Few chess players enjoy Magnus Carlsen’s celebrity status.
A grandmaster at 13, refusing to play an American dogged by allegations of cheating, and venturing into the world of online chess gaming have all made Norway’s Carlsen a household name.
Few chess players have produced the magical commodity that separates Carlsen from any of his peers: celebrity.
Only legends like Russia’s Gary Kasparov and American Bobby Fischer can match his fame, and Carlsen is arguably an even more dominant player. Last month, he beat both men to be named the International Chess Federation’s greatest ever.
But his motivation to rack up professional titles is on the wane. Carlsen, 33, now wants to leverage his fame to help turn the game he loves into a spectator sport.
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