Birthday Special : Best quotes by Magnus Carlsen

The youngest chess player to become World Number 1 -?Norwegian Chess?grandmaster Magnus Carlsen turns 26!

EssentiallySports celebrates his birthday by bringing to you 10?of the most memorable quotes from the young prodigy.

1. On losing:

Some people think that if their opponent plays a beautiful game, it?s OK to lose. I don?t. You have to be merciless.

2. On Bobby Fischer:

“What I admired most about him (Fischer) was his ability to make what was in fact so difficult look easy to us. I try to emulate him.”

3. On his chances of Winning:

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.

4. On Classics:

Contrary to many young colleagues I do believe that it makes sense to study the classics.

5. Obsession with Chess:

It’s easy to get obsessed with chess. That’s what happened with Fischer and Paul Morphy. I don’t have that same obsession.

6. On his Beginning:

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.

7. On Self Confidence:

Self-confidence is very important. If you don?t think you can win, you will take cowardly decisions in the crucial moments, out of sheer respect for your opponent. You see the opportunity but also greater limitations than you should. I have always believed in what I do on the chessboard, even when I had no objective reason to. It is better to overestimate your prospects than underestimate them.

8. Keep Fighting Back:

I can?t count the times I have lagged seemingly hopelessly far behind, and nobody except myself thinks I can win. But I have pulled myself in from desperate [situations]. When you are behind there are two strategies ? counter-attack or all men to the defenses. I?m good at finding the right balance between those.

9. Attraction with Chess:

“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 Gary Kasparov, the former World Champion, who was my part-time coach.

10. On why he excels at Chess:

Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.