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In a sport teeming with teenage geniuses, Magnus Carlsen is one of the rare examples of a chess player who turned his precocious talent into becoming a world-class player.

Tales abound of his blazing talent after he burst onto the world stage: how he once held Garry Kasparov to par and beat GM Anatoly Karpov as a teenager before he was even a top manager or how, on that day, he became the second-youngest GM in history.

But his rise also holds lessons for the rest of the chess world — especially for India, which has now seen an explosion in teenage senior numbers over the past decade or so — about how to nurture a teenage prodigy. As Magnus Carlsen’s father, Henrik, put it simply, the secret is not to push the kids too much, and to let them make their own life decisions.

On the sidelines of the World Chess League, Henrik spoke to The Indian Express about Magnus’ early steps, how his rise changed the chess landscape in Norway, and his role in shaping his son’s career. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

When was the first time you saw the spark in Magnus?

Magnus had the ability to focus and develop a deep interest in new subjects and activities at an early age. The way he learned puzzle solving, geography, and building large sets of Lego at such an early age made me think chess might be a thing for him. The first time I thought of him was in the fall when he was five. She taught him and his sister chess, underestimated how difficult chess could be for young children, and amazingly, failed to see true talent for a long time. It was only when he started working on chess himself at the age of eight that I really realized he could become very good.

Young Magnus Carlsen Magnus Carlsen is one of the rare examples of a chess player who turned his precocious talent into a world class player. (play Magnus Group)

Thanks to Magnus’ success, chess has become a huge deal in Norway, with tournaments broadcast on national television. What was the chess scene like in Norway when Magnus started playing?

Chess became more popular in Norway because of Magnus. But we had a unique talent from Simen Agdestein already in the eighties. Agdestein reached 16th in the world rankings, and his combination of being a chess star and a soccer star (he played eight matches for the Norwegian national team) gave chess much publicity that helped fuel interest in the game throughout the 1990s. Agdestein started the chess set at the local upper secondary school for athletes near Oslo, and when Magnus showed some talent, he was invited to train at the school already at the age of nine.

We know you quit your job as an engineer to travel with Magnus. What kind of sacrifices did you have to make to get Magnus to where he is?

As a chess aficionado, I would never consider supporting Magnus’ chess activities as a victim. Having a child excel at your hobby was and still is just such an amazing experience! For the past 15 years I have worked primarily for Magnus and his company and it has been an honor to pursue this career path.

You are someone who helped a young prodigy like Magnus become a World No. 1 and World Champion at a very young age. India has now produced a very talented group of teens who are already in the top 100 list, and who are rising rapidly. What would your advice be to their parents?

I am generally reluctant to advise other parents because young chess players are very different and they need to be treated individually. And apparently my Indian chess dad is doing very well without my advice!

It is worth noting that the game of chess is very demanding and parents should appreciate the efforts their children put in and the pressure they usually put on themselves. I would also say that, in my experience, children should own both the process of development and its outcome. For Magnus, it was his passion and interest that pushed him to excel.



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