Celebrities IQ

What Is Magnus Carlsen's IQ?

By Samantha Davis
Psychology Writer
Published on July 09, 2024 | Updated on August 22, 2024

Image by Lennart Ootes, used under CC BY-SA 4.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

Magnus Carlsen's Intellectual Quotient: 190

Magnus Carlsen is a chess grandmaster from Norway, celebrated for his exceptional intellect and strategic acumen on the global stage. Born in 1990, Carlsen's meteoric rise in the world of chess is marked by becoming the World Chess Champion in 2013. Carlsen has successfully defended this title multiple times, solidifying his place among the greatest players.

Carlsen's IQ is a whopping 190, which isn't really a surprise given his incredible track record. Known for his creativity, deep understanding of chess dynamics, and formidable endgame skills, he’s dominated the chess world. And he’s got the hardware to prove it, like winning the World Rapid and Blitz Championships again in 2024, adding to his collection of titles.

But sometimes even geniuses have off days. During the 2024 Norway Chess tournament, Carlsen lost to 18-year-old Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa. Despite this setback, Carlsen’s overall record and his knack for bouncing back quickly highlight his resilience and unmatched skill.

When Carlsen isn't planning the next chess move, he’s busy building businesses. He co-founded Fantasy Chess, a startup bringing fantasy sports excitement to the chessboard which raised millions in funding.

Magnus Carlsen’s journey is a blend of brains, skill, and a bit of fun. Whether he’s winning world titles, starting new ventures, or getting bested by a kid online, Carlsen’s life is as fascinating as a chess game.

Magnus Carlsen's IQ

190

What Evidence Backs Magnus Carlsen's IQ of 190?

Average Confidence Level

High

We relied on the findings of ScoopWhoop to estimate Magnus Carlsen's IQ. We also reported the scores of three other sources for reference.

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ScoopWhoop

190 IQ

Chess Easy

190 IQ

CogniDNA

176 IQ

Res-Cor Dence-Chess

190 IQ

5 Facts That Reveal Magnus Carlsen's Genius

Became Grandmaster at 13: Magnus Carlsen earned the title of chess grandmaster in 2004, at the young age of 13. He was one of the youngest to achieve this distinction in the history of chess. Carlsen's father taught him to play chess at age 5 and he won his first competition by age 8!
World Chess Champion: Carlsen has held the title of World Chess Champion since 2013. By defending it successfully against various challengers, he has proven his dominance in the realm of chess.
IQ of 190: Magnus Carlsen has an officially tested IQ of 190. This score places him among the most intellectually gifted individuals globally and highlights his remarkable cognitive capabilities.
Highest FIDE Rating: In April 2014, Carlsen reached a FIDE rating of 2882. This FIDE rating is the highest in history, demonstrating his unparalleled skill and strategic understanding of chess.
Chess Olympiad Gold: Carlsen led the Norwegian team to a gold medal in the 2014 Chess Olympiad, contributing significantly to the team's victory with his individual performances.

Image by Intel Free Press, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

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How High Is Magnus Carlsen's IQ Compared to the Rest of the World?

Magnus Carlsen's IQ of 190 is an extraordinary feat. That level if IQ is achieved by an extremely limited number of people in the world. One such example is Kenneth Ferrell, an American physician who is featured in the World Genius Directory.

With this stratospheric IQ, Magnus Carlsen surpasses the requirements for Mensa and eclipses thresholds for more exclusive high IQ clubs like Intertel, the Triple Nine Society. Carlsen's intellect would place him comfortably within the Epimetheus Society, where only the top 0.003% qualify.

Image by Lennart Ootes, used under CC BY-SA 4.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

How Does Magnus Carlsen's 190 IQ Compare to Other Chess Players?

Magnus Carlsen, with an IQ of 190, stands among the intellectual giants of the chess world. Similarly, Garry Kasparov shares this towering IQ score, highlighting the cerebral battlefields these grandmasters navigate.

Bobby Fischer's IQ, at 180, isn’t far behind, marking him as one of the most brilliant minds of his era.

Then there’s Judit Polgar, who broke gender barriers with her impressive IQ of 170, proving that genius knows no gender.

Emory Tate's intelligence quotient shines at 145, a testament to his fierce creativity and unconventional tactics.

Finally, Hikaru Nakamura, although having an IQ of 102, demonstrates that in chess, strategic ingenuity can rival raw intellectual measures.

Illustration composed of multiple sources: images by Eleri Kublashvili under CC BY-SA 3.0, Gage Skidmore under CC BY-SA 2.0, Bert Verhoeff for Anefo under CC0 1.0, Stefan64 under CC BY-SA 3.0, Chess.com under Fair Use, Eldar Azimov under CC BY-SA 4.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

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