere on the Web : Diary of a Chess Star
Sunday December 16, 2007
GM Magnus Carlsen of Norway might have been eliminated in the semifinal round of the 2007 World Cup, but this was not the last we've heard of him. By becoming one of the four semifinalists, Carlsen won a spot in the 2008-9 Grand Prix cycle, a World Championship qualifier where he will play in four tournaments against the world's best chess players.
Carlsen, who celebrated his 17th birthday during the World Cup, was accompanied, as with all of his tournaments, by his father Henrik Carlsen. The elder Carlsen is an expert level chess player and likes to write about his son's accomplishments. He maintains a blog at Magnuschess.com where the rest of us can appreciate the grandmaster's progress in a personal way that is rarely possible in chess at the top. Let's follow the young star through the 2007 World Cup.
The Carlsen blog often refers to moves and moments in GM Carlsen's games without giving the details of the position. If you would like to understand those comments a little better, you can find the games at Magnus Carlsen in 2007 on Chessgames.com. The site's built-in game viewer is a great way for you to click through the moves.
Earlier in the same month that the World Cup started, GM Carlsen played in the Tal Memorial in Moscow. His father wrote, 'Magnus is facing 5 of the top-10 players and all 10 participants are ranked 19 or higher in the world.' His opponent in round 1 was former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. Since we're already on Carlsen's trail, let's follow it a little further.
Thanks to Magnus Carlsen for the great chess, and thanks to Henrik Carlsen for sharing it with us.