1.16.14 Meet the "Mozart of Chess": World Chess Champ Magnus Carlsen, in conversation w/ Peter Thiel

Speakers:
Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Champion
Moderator:
Peter Thiel, Technology entrepreneur and investor; Partner, Founders Fund; Co-founder, Mithril Capital Management
Magnus Carlsen took the world by storm as a child prodigy, becoming an international Grand Master at 13. At 19, he was the youngest chess player to be ranked number one in the world, and at 22, in November 2013, he defeated five-time former world champion Viswanathan Anand. Now, at age 23, Magnus holds a record rating of 2872.
Be inspired by Magnus as he is interviewed by entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel, former US-rated Chess Master with a lifelong passion for chess. Topics covered are Magnus' views on the game, his experience winning the championship, and the role he believes chess can play in advancing young people's critical thinking, social skills, and ability to achieve academically.
Prior to the onstage program, Magnus played in a six-board simultaneous chess demonstration. Participants entered in a drawing benefiting First Move, a dynamic non-profit organization that brings chess to second and third graders across the country-and the winner became one of the six brave players.
Program Partners:
Silicon Valley Bank
First Move
Gold Sponsor:
Silicon Valley Bank
Silver Sponsors:
Innovation Norway
The Mendell Family Foundation

[@pierre-luclegere8636]

It's a well known fact that super intelligent people can be really socially awkward, but listening to him, I feel that carlsen speaks very wisely. You can just feel a very strong mind when he talks

[@saryan155]

Agreed, and he has a nice sense of humor as well.

[@Impulsbombe]

Many GMs are good talkers, like Aronjan, Anand, Kasparov, Karpov and many more, probably because they are used to it, they give a lot of interviews and even analyse their games at the end.

[@inlovewithi]

English is not his first language.

[@OriginalPuro]

@@inlovewithi Norwegians learn English from second grade, age 6.

[@shvenanaij]

He mentioned in 2014 that India and China are going to be great chess powerhouses in the next 15 or 20 years. 9 years later, his prediction is shaping out to be very true.

[@JameBlack]

except China part. Although Ding is currently a WC still Chess are dominated by American and Indian players.

[@drted]

@5:45 Peter Thiel starts talking. @8:50 Magnus Carlsen starts talking. @32:40 Audience questions begin. (The first is terrible, but the others are good.) You're welcome. :)

[@MrSupernova111]

Thank you!

[@boriserjavec6470]

why is the first question bad?

[@kendanzan8088]

Al

[@BenNCM]

his deadpan delivery and comedic timing are top notch

[@CSRookie]

very interesting at 27:15 to hear Carlsen talk about the fear he felt when going over Anand's games. No matter what, Anand played and learned from the very best players in the world as he went through his career and Carlsen saw that

[@lennycarlson1178]

more interesting to see Anand is a pussy. shaking and no killer instinct lol

[@vF3ARv1]

I liked this video 20 minutes into it. Then 30 minutes later when it was done decided I really liked it and went to like the video, forgetting about my past self's excellent decision.

[@metusbatmanv4569]

+vF3ARv1 You're a moron.

[@kevinworrell889]

That's excellent, like this comment.

[@docforest4851]

The correlation about chess champions interest in geography is interesting. I’m betting when Magnus was 5 and had memorized the countries and all their capitals it came from a map rather than a list. He probably had memorized not just the capitals but the location of each country. His innate sense of pattern recognition and spatial awareness is what probably makes geography so easy for him.

[@JimJWalker]

Finally a great interview!

[@JimJWalker]

director If you don't like this symbol please send me all the paper in your wallet with this on it.

[@genericusername4206]

@@JimJWalker what is ur P.O box

[@PookitaPoo2]

Thanks so much for sharing this!

[@afrochess]

many thanks for sharing this

[@NinjApheX]

He's getting quite good at these interviews!

[@CeltHDfifa]

Good Q&A from 30 minutes and out. And he took that trivia question at the end like a boss.

[@lahzuya]

Merci beaucoup pour la vidéo (thanks a lot for this video) :D

[@Qpidon]

The chess thing starts at 8:55

[@irfanmuqri2589]

Qpidon of

[@MrSupernova111]

Thank you!

[@yutakayoshi]

finally good questions from the audience

[@alexanderhoward122]

A parallel between chess and life is the fact that you can make a wrong choice in the chess, i.e. a wrong move, just as you can make it in life and you also may not see a good move, may not see an opportunity in chess just like in the life and that's a great parallel, a great resemblance.

[@_9ko]

Great interview. Magnus is definitely maturing and are able to fill out his answers better and better. He will be #1 for a looooong time I think.

[@MrSupernova111]

Still is in 2017.

[@juliocadavid6640]

Still

[@alfredhitchcock9264]

he still is and its 2020

[@subhamkumarsahoo5300]

2021 heloo??

[@warlordsilent6014]

@@subhamkumarsahoo5300 2022. Still Number 1#

[@Zgembo121]

great host. he had good questions

[@androidsclice]

one of his better interviews! cudos to the questioner

[@pjkcards]

Capital of Myanmar is Naypyidaw. Very strange place to visit. Was there last June.

[@refuseit]

Magnus said Waitzkin had no killer instinct, so he switched to a more peaceful sport. Haha that was cold.

[@metusbatmanv4569]

+Rod C. Where was that, moron?

[@hmrhuang]

+MetusBatmanV4 If you watched the whole interview and were paying attention, you'd know that he said those things at 102:33....

[@metusbatmanv4569]

hmrhuang If I knew why would I ask, moron?

[@hmrhuang]

Why ask before you watch the whole video then idiot?...

[@metusbatmanv4569]

hmrhuang Oh look the insecure moron is copying me. Try figuring out why I didn't finish the video, moron.

[@yutakayoshi]

+1 point for magnus for 'focus' joke

[@athene.noctua]

1.03.58 the KILLER look of world chess champion.brutal.

[@AntigaCoruja]

Cool guy down to earth

[@JugurthaHadjar]

It starts at 05:45.

[@juanmendezrt]

although he said he did not have a favorite player; he quoted Bobby Fischer twice!!

[@Dennis213100]

Fun fact during the entire interview. At least till where I watched it to this point. The accuracy of his face has been 100.0% flawless he does not show weakness or arrogance. At every single point he is being truthful to what he says and he is not looking down on anyone or unable to fully formulate the exact intention of the words he is finding to communicate.

[@androidsclice]

i love how he defends the dictator comment with Dr. Evil fingers

[@Patralgan]

+DarkDen863 I understand that Carlsen as a person and a player might not please everyone (not that such person would exist anyhow), but what I find amazing is how some (very few actually) are so hateful towards him, as if he personally did something awful against them. Then again I guess it's true that success inevitably breeds jealousy.

[@metusbatmanv4569]

+Patralgan Your comment breeds the need for me to call you a moron.

[@Patralgan]

+MetusBatmanV4 and why?

[@metusbatmanv4569]

Patralgan Because you're a moron.

[@Patralgan]

+MetusBatmanV4 why do you think that? In order to me to learn and become wiser, I want to know what to know what I'm doing wrong and for that I appreciate critical feedback but if you just say I'm a moron, it has no value.

[@metusbatmanv4569]

Patralgan Asking why you're a moron is the first indication that you're a moron, moron.

[@femioyekan8184]

Carlsen is so deep into the game. The guy asks him if he's heard of Josh Waitzkin, gets a well considered opinion instead.

[@juanscacchi6253]

10% of his brain must be focused on the interview and the remaing 90% must be both getting ready for new matches and analysing past matches. This guy is a genius and it's in some way a pity for him to waste all his time on playing chess. Medicine needs brillant minds like him.

[@timothypaulino2529]

Too bad he wouldn't want to spend 8 years on rigorous education and a range of 3-8 additional years of specialized training. He would be well into his early 40's and more than likely depressed since medicine is a lifelong battle with ill conceived bureaucrats who only care about suing the shit out of you and your well-being (God Bless America/sarcasm). He would make a better mathematician since it parallels chess quite nicely. Medicine? Certainly not. Medicine requires a specific personality and I don't think he fits that personality so much.

[@geremyweber9573]

Juan Scacchi i think that you don't have the right to say that especially for a world champion?**!!

[@vebjsand]

Implying the huge industry of medicine can be changed or even remotely affected by 1 man these days. He most likely wouldn't have made a difference sadly. Besides, Chess comes to him in a different way than just critical thinking. It's in his nature. He even said in 95% of cases his first choice for moving a piece(which comes to him within seconds) would be the one he'd go for or turn out to be the best later. All the time he spends thinking is to make sure he doesn't fall into that 5% pit. While he's still an excellent critical thinker and great at analyzing, and would do very well in other fields, it can't be compared to his brilliance in chess.

[@timothypaulino2529]

Vebjørn Sandvik He wouldn't even make it through med school. Physicians are hard workers, not just smart guys. Forget med school he wouldn't even make it through the 8 hour admission test without proper training.

[@BenNCM]

Expecting a chess player to be able to solve medicine's problems is like expecting a detailed analysis of what happened during 9/11 from Ja Rule.

[@B21_raider]

Can’t believe Carlsen met thiel 2 legends

[@chessplay8404]

Whether its the ChessPlay Look of the Traditional Starting Position (SP#518) or the Classical game as current WCC Magnus mentioned !!...Its all ChessPlay from the 960 Initial Starting Positions available .... FOLLOWING the RULES and LAWS of ChessPlay, Yes some only recognize and choose to play the one starting position though we are already playing (Fischer Random) CHESS that the Late Bobby Fischer put his name to the Global Game of the CHESS future and this is recognized by the Greatest CHESSplayer in this interesting Chess Chat interview !!!

[@Saturnize7]

"Fighting Spirit" nice

[@totu376]

Why do I laugh every time Magnus finishes talking lol I can relate, sometimes when you study something every day, you dont really know what you are going to learn, but you do know youre learning and you do know youre getting better.

[@imnikhil3831]

lol that Kid Max... he was so nervous, asking question about nervousness

[@brbcrew9957]

Nikhil Shrivastava 😂😂😂

[@genericusername4206]

and he probably has a speech impediment LOL

[@tiowu]

The questions posed by Peter are very well thought out and structured to extract insights from the guy sitting next to him. Had I not known anything about chess before watching this video, I'd be a whole lot more impressed by the interviewer than the interviewee.

[@johnnypadilla7400]

Jesus Christ this thing took forever to get to the interview

[@Youtube_Globetrotter]

When i see Carlsen in profile. I can't stop thinking of Elliot in Pete's Dragon =)

[@lubime10]

He is most better than the all the Greatest Gran Super Masters from the past and to the present present COMBINED !! and just still a little best more heading to the future to come (remember he is just 23 years YOUNG !!!!

[@josephbishara4791]

That was a tactical move - not signing the Tal book.

[@cdee2456]

i wish i had met magnus at age 4 and then beat him at chess and then i could say i beat magnus carleson. But then i only would have been 5 so he probably would have stomped me still.

[@mirzahadzic8666]

But at your 4, he was 3 and couldnt even move properly, so he would have to resign.

[@MrRazorblade999]

You'll get another chance when he's old and sick with Alzheimer's.

[@metusbatmanv4569]

+C Dee You're an insecure moron.

[@candles4206]

MetusBatmanV4 u are the worst moron

[@genericusername4206]

@@metusbatmanv4569 ur the moron

[@user-uy2kw8od7t]

Peter Thiel, T-t-t-today junior!

[@mclovin87u]

Interesting how Magnus kind of dodged the audience question about why he finds it depressing to play against computers. There must be something about his use of computers for preparation that he doesn't want to reveal to his future opponents...

[@ivo28182]

1:03:51 I like this little moment

[@3BALL4]

Wow...small world. I watched a video of a Theologian in discussion with the guy interviewing Magnus...

[@hannestiansen3968]

He is really brainy and so cute!

[@MarshallWilkinson]

Peter Thiel is the man.

[@jasonrepa]

Great Interview. Thiel asks some good questions which is a refreshing change from the idiot journalists who are normally doing this sort of thing. Carlsen was quite off regarding tablebases though 51:43 as more than a year before this interview, 7 piece tablebases had already been calculated and used. We're on to 8 piece sets now. And it does seem unlikely we'll go much further than that using conventional binary computers, but if quantum computers ever become feasible, ie, the cooling and energy issues solved, all bets will be off and chess could potentially be fully solved.

[@veridianr2490]

And alpha zero brings a completely different approach to "solving" chess

[@diosdadoapias]

How could magnus Carlsen inspired us when he was born prodigy. I can only admire him with awe as a person who is gifted with such mind for chess while millions of people like him did not have such mind. Perhaps it is Anand or even the late Tal can be an inspiration on how to become very good in chess or at something we would like to become by taking their perseverance to study what they love to do and become proficient on it. Magnus did not have to persevere with his in-born talent for chess. Of course even genius should also study but compared them to an ordinary mortals in chess.

[@watonemillion]

Do you really think Carlsen hasn't worked HARD to become the best player in the world?

[@kenkenichi7461]

Wat He doesn't care what magnus has done so long as he can praise a fellow indian at Magnus' expense.

[@StopFear]

While I agree with you, I do not think that anyone should be inspired even by those who have learned to play Chess and became grandmasters through many years of hard work. I also find it dubious to call a very good Chess player a "prodigy". Maybe a "Chess prodigy", but Chess ability doesn't translate into general intelligence.

[@MrQuentinfontaine]

dosdadio siapa Anand and Tal were definitely also born prodigies... Every player at that level was both born very gifted and worked hard

[@jdscool1]

When does he talk about waitzkin

[@alexanderhoward122]

This is an interesting info. I'm not into geography, I don't need to know all the capitals. And the question about what would have happened if his father haven't introduced him to chess is interesting, good. He definitely has a completely different range of interests than I do. I don't like cars that much and I hate football. Football is simply too primitive. I am definitely completely different.

[@brbcrew9957]

Alexander Howard I hate football too

[@TheClassicWorld]

I hope everybody understands that Paul Morphy is the Mozart of Chess.

[@genericusername4206]

no i am :)

[@Matedogswe]

thanks a lot, I'm a huge fan of carlsen :)!

[@Marathonracer]

DarkDen836 No, he's a fan of the highest ranked player in the history of chess and the Chess World Champion, as well as a very perceptive, funny and charismatic person. That's not conceit , he knows who he is and understands that false modesty is not a virtue, except to those who are envious of him. Bobby Fischer never exhibited false modesty either - he had no reason to after completely destroying the best of the Soviet players on his way to becoming world champion by demolishing Spassky and becoming the highest rated player in history at that time.

[@genericusername4206]

@@DarkDen836 shut up jew

[@fabiogaucho77]

"I really want to focus on chess tonight". So you won't be asking Carlsen about Gin Rummy?

[@69cohonas]

2872 WOW!!!

[@69cohonas]

omg !!!

[@mikeoxlong371]

Jonas Bylund what is it now?

[@blalink6458]

Lol

[@genericusername4206]

@@mikeoxlong371 1

[@aaronkristien8148]

like to have the 24 games back for the world chess championship less than that is use less

[@davidcopson5800]

I agree entirely. And only long games. No blitz games to decide if their is a drawn match.

[@harrison6082]

It's cute every time young a kid asks a question

[@EGarrett01]

27:37

[@user-rx7mm9qk1b]

@charlie he's already better ;). Now he only has to get as many tittles as they had...

[@iamatleast21]

No killer instinct? Waitzkin should challenge Magnus to a chess-BJJ match to the death.

[@StopFear]

Wow, the lady introducing the participants says Chess and Technology World are similar. How are they similar? That you have to think? As if you didn't have to think for any other skill or career goal. Such a bad comparison.

[@bearcb]

To skip the blablabla, go to 8:50

[@ambazzadore8197]

The interviewer seems nice, but dear God, if you are going to interview the world champion of chess at least have some well-thought-out questions.

[@diosdadoapias]

he was born with a mind brilliant for chess. People like him should only the one to play him in chess for if just theaverage player they can not have a chance of winning. Good for carrlsen and morphy and other who was barely a child and they can already play brilliant chess. But Tal was not born brilliant or a prodigy but he was able to develop his mind for chess and find a way to play chess in a radical way. I think Tal is a btter player than carlsen who can boast only his chess game being born gifted.

[@StopFear]

Ok, while I generally see your point "He is so brilliant since childhood, so its unfair to be playing against him", but I don't see how anyone could prove that he was born being brilliant at Chess. It is not something that could genetically be tested, plus a lot of kids who have been taught to play chess since childhood, have become good players. How do you differentiate, where nature becomes nurture, and the other way around?

[@Pipiopy]

I lost count of how many times he said "I think". We all know that you think dude, trust me.

[@jean-philipperobillard3192]

lol

[@geremyweber9573]

Alex Raxach I really like your profile picture what's her name

[@Pipiopy]

geremy weber Kaonashi

[@geremyweber9573]

Alex Raxach thx tho

[@vebjsand]

You're just that type of person who has to point out something negative all the time, regardless of how brilliant something is, aren't you? Well, good luck to you. You'll need it.

[@gtrmusic69]

Go to 8:00 minutes.

[@allanmogensen2122]

Walking away from your God given destiny?Thats danger.

[@FatumAlpha]

Ouch, Carlsen! Tablebases for 7 pieces do exist since August 2012.

[@BenNCM]

it's a shame the kids aren't asking more interesting questions

[@tomdallas3690]

Loser nerd kids.

[@RainNorrisSoftwareDeveloper]

He looks like Matt Damon.

[@davidcopson5800]

Yes, I wish him only good will.

[@genericusername4206]

4:25 stimming.

[@Seaileanu]

Is this guy still going to buy Twitter?

[@jshep73]

Erm....

[@skdkskdk]

In the Lord's sweet name Magnus, it is analeesis, not analaisis!

[@BenNCM]

you sad individual

[@skdkskdk]

me sad you long time

[@JohnSmith-kx3tg]

His native language not english

[@elkuko21]

Clearly charlie brown is not a chess player...he does not know what he is saying...

[@NinjaOutfitInTheWash]

Mark Machin u iz dumb mate

[@matzleeach]

I wonder how much did Magnus get paid.

[@genericusername4206]

he makes 2 million dollars per year he is also a model for magazines, not just from chess prize money

[@johnnypadilla7400]

LOL they cheered the sponsors . That's capitalism at its hornyness

[@fb9010]

he must be so bored to be asked the same questions all the time

[@kingzion3032]

6 years later - Magnus is a shell of what he use to be.

[@harrison6082]

13:07 14:33 15:31 16:08 17:00 19:13 24:43 35:13 36:06 38:10 42:16 47:53 48:48 50:31 53:15 57:49 55:27 58:55 1:00:03

[@00bikeboy]

Carslen seem very bored throughout.

[@GymChess]

Somebody mentioned the Illuminati connection somewhere. Yes, Carlsen is basically still a kid who's growing up, who loves the attention and the worship, and they're working on him just like all the others before him. They've opened the door and his right foot is already inside. The more money, time and attention they offer him it'll only be question of time before the door shuts behind his back. You don't get anywhere in this world without paying the price for success. Nothing comes for free talent or not. Sad but true.

[@styx85]

Illuminati? You're delusional.

[@OriginalPuro]

You need to get out more buddy.

[@GymChess]

Rod C. Incest is your thing. Not mine. So you can go right ahead.

[@thisisbuzz]

it seems as if the interviewer just asks spontaneously only. too many "uuuuhms", "ooooohms", "aaaaa" and "aaaaahmmmmmms" for me to seem professional.

[@GymChess]

Sheeples in denial as usual. That is my response to nonsense remarks.

[@genericusername4206]

k

[@GymChess]

...Anyone else tired of this idol worship?

[@Saturnize7]

Haterrrrrrr

[@GymChess]

ImperviousMason Why? Because I don't have any idols?

[@Saturnize7]

Because you fail to recognize greatness ;)

[@GymChess]

ImperviousMason I succeed very well to understand what's idol worship and refuse to be part of the cult.

[@mwangikimani3970]

"The man who feels perturbed by the success of others is like a coward who ashamed of his pale shadow stabs the first person who accosts him."(Lao Tzu 600BC) Instead of attacking their limelight take courage and forge your own success. Your lamentation is a coward's refuge according to the great Chinese philosopher. Keep strong.

[@MrAzatutiun]

He ain't no effing Mozart of chess. His obscene personality and complete lack of humility make him a common douche. As for his style of play, he is lightyears away from playing beautiful chess. He just has a robotic and creepy kind of memory which helps him play boldly and cold like a machine.

[@Sam10947]

being bold with a self esteem isn't doucheness

[@bestredditstories1158]

SamIam He could probably beat you with just his King.

[@qlzldxxrkddsc5439]

SamIam obscene personality? Why do you say that?

[@vibovitold]

And what makes you think Mozart himself was such an icon of humility? :))) He was reportedly quite douchey actually (not as much as depicted in "Amadeus", but still close; to the point that it's widely theorized he exhibited signs of personality disorder). As for beauty, modern chess at the top level is mostly cold because it's got so accurate, so it may feel robotic. Who plays beatifully then, in your opinion?