Very few Chess players have had the kind of ‘Aura’ and ‘Stardom’ attached to them like Magnus has been. There have been legendary Chess players, such as Vishwanathan Anand, Gary Kasparov, and Bobby Fischer, among others. However, Magnus is widely regarded as the modern-day maestro in Chess. His keen eye for detail, his ability to keep his mind alert during tense situations, and his endgame prowess are just some of the many qualities that Magnus possesses.
In addition to all that, he has won several World Championships and other prestigious trophies in Chess. All of these factors have contributed to him being called the ‘GOAT of Chess’.
Now, at the ongoing Norway Open 2025, local boy Magnus Carlsen is fighting for yet another Championship to add to his tally. The tournament is still underway, and Carlsen and all his competitors, i.e., Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi, Hikaru Nakamura, Wei Yi, and Fabiano Caruana, are still with a chance to win the Norway Open 2025.
However, in the games that Magnus Carlsen has played so far, he has already displayed a masterful way of playing Chess. He has shown several attractive traits on display, of which many are leadership-based. Here are some of the finest leadership lessons that Magnus Carlsen taught us during his tenure at the Norway Chess Open 2025:
1. Calm, Composure, and Collectiveness
During his match against Arjun Erigaisi, Magnus Carlsen showed extreme composure during the intense moments of the game. While Erigaisi was never really ahead of Carlsen in the game, the Norwegian Grand Master still faced an array of attacks from Erigaisi. He had to consistently do well throughout the game just to maintain ‘Status Quo.’
Towards the Endgame, Erigaisi once again looked a bit powerful, and could’ve even won the match if Magnus erred even once. But Magnus, being the World Number 1 player, kept his composure and coolness and kept playing his normal game. He knew he was ahead, both in terms of position and time, and he simply built on that.
In the end, he simply left Arjun Erigaisi with no other choice but to resign. The Indian GM was also running out of time. It was without a doubt a brilliant Endgame display from Magnus Carlsen, but what was noteworthy was how he held his nerve throughout the game.
2. Grit, Determination, and Resilience
Magnus Carlsen’s first match of the tournament was against the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju. While Magnus is the Number 1 player in the world and a modern-day legend, he was still facing the current World Champion, a player who is in terrific form. Facing Gukesh could make anyone nervous in a big world event, but not Magnus. His belief and confidence in himself and his ability are second to none.
He provided Gukesh with a series of complex challenges throughout the game. To his credit, Gukesh evaded them finely enough and even sacrificed his Knight to issue a Pawn race. Chances were that any novice would’ve seen that sacrifice as a gift and forgotten about the Pawn race. But Magnus knew that something was up, and he trusted in his skill and intimidation factor.
Eventually, Gukesh made a brutal mistake, and it cost him the game. Magnus’ grit, determination, and resilience once again proved vital for him.
3. A Deep Love for What He Does
While this may not be a leadership lesson at first, a deeply entrenched love for what one does goes a long way in leadership. A leader is supposed to love their work/job more than their teammates, and only then can they win their respect and admiration. Magnus Carlsen isn’t just revered for the results of his performance, but for all the effort and hard work that goes behind those results.
After his match against Gukesh for the second time, Carlsen slammed his fist with utmost might on the desk in frustration. It was the frustration of realizing he had lost the match. The match was a close one, one that Carlsen should’ve and could’ve pulled off with slightly better tactics. Instead, it was Gukesh who held his nerves this time around and crossed the victory line.
However, Carlsen’s fist slamming has been reduced to a mere expression of anger and frustration. But where does the frustration come from? No one asked this question. It is Carlsen’s deep and unadulterated love for the game of Chess that got him this far. Therefore, to lose it from such close quarters, especially against a really good opponent, is bound to make anyone feel that way.
The thing to learn from this isn’t Carlsen’s anger issues or frustration, but his desire and willingness to win at any cost.
4. Humility in the Face of Victory
While the desire to win burns like a hot flame inside of him, Magnus Carlsen is equally calm once the game is over. He is never really shown his attitude to his opponent or been in-the-face to their face after winning. Make no mistake, Carlsen is very aggressive and carries an arrogance with himself, which he very much justifies.
Take the tweet he made after defeating Gukesh in the first classical encounter between them at the Norway Open 2025, where Magnus posted a quote from the TV show, ‘The Wire’ that read, ‘If you come at the king, you best not miss.’ This shows his confidence in himself.
However, the time after he lost to Gukesh in their second encounter, immediately after he slammed his fist on the desk, he made an apology gesture to Gukesh and admitted that he went overboard. He showed respect to his opponent in the moment of loss and extreme frustration.
5. Camaraderie
This is the final lesson from Magnus’ campaign at the Norway Open, and elsewhere also. It’s often a leadership trait that lags behind the others, hidden in plain sight, where people don’t realize its grave importance. Camaraderie is extremely important to maintain if any leader wants to remain popular among their peers and other members.
While Magnus isn’t leading any team in Chess, his ability to maintain good relations with anyone and be friends with them goes a long way in building and maintaining his popularity. He maintains a good camaraderie with the likes of Vidit Gujrathi, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, etc. With such an attitude and people skills, Magnus Carlsen will always remain popular with the Chess world.
