Magnus Carlsen

A major reason for not blogging much since March was the "secret" cooperation with Kasparov. It felt too awkward to try to relate inside stories from tournaments while suppressing the main news. After going public in September about the cooperation, and winning Nanjing in style, Magnus soon got his own blog making the continuation of this blog less meaningful. 

At this blog at http://www.arcticsec.no/index.php?button=blog&main_image=35 Magnus thanked his trainer Garry Kasparov and his main sponsors investment-bank Arctic Securities and lawyers Simonsen for their contributions to his rise to the number 1 spot on the January 1^st 2010 rating list with 2810 ahead of Topalov, Anand, Kramnik and Aronian. 

I'd like to bring forth all the other persons and organisations that have made significant contributions and deserve credit. The pitfall is of course that someone may feel left out, to whom I offer my sincere apologies in advance. 

Prior to Kasparov, Magnus has received support and training from GM Simen Agdestein through many years, and a special thanks for his invention, the chess class at the Top Athletes School that Simen started back in the late 90's and which Magnus attended through high school from 2006 to 2009.  

GM Peter Heine Nielsen is a good friend that had occasional training sessions with Magnus for several years and was also his second during many tournaments.  

His first important trainer was IM Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen who's pedagogical skills deserves special mentioning.
I'd also like to mention that Magnus got some initial coaching from Bjarte Leer Salvesen in Baerum Youth Chess Club and from Sverre Johnsen, Oslo Chess Club back in 1999. 

Before and during tournaments Magnus has also received valuable analysis from Dag Soedtholt and several other Norwegian chess players.

Chessbase, represented by founder Frederic Friedel, has for several years contributed with software including the invaluable Chessbase database and analysis engines Fritz, Junior and lately also Rybka. He has also been extremely helpful in providing important contacts throughout the chess world. 

Online chess was a major contributor to Magnus training efforts especially from the age of 9 to 14. He has spent countless hours playing blitz on Internet Chess Club (ICC) and Playchess.

We have received technical help in PC and software matters, and special thanks go to Tarjei Svendsen for his many contributions.

In addition to main sponsors Arctic Securities and Simonsen laywers, Magnus has for several years had Smartfish, a producer of Omega-3 fish oil products, as a sponsor.
For a one year period in 2007/8 he was sponsored by FAST, a search engine company now owned by Microsoft.
As part of their strategy to help young people utilize their talents, Microsoft Norway sponsored Magnus from 2003 to 2005.
His first sponsor, back in the first half of 2002, was IT consultant company Computas.
You have all contributed significantly to make it possible for Magnus to travel to tournaments, hire trainers and acquire training equipment. Thank you!

Espen Agdestein has been of invaluable help. As sponsor agent for Magnus, he has helped secure the current two main sponsors Arctic Securities and Simonsen lawyers. And together with his brother Simen he was instrumental in securing several of our earlier sponsors as well.  

Magnus' progress stems partly from participation in the many events organised by Hans Olav Lahlum at Gausdal. For many years Hans Olav put in countless hours, immense dedication and often his own money to continue the Gausdal tradition originally started and upheld for decades by Arnold Eikrem.  

After his first tournament, the Norwegian Championship U-11 in 1999, Magnus benefitted from the weekly blitz tournaments in Oslo Chess Club throughout the autumn of 1999 and onwards.
Our local club Baerum Youth Chess Club, headed by Oivind Ekeberg, was the first chess club contributing to Magnus' success.
Later Magnus joined Asker Chess Club, represented by primus motor Joeran Jansson and others, and played several seasonal evening tournaments, blitz events, as well as the European Club Cup for Asker. 

Magnus has participated in a huge number of tournaments and throughout the years he has on most occasions been accompanied to tournaments and looked after by grandparents, his mother and sisters in addition to the undersigned. 

Chess has been recognized as a sport by Norwegian media in 2009 and this is consistent with the need to focus on physical training and nutrition in chess as in other sports. Magnus has cooperated with the Olympiatoppen this autumn and feels confident this is an important part of optimum preparations for chess tournaments.  

We would also like to thank the many chess enthusiasts contributing to chess as spectators and commentators, his chess friends at NTG, tournament organisers (as Corus, Linares and Tromsoe to mention a few), chess sites (as www.chessbase.com), chess blogs (with significant contributions from for instance Hans Arild Runde and Mig Greengard) and the influential people, patrons and politicians throughout the world supporting our great game one way or the other. 

Henrik Carlsen
Engerdal, January 1^st 2010