Cup of Rogan

Your daily dose of Joe Rogan podcast highlights and memorable moments.

Cup of Rogan: Magnus Carlsen’s Chess Grind

Roast Level: Medium Roast (Smooth, sharp, and balanced)
Brew Time: Feb 28, 2025

Joe sits down with Magnus Carlsen, five-time World Chess Champ and all-around chill genius. They unpack his journey, AI’s chess takeover, and why he’d rather vibe than overthink.

Top Sips

"I think you can be dumb and be fairly good at chess."

- Brains help, but it’s all about patterns.

"If you randomize it, you’ll occasionally go aggressive."

- Magnus picks openings with an app, keeping it loose.

"I’m not a Michael Jordan type who goes all out every game."

- He’s in it for the love, not the grind.

The Blend

  • Magnus got hooked on chess to beat his sister, hit grandmaster at 13, and credits dodging Soviet-style rules for keeping it fun.
  • Garry Kasparov made him dynamic, but he skips coaches now — 'don’t mess with my head.'
  • Walk, NBA highlights, 15 minutes of chess, then dominate.
  • Oh, and those anal beads cheating rumors? Total myth — but cheating’s real, just subtler.

Bitter Notes

  • Computers crushed human chess dreams since Deep Blue. Stockfish reigns supreme.
  • Street hustlers? Overrated — though one weird pawn-pusher nearly stumped him.
  • Peak Magnus? 2019 — killer energy plus knowledge. Now, he’s wiser but slower.

Extra Shot

  • No nootropics, just omelets.
  • And he visualizes 3D boards blindfolded like a boss.

Sip On This

  • Follow @MagnusCarlsen on X for his latest moves
  • The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin for more chess soul
Brew Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕ 3.5/5 Beans — Tasty, laid-back, with a sneaky kick
Cup 1 of 4 Cups