Magnus Carlsen, at just 33 years old, has set numerous records in the world of chess. His achievements are legendary, cementing his status as one of the greatest of all time.
Longest Undefeated Streak
Magnus Carlsen’s most impressive record is his 125-game undefeated streak in classical chess. This streak lasted from July 31, 2018, to October 9, 2020. During this period, Carlsen scored 42 wins and 83 draws. GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda ended the streak in the fifth round of Norway Chess in 2020. The previous records were held by GM Sergey Tiviakov and GM Ding Liren. Carlsen’s opponents during this streak had an average rating of 2745, showcasing his dominance.
Highest Elo Ever Recorded
Magnus Carlsen’s rating of 2882, achieved in May 2014 and again in August 2019, stands as a monumental feat. He first reached this rating by winning the Shamkir tournament in Azerbaijan in 2014. In 2019, he repeated this achievement with a series of tournament victories, including the 2018 World Blitz Championship. This rating places him above other chess legends like GM Garry Kasparov and GM Fabiano Caruana, who have also surpassed the 2800 rating barrier.
Most World Championship Doubles
In speed chess, Carlsen has dominated the World Rapid & Blitz Championships with 12 titles. He achieved “The Double” by winning both rapid and blitz championships in the same year, four times: 2014, 2019, 2022, and 2023. This achievement makes Carlsen unique as the only player to defend a world championship title in speed chess and a double.
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Longest Consecutive Reign As World Number-One
Since Elo ratings were introduced in July 1971, only seven players have topped the list. Magnus Carlsen holds the record for the longest consecutive reign as world number one, with 151 months from 2011 to today. He took the top spot in January 2010 and has remained uninterrupted as the world’s highest-rated player since July 2011. His longest gap to the number-two player was 74 points in October 2013, while the lowest was 3 points in November 2018.
Most World Championship Titles
Carlsen’s trophy cabinet includes 17 world championship titles across all formats. He has won the Classical World Championship five times (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021), the World Rapid Championship five times (2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023), and the World Blitz Championship seven times (2009, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023).
Youngest To Ever Qualify For Candidates
In 2005, Carlsen broke Bobby Fischer’s record by becoming the youngest player to qualify for the Candidates tournament. He achieved this at the age of 15 years and 14 days during the FIDE World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. This achievement was half a year younger than Fischer’s record.
Youngest Ever World Number-One
Among the seven players to be ranked as the world number one in history, Carlsen is the youngest. He first took the position in January 2010 at 19 years old, setting a record for the youngest world number one.
Magnus Carlsen’s achievements are a testament to his unparalleled skill and dedication to chess. His records continue to inspire and set the standard for future generations.
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