C - he is honest, he makes surprising but clear statements in practically every interview.

   D - confidence. He told Kasparov when he was 13 he wanted to be World Champion. clear path.

   E - Magnus goes at his own pace. First become World #1 rated, establish clear tournament dominance and then go for the world title when there is nothing left to conquer.

   F - Ambition. The rest of the GMs want to be 2800, only Magnus wants to be 2900.

   G - courteous. He can be a rambunctious, competitive young man but he is never truly mean.

   H - creative, he wants to play it all like Ivanchuk and Nakamura while Svidler and Gelfand can stick to the same super solid systems for decades. Magnus is not trying to reduce Chess to Tic Tac Toe, he is maybe the most universal player that ever lived.

   I - humble. Anyone as good as Magnus knows how little we know about Chess and how some mistakes are inevitable.

   J - original. He had some great teachers but his play does not resemble any other Chessplayer.

   K - rugged athlete. Somehow his tennis, soccer, skiing etc help his Chess and positive outlook on life. Motion and activity is a part of him.

    L - computer usage. yes the computers help but in a different way than the others. He is not looking for some tactical shot in the Najdorf on Move 27, he takes apart positions like Edison takes apart motors. He seems to hold up the key elements in the light until he figures out how they all work.

   M - family man. His whole family is 100% behind him. He shares his success. He is open to absorbing strong family values. That means he will be well grounded in social responsibility when he chooses a wife.

   N - First things first, said Bobby Fischer, get the title, then the girl. Magnus is following that blueprint, just doing it earlier.

   O - No intrigues. No unnecessary drama. Magnus seems to shed controversy like Anand, like a water off a duck. A pure heart is the best defense to anything.

   P - curious. He was already memorizing world capitals when he was 5. The world is still a fascinating place for Magnus, full of great surprises.

   Q - Orange Juice. There is something wonderful about how he converts OJ to a 2870 rating.

   R - No memory. It didn't matter that Aronian was tormenting him for many moves at the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis, when Magnus finally threw off the yoke he turned down a $70, 000 draw with a +.25 advantage. Magnus thought it was nothing, a "slight risk" against the World Number 2. The rest of the Chess world held their breath in amazement.
The message is clear, I am always trying to win and I want to be 2900.

   S - dedicated. One of my favorite Chess pictures ever is Magnus Carlsen collapsing on the staircase after clinching a World title match in the 2013 London Candidates. It reminded me of Scottie Pippen carrying off Michael Jordan when Michael was sick with the flu. To use the sports analogy, Magnus leaves it all on the board.

   T - Unconventional. Magnus is not some cookie cutter corporate clone, Magnus carves out his own way in the world using his special gifts. We all want that.

   U - Sometimes he looks like a kid with uncombed hair, wrinkled shirt. That just makes him more lovable and human like the rest of us. I suppose as a G-star model he is supposed to look his best. I like his clothes, elegant without being off putting and too flashy. He's a Chess rock star not a music rock star.

   V - adventurous. Norway has some wild country. Magnus looks at home on those craggy rocks like he absorbed their essence somehow, like the mountains speak to him and help him understand things.

   W - We can sort of explore the world through Carlsen's fresh eyes like when he saw his first American football game in Saint Louis. His excitement makes us excited.

   X - I have some friends off the board like Robert Ramirez and Chris Peterson but when we all play it is uncompromising and fun. I have never seen Magnus make a short draw or pre-arrange a draw. No matter how good your relations once you sit across the board from Magnus, he is the wolf and you are the sheep. There will be no mercy. If you happen to get the advantage, don't expect Magnus to give up. He will fight you tooth and nail down to the last pawns. Chess is sacred and giving anything but his absolute best is foreign to Magnus.

   Y - Forever. That's how long Magnus will play on to win. Angelo Dundee to 12 year old Mike Tyson - If you load a rifle and shoot Muhammed you better drop that gun and run because if he has anything left he's coming after you. I am just amazed at the dead drawn positions Magnus will try to win against 2600+ level opposition. That's the plotline. Magnus will get nothing from the opening but eventually even the greatest players in the world will succumb to his 97% accuracy rate. The world stops at Move 40, that when Magnus begins the metagame.

   Z - The fact that Magnus and Anand are on good terms even now speaks volumes for the both of them. Whoever wins we will have a classy gentleman at the top, a great Chess ambassador.

   I could go on but if you can't figure out why Magnus is so popular, you're not trying very hard.

   You can play through this game here: https://denverchess.com/Games/ViewPGN?id=4798

 

   Answer:  Brian has a cute mate with 26.Qxh2+!! Kxh2 27. Rh5+ Kg1 28. Rh1#

 

   If you are interested in joining Brian's chess email list you can sign up here: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/BrianWallChess/

   Also, there are a lot of events scheduled for Colorado Chess these days!  Check out http://www.coloradochess.com/newtourn.shtml for details.  This weekend is the President's Cup, a 4 round G/25 tournament in Denver.

 

 

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