Can Magnus Carlsen convince people to watch chess?
The world’s best player hopes that glamming up the ancient game can make stars of its players
CHESS IS the sort of deep and rewarding game that you can spend an enjoyable lifetime failing to master. But even ardent fans might concede that, as a spectacle, watching two players think for long periods before shuffling pieces around a board is somewhat short on sparkle.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Opening gambit”
Culture February 1st 2025
From the February 1st 2025 edition
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