If Magnus Carlsen were a chess piece, he would be the Queen. Wikipedia. Creative Commons.

The young Norweigan is used to titles. Ever since being introduced to the sport at age eight, there has been no stopping Carlsen. At thirteen, he was named a grandmaster of chess. At nineteen, he became the youngest chess player in history to be ranked number one in the world. Today, he is a celebrity in Europe, widely regarded as a chess prodigy and one of the best players in history. His game is more art than it is sport; a thing of both genius and raw talent, a devastating conflagration of intricate maneuvers that leave opponents frowning and Carlsen smiling softly in victory. 

But what makes Magnus Carlsen truly compelling isn't just his remarkable abilities in chess. It’s something much simpler. Quite frankly, Magnus Carlsen is a badass. Here’s why: 

1. He doesn’t just play chess. He plays chess. 

In a 60 Minutes interview from last year, Carlsen was filmed playing 10 different games against 10 different players simultaneously. Oh, and he wasn’t allowed to look at any of the boards. He won every single match, successfully keeping track of 320 pieces just in his mind. When the interviewer commented, “I can’t fathom what you have just done,” Carlsen just smiled and shrugged. 

2. He’s a little diabolical…

When asked if he enjoyed seeing his opponents squirm, Carlsen responded, “Yes I do. I enjoy it when I see my opponent, you know, really suffering. When he knows that I have outsmarted him.” He was similarly snarky when asked about his match against ex-world champion Vishy Anand, saying that Anand “just lost to a better player.” Ouch. 

A chess player with a bite. Flickr. Frans Peeters. Creative Commons.

3. …and a little punk rock

The reason Carlsen didn’t win the world championship earlier is because he skipped the previous year’s championship, forfeiting the chance to be the youngest world champion ever because he objected to the way in which the qualifying matches were conducted. In a letter to the World Championship committee, he explained that the “puzzling ranking criteria as well as the shallow ceaseless match-after-match concept are all less than satisfactory in my opinion.”

4. He’s also a model

When he isn’t busy feasting on the devastation of his victims or fighting the system, Carlsen spends his time in front of the camera. At nineteen, he was contracted by international clothing brand G-Star to lead their new clothing campaign. G-Star said they liked Carlsen because “his uncompromising approach to the game mirrors G-Star’s own hardcore design philosophy.” Even in day to day life Carlsen can be seen sporting fashionable skinny jeans and a classy blazer. 

robindepuy.Tumblr.

5. After winning the world championship, he went bowling

Times of India reported that the day after beating Anand, Carlsen decided to go bowling. Most chess players might have a nice dinner after a win, maybe some champagne. A football player might go to Disneyland, a soccer player to the beach. The game was held in India, so Magnus had plenty of sightseeing options. But no. He decided that his time was better spent throwing spherical weight down a greased lane to hit things, whilst wearing tapless tap shoes. Why? Who knows. Probably just because he could. 

6. He’s basically the chess version of Mozart

Carlsen normally prepares less for matches than other chess masters because the game comes naturally to him. He’s nicknamed “the Mozart of chess” because he seems to operate on a completely different level of understanding. Here’s an example: At thirteen, he played Garry Kasparov, considered by many to be the greatest chess player ever. It was speed chess, but still little Magnus got bored and started looking over at other chess games while Kasparov was deep in concentration. More astounding is that Kasparov couldn’t beat the child. The game ended in a draw, and Kasparov left without a comment. Did I mention that MAGNUS IS ALSO A MODEL? 

Sure, Magnus Carlsen is a genius. But he’s also an incredibly cool genius. And a model. Relaxed, fashionable, and well versed in mass media, Magnus is as anti–elitist as a chess player can get. He represents exactly what youth culture is all about these days, the shiny ideal of the millennial generation: intelligent, slick, moderately arrogant, and above all else, superbly badass. 

Reach Staff Reporter Andre Gray here