5 Best Games of Magnus Carlsen

For more insight into the playing style of Magnus Carlsen, please be sure to check out another of my blog posts about this particular topic at: https://www.chess.com/blog/ThummimS/the-playing-style-of-magnus-carlsen.

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Here are the five best games of Magnus Carlsen, of course in chronological order and also based entirely on my own opinion.

1. Magnus Carlsen vs Garry Kasparov

At the age of just 13 years, Carlsen had serious winning chances in a rapid game against Kasparov, who was ranked No. 1 in the world at that time.

2. Magnus Carlsen vs Boris Gelfand

The No. 1 Israeli player creates a seemingly decisive rook invasion into White's back rank, but Carlsen vanquishes the threats. Carlsen called it "one of the most interesting games I have played in recent times".

3. Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura

Facing the No. 1 American player, Carlsen sacrifices the exchange to achieve a winning position in an otherwise near-equal game.

4. Viswanathan Anand vs Magnus Carlsen

Playing against the then-World Champion, Carlsen sacrifices a pawn to leave Black with a cramped position, which leads to Anand's resignation at move 30. Carlsen stated in 2013 that he considers this game to be one of his very best.

5. Magnus Carlsen vs Li Chao

Playing against one of the leading Chinese GMs, Carlsen finds a winning attack by sacrificing his queen in a sharp position.