As Magnus Carlsen is set to visit Hamburg and play a simul on 70 boards, Ulrich Stock of “Die Zeit” took the opportunity to interview the World Champion.
On the question what keeps his chess drive going, Carlsen answered “My motivation is to learn. I feel there are still so many things in chess that I don’t know. I don’t know whether that will lead to playing better, but my curiosity with chess is still very high.”
Continuing on the same topic, Stock asked: “Good players sometimes get bored by chess. They feel as though they’ve seen it all, that it lacks excitement. Does chess ever bore you?”
Carlsen answered: “Not normally, but after a loss it can be pretty dark. Then sometimes I ask what am I doing, why am I here at this silly tournament. But after a few hours, I look forward to getting my revenge in the next game.”
Q: “What is it that first fascinated you about chess and what still fascinates you about the game?”
Carlsen: “I’ve always been fascinated by the patterns that develop on chess boards. Chess is easy to learn, but impossible to master perfectly.”
Read the full interview on ZEIT Online
