The Strategy of Magnus Carlsen: Reflecting on Norway Chess 2022

Norway, a country known for its fjords, midnight sun, and as the homeland of the greatest chess player in history—Magnus Carlsen. It is only fitting that it hosts one of the most prestigious tournaments in the chess calendar, Norway Chess. In this post, we take a reflective glance at the performances in the Norway Chess 2022.

One year ago, Magnus Carlsen topped the leaderboard with a game intelligence (GI) score of 7.25 in Norway Chess 2022. For those who aren't familiar, the GI score is a measure that combines human performance with engine evaluations. (Read more here.) This score tells us a lot about Carlsen's style; he is not just about playing the best move—he wants to play the move that gives his opponents the toughest challenge.

The Precision of So and Vachier-Lagrave

Contrasting Carlsen's strategic depth was Wesley So's impeccable accuracy. Wesley So had the highest engine accuracy, which is indicated by the lowest game point loss (GPL), followed closely by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Carlsen. Engine accuracy is a measure of how closely a player’s moves align with those of a chess engine—which implies very precise play.

A Symphony of Styles

What made Norway Chess 2022 such a captivating event was the fascinating display of diverse playing styles. While So and MVL played with remarkable accuracy, Carlsen took calculated risks which paid off, as he managed to induce more mistakes from his opponents.

This reminds us that there is no single path to success in chess!

Stay tuned for more reflections.

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