Wonderboy Magnus Carlsen: How Magnus Carlsen Became the Youngest Grandmaster in the World

by Simen Agdestein

At the age of thirteen years, four months and twenty-six days, Magnus Carlsen became the youngest chess grandmaster in the world. This is the fairy-tale-like story of Magnus Carlsen?s rise and tells you all about the Carlsen family life, explaining the secrets of Magnus? play in clear and instructive comments on his games. Any chess player could hardly pick up a more inspiring book, which will fascinate parents and help gifted children to realize their full potential.

Genres: Chess

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Ben Truong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderboy: How Magnus Carlsen Became the Youngest Chess Grandmaster in the World is a biographical memoir about Magnus Carlsen, a Norwegian Grandmaster, one of the best chess players in the world. Simen Agdestein is a Norwegian chess grandmaster, chess coach, author, and former professional footballer wrote this biography.

This book serves as an entry (A book about someone who is living your dream) in the Toronto Public Library Advanced Reading Challenge 2021. One of my dreams as a child was to become a chess player after learning to play the game at the late age of ten. Sadly, I was nowhere as good as I need to be to make a professional career of it.

Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen is a Norwegian chess grandmaster who is the current World Chess Champion, World Rapid Chess Champion, and World Blitz Chess Champion. Carlsen first reached the top of the FIDE world rankings in 2010, and trails only Garry Kasparov in time spent as the highest rated player in the world. Carlsen also holds the record for the longest unbeaten run in classical chess.

Written in a simple, fluid style peppered with biographical incidents, chess training events, updates on tournaments plus key games in the Carlsen trajectory make this a biography for all chess lovers. Agdestein not cover wins, but the disappointments, the confusions, the hard work and above all, the sacrifices of the Carlsen family in giving their little boy the best environment to grow in. Agdestein ends the biography with Carlsen's elimination in the FIDE World Championship in Tripoli, Libya in 2004.

Wonderboy: How Magnus Carlsen Became the Youngest Chess Grandmaster in the World is written and research moderately well. The book is arranged chronologically as readers follow Magnus and his fantastic journey from when he began to play with chess pieces at the age of five. As a chess biographer, Agdestein's makes Magnus' somewhat inspiring. However, it seems that he included other goals that Magnus had, but stayed true to his aim to become a chess master, which creates multiple focuses for the biography.

All in all, Wonderboy: How Magnus Carlsen Became the Youngest Chess Grandmaster in the World is a nice biography of one of the best chess player to date.

[molas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former trainer of current Chess World Champion wrote a book about Carlsen's road to grandmaster title. Carlsen got this title at the age of 13, being at this time the second youngest grandmaster in the world (the first was Karjakin), so there is a mistake in the title of the book. Agdestein describes with the humor and wit  fast chess progress of his pupil. He stresses the extremely important role of Carlsen's family in supporting his career, especially the father. We can find many  games of young Carlsen in the book. Interestingly, this book was published in 2004, when Carlsen was 14, and could only dream about World Championship, nevertheless his exceptional talent was widely admired. Great reading for any chess lover. 

[Firoze Cassim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good insight into Magnus's rapid rise to becoming a Grandmaster, his games and hectic life as a young prodigy.

[Saradha Sukavanam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a good insight on what it takes for a eight year old to play chess in Internation levels.

[Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

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