Henrik Carlsen speaks about how his son Magnus rose to become World Champion and perhaps the greatest chess player the world has ever seen. He reveals the first time he had to pinch his arm in awe at what his son had accomplished.

Henrik Carlsen in a fascinating interview on Chess Talk with Jovanka

The interview was made in the new video series Chess Talk with Jovanka, made exclusively for chess24's Premium members, in partnership with the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. 

The first episode was launched at the end of February and includes special guest Henrik Carlsen, Magnus' father and manager.

It's a fascinating 48-minute interview with the World Champion's father, who speaks about a variety of topics, including how Magnus first learned chess, together with his sister Ellen, who is a year and a half older.

I concluded after a year or two that 'okay, it's a bit fun, they are quite interested, but they are not clinging on to this'. Maybe chess is not something for them after all? How can I be so wrong!

Henrik says Magnus started to study chess on his own around three years later, just before he turned 8. "By then it was his own drive, and ambition. I didn't have ambitions on his behalf, at least for some time."

Henrik Carlsen says the great change was going from reading about the World Champions and the big stars to interacting with them and being a part of them.

At 15 and a half he was in the Tal Memorial for the first time. That was a moment I had to pinch my arm a bit. Then gradually we became part of the chess scene.

Carlsen did not have a particularly good tournament, and finished second last with 3.5 points, but only lost two games and drew the remaining seven.

Henrik also speaks about how he had to guard people from influencing Magnus and how he felt about Magnus turning down an opportunity to work with Garry Kasparov.

You can watch Chess Talk with Jovanka by becoming a Premium member, if you are not one already!