‘Rock and roll': The Carlsen impact in Norway

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Stavanger, Norway: Almost everyone who visits the commercial bank in Stavanger to cash in on some chess has a Carlsen story to tell. We'll stick to a couple.
In a public park this week, Norway Chess hosted an open school chess tournament. Every kid carried hopes and a question: 'Will Magnus be here?'
At the turn of last year as the World Blitz Championship was broadcast from New York during the peak holiday season of family time and fireworks, around one million Norwegians tuned in via national broadcast NRK. That's 20% of the country's population.
Hundreds of children, thousands of television viewers, one common thread: Magnus Carlsen.
'Magnus is the most famous person in Norway, perhaps in our history,' Kjell Madland, founder of Norway Chess, said.
Norway's economic story traces back to the oil boom of the 1960s, a chapter brought to life in a local museum documentary exploring its benefits and costs. But just as oil sells, so does Carlsen.
He has helped transform chess from niche and nerdy to cool and mainstream among young Norwegians. He's brought sponsors, primetime television slots, and national pride — and has given every Norwegian the chance to call a chess icon their own.
Carlsen's impact goes far beyond the 64 squares. It captures the imagination of nearly 5.5 million people in a nation traditionally defined by winter sports.
'Even though Norway is a country that does well economically and athletically, having a personality like Magnus brings a special pride to Norwegians,' said Sverre Krogh Sundbø, a TV2 sports presenter and former poker player who attended Carlsen's wedding in January.
Like many in Norway, Sundbø has closely followed Carlsen's journey—from a 13-year-old Grandmaster to a 22-year-old world champion, to a five-time titleholder who now, at 34, makes just one annual classical chess appearance at home.
India, Sundbø believes, perhaps could best relate to what Carlsen means to Norway—both in chess and beyond.
'You're a country where cricket is number one, two, three, four, and five. We've had football and skiing hold that status here. Then Vishy (Viswanathan) Anand comes along and reaches that kind of level in chess. That's Magnus for us,' Sundbø said.
And it's been him for over a decade.
Aryan Tari, 25, Norwegian GM and 2017 world junior champion, was in middle school when Carlsen won his first world title in 2013—the same year chess was televised in Norway for the first time.
'Kids started playing chess in classrooms,' Tari said. 'It gave me so much joy to see my sport suddenly become popular. And it's only grown bigger since.'
In the Stavanger region alone, around 5,000 kids take part in chess tournaments each year, said Lasse Ostebo Lovik, an IM, chess coach and president of the Norwegian Chess Federation and Stavanger Youth Chess Club. In 2015, the federation launched SkoleSjakken, a program aimed at teaching chess in schools.
'There's been a massive boost in interest,' Løvik said. 'I started playing chess before Magnus became who he is. Back then it was niche and geeky. Now it's mainstream and cool.'
That 'mainstream and cool' label has stuck with chess in Norway—and with Carlsen. His no-filter, unabashed, and sometimes perplexing persona adds a distinct flavour to the sport. It makes the enigmatic genius stand out among Norway's other world-class modern athletes: Erling Haaland (football), Karsten Warholm (track), Casper Ruud (tennis), and Viktor Hovland (golf).
'Magnus is rock and roll. And we like someone who's a little bit rock and roll,' said Sundbø. 'We need entertainment—and Magnus knows that. You can't emerge on the global stage without a big personality. He's engaging. He's crazy. A lot of people think it's arrogance—but it's not.'
Is he arrogant, though?
'Cocky young man,' Henrik Carlsen, Magnus's father, retorts with a smile.
It's not the first time Carlsen Sr. has joked about this.
'I used to say that in our family, arrogant isn't a bad word,' Henrik said. 'I mean, if you've earned it, it's okay. And Magnus has earned it. If he comes across as slightly arrogant, it's just his confidence. He's not putting on a show.'
Call it what you may, Carlsen's popularity has propelled him to a polarizing figure.
'There are people who absolutely love him—and there are people who don't,' said a middle-aged female volunteer at Norway Chess. 'Either way, everyone in Norway knows Carlsen.'
One family flew from Canada to Norway certainly did —and found themselves within arm's reach of the man himself in Stavanger. A photo request was met with a smile and a click, as is the case for many fans who gather around Carlsen after games
That's part of why Carlsen still matters.
'Norway Chess couldn't happen without him. The interest just wouldn't be there,' said Madland. 'We needed sponsors, we wanted chess on TV.'
Carlsen remains second to none in that regard—even as he has step back from classical chess, limits his appearances, and increasingly prioritizes life beyond the board, especially now as a newlywed and soon-to-be father.
'The most amazing thing Magnus has done is choosing a life. That takes guts,' said Sundbø. 'For the greatest phenomenon ever in chess, it's hard for outsiders to understand that the game may not be the most important thing in his life anymore.'
But for Norway, Carlsen still is.
Within and beyond the 64 squares.
'Norway producing another Magnus,' said Tari, 'would be like winning the lottery a thousand times in a row.'