Magnus Carlsen’s name begun to sparkle when at the age of 12, he became GM and later has achieved some impressing results. The experienced trainers spoke about his brilliant prospects and bright talent, and the amateur players saw in him a genius and the future World Champion. Also it is necessary to mention that the Norwegian who became 15 years old on the first day of the second Round, fully has lived up the hopes expected of him. Here in Khanty-Mansiysk he has beaten the experienced GM Zurab Azmajparashvili's in the first round after tie-break, and has made serious application for further advancement. Who will in the end be able to stop the young Magician?

- Are you for the first time in Khanty-Mansiysk and if yes, how do you like it here?

МC: Yes, I’m here for the first time, I like it very much. Mostly because of the nature and the weather.

- What is your impression of the conditions in this World Cup?

МC: Oh, Everything is perfect.

- Top GMs say that it is very difficult psychologically to prepare for a game against a 14-years-old-boy, is it easy for you to prepare for a game against them?

МC: There are no problems, I’ve never had such difficulties.

- How do you spend your free time and does chess occupy you all the time?

МC: No, not all. I like to play football and in the winter I like to go skiing.

- When did you start play chess and who was your first trainer?

МC: I learnt the rules when I was five, and I began to play when I was 8. I think the main reason for my success is that I was always interested in chess. It was interesting for me to be engaged and to search for new option. My first trainer was the Norwegian chess player FM Torbjorn Ringdal Hanssen. He worked as a chess teacher in the school for the top sportsmen of the country. At present I basically work independently. From time to time GM Simen Agdestein works with me. (the lessons are regular; sometimes we are working hard during some months, and sometimes we don’t work at all). During tournaments I often travel and prepare together with the Danish GM Peter Heine Nilsen.

- When are you going to become World Champion?

МC: I’ve never thought about it. I’ll be glad, if I become one day. As for this tournament it’s too early to talk about my victory - each won match is for me a success. I am simply glad to play here and I don’t have any plans - I just play it game by game.

- Do you go to school?

МC: Not all the time - no. When I’m at home I attend school, but not every day. When I leave for tournaments, I concentrate only on the games. In Norway schools are mandatory the first 10-years.

- Magnus, you don’t go to school and focus a lot on chess. But don’t you think that in some years computers will be so powerful that competing with people will become meaningless? And if so there can be no more sense in tournaments. Will you not be sorry for all the time and efforts spent on chess?

MC: I certainly can imagine such a situation when computers play better chess than humans do. But I don’t think that this will be the end of chess.

- But don’t you think that in such a development, our game will no longer be interesting for humans?

МC: Even if I leave chess one day, I don’t think it will be because of the computers.

- Many of the best players speak Russian. Do you plan to study this language?

МC: Yes, there are many strong chess players who speak Russian. But I don’t have time for it right now. Probably, in some years I’ll start study it.

- When did you learn how to read and who is your favorite writer?

МC: I don’t remember when I learnt how to read, but it was before entering school at the age of six. As for my favorite writer, I don’t have one. I don’t read so much literature.

- Are you interested in music, do you go to discos and hang out with your friends?

МC: Generally, I don’t listen so frequently to music, and I don’t go to discos. Still you cannot say that I am living a life "far from reality": I have friends and are together with them. At school I behave as all other teenagers. I don’t have a special schedule of trainings. Three to four hours a day I devote myself to chess.

-Do you play chess on Internet?

МC: I used to play a lot, but lately I almost don’t appear there.

How will you celebrate your birthday? МC: The main task for today's evening is the preparation for the next game. My birthday I’ll celebrate at home, here I’ll just take some sweets...

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