Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and Disc Golf Champion Paul Mcbeth got together during the Chess.com Disc Golf Invitational and discussed various topics relevant to both sports.
Below is the excerpt of the questions asked by Danny Rensch and answered by Magnus Carlsen.
Danny Rensch: Magnus, when did chess become more than a hobby for you and you knew it was going to be something that might consume the rest of your life?
Magnus Carlsen: Well chess is still a hobby to me, as well as a passion and work. Sometime in my early teens I realized that I can be really good at chess and I started contemplating actually having a career in chess, being a professional. I guess I decided finally when I was 16 that I was not going to pursue school after high school and this was going to be what I do for the foreseeable future.
Danny Rensch: Speaking of sacrifice, what does that look like to be the greatest chess player of all time? What did you have to sacrifice to pursue that?
Magnus Carlsen: I never felt like I had to sacrifice too much. I do travel a lot for chess so I guess that is the biggest sacrifice, like the time that I’ve got got to spend at home, but it’s never felt that way. It’s been something that I wanted to do also.
Over time I’ve become like a little bit pickier with the tournaments that I play, so that I travel a bit less in periods where I don’t necessarily want to do that too much. I still felt like I’ve had time to be at home with friends and family, to build lasting bonds, so I feel like I’ve been really privileged and lucky overall.
Danny Rensch: What do you feel separates you at times in terms of the details you see from the other competitors that you face?
Magnus Carlsen: I think my decision making is a bit better but why that is I’m not completely sure. My evaluations are generally a bit better, that comes with experience, intuition, but I cannot tell exactly what it is that I do a little bit better. I feel like I’m kind of decent at everything and most people have like at least one face of the game where they’re not as good.
Danny Rensch: Is there an opening you avoid or what do you do to keep any losses or bad experiences you’ve had out of your mind when you’re moving on to the next game?
Magnus Carlsen: If there’s an opening which I know is good but it leads me to the kind of position where I’ve failed before, then it can become an irrational fear, and sometimes I’d stay away, even though I know that it’s objectively good, because I have this irrational fear of playing there, which will make me play worse. So instead of fixing the problem I just try and avoid it.
Danny Rensch: Magnus, you’ve been on top of the Chess World for such a long time, how do you stay motivated?
Magnus Carlsen: Motivation comes and goes. Just last week I played a tournament where I was ready to give up chess altogether and at the end my thought was “I love this game and I want to play forever”.
Just last week I played a tournament where I was ready to give up chess altogether and at the end my thought was “I love this game and I want to play forever”.
At some point you realize that it’s hard to be like 100% all the time. I know that my best level is as good as it’s ever been, but I also know that I don’t have the energy and the motivation to be there all the time.
So yeah, it comes and goes a little bit. Sometimes I get a bit like day sick and then I start losing a couple of games and then I get really motivated. Discipline for me, especially during tournaments, is the biggest thing. I know that even if I’m doing poorly, if I stay disciplined and do the right things, then things will turn around eventually.
Danny Rensch: What are some of the routines or superstitions that chess players have? How to keep your mind and your breath under control in pressure moments?
Magnus Carlsen: Whenever I’m in time pressure I try and focus on my breath for a little bit. If that doesn’t work, I’m probably too tired or excited to play well anyways. A little bit of what you do is sort of subconscious. Like I’m sitting at the board and suddenly there is an unconscious decision “okay I have to move”. Usually it’s sort of at the end of a process, but it’s not the same every time for sure.
