Read by Magnus Carlsen
What books does Magnus Carlsen recommend?
Even away from the sixty-four squares, Magnus Carlsen's book recommendations circle chess: its psychology, its Soviet history, and the rivalries that shaped it. The Norwegian grandmaster and five-time World Chess Champion, the highest-rated player in history, reads to understand the game more deeply and to appreciate its past. This list of 7 titles comes largely from a 2024 AMA on Lichess and Twitch, alongside interviews and a note from his former coach, with themes of history, self-improvement, and psychology and human behavior. He is drawn to Jonathan Rowson's Chess for Zebras for its idea of "thinking differently about black and white in chess," and to Matthew Sadler's The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement. His love of the game's history shows in books on the old Soviet championships and in The Ink War, about "the struggle between Steinitz and Zukertort in the late 19th century."
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
Chess for Zebras
Thinking Differently about Black and White
byJonathan Rowson
2005256 Pages“Rowson wrote another book called Chess for Zebras... it's about thinking differently about black and white in chess... and that is something I find really interesting.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: Magnus Carlsen AMA (Lichess/Twitch), May 2024
Read by Magnus Carlsen
The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement
Chess Engine Training Methods, Opening Strategies & Middlegame Techniques
byMatthew Sadler
2021560 Pages“I was actually reading a bit of 'The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement' by Sadler. I really enjoy Sadler's content in general.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: Magnus Carlsen AMA (Lichess/Twitch), May 2024
Read by Magnus Carlsen
Masterpieces and Dramas of the Soviet Championships, Volume I: 1920-1937
A social and chess history of the first ten Soviet championships
bySergey Voronkov
2020534 Pages“Recently I've really loved the books on the old Soviet chess championships... which I found really interesting.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: Magnus Carlsen AMA (Lichess/Twitch), May 2024
Read by Magnus Carlsen
The Ink War
Romanticism versus Modernity in Chess
byWilly Hendriks
2022480 Pages“Yeah, another... 'The Ink War' which is about the struggle between Steinitz and Zukertort in the late 19th century.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: Magnus Carlsen AMA (Lichess/Twitch), May 2024
Read by Magnus Carlsen
byVladimir Kramnik, Iakov Damsky
2000272 Pages“I have read many of Kramnik's games, but his book made a strong impression on me.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: New in Chess Magazine interview
Read by Magnus Carlsen
Fundamental Chess Endings
A new endgame encyclopaedia for the 21st century
byKarsten Müller, Frank Lamprecht
2001416 Pages“Then I gave him a book: Fundamental Chess Endings... After that, he's been the best in the world in endings.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: Simen Agdestein (Carlsen's coach) regarding formative study
Read by Magnus Carlsen
byGenna Sosonko
2013256 Pages“I was reading Genna Sosonko's book, The World Champions I Knew. I liked his article on Tal.”
— Magnus Carlsen
Source: New In Chess / Various Interviews
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Magnus Carlsen recommend?
His 7 recommendations include Chess for Zebras by Jonathan Rowson, The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement by Matthew Sadler, The Ink War, Kramnik: My Life and Games, and Genna Sosonko's The World Champions I Knew.
What is Magnus Carlsen's favorite chess book?
He highlights Jonathan Rowson's Chess for Zebras, praising its focus on "thinking differently about black and white in chess," a theme he calls "really interesting."
Where do Magnus Carlsen's book recommendations come from?
Most come from his May 2024 AMA on Lichess and Twitch, along with New in Chess interviews and a recollection from his coach Simen Agdestein about a formative endgame book.
Which book shaped Magnus Carlsen's endgame play?
His coach Simen Agdestein recalls giving him Fundamental Chess Endings, saying that "after that, he's been the best in the world in endings," tying the book to a defining strength of Carlsen's game.
What kinds of books does Magnus Carlsen read?
His list favors chess history, especially the Soviet championships, along with instructional works on improvement and psychology and biographies of past world champions.
All 7 Books Magnus Carlsen Has Recommended
- Chess for Zebras · Jonathan Rowson
- The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement · Matthew Sadler
- Masterpieces and Dramas of the Soviet Championships, Volume I: 1920-1937 · Sergey Voronkov
- The Ink War · Willy Hendriks
- Kramnik: My Life and Games · Vladimir Kramnik
- Fundamental Chess Endings · Karsten Müller
- The World Champions I Knew · Genna Sosonko