Magnus Collection › Openings › Flank Openings

Opening · 389 games

Magnus Carlsen in Flank Openings

389 games of Magnus Carlsen in Flank Openings, 2010 to 2025: 275 wins, 59 draws, 55 losses. Every game can be replayed move by move.

Quick answer · Updated October 2026

Does Magnus Carlsen play Flank Openings?

Yes. Magnus Carlsen has played Flank Openings in 389 games in our database (2010–2025): 275 wins, 59 draws and 55 losses, a score of 78.3%. He had it 306 times with White (226–38–42) and 83 times with Black (49–21–13).

Type of event	Games	Carlsen won	Drawn	Opponent won	Carlsen score
Classical	4	3	1	0	87.5%
Rapid	44	25	13	6	71.6%
Blitz and bullet	326	237	43	46	79.3%
Other events	15	10	2	3	73.3%
All games	389	275	59	55	78.3%

First game in our databaseMagnus Carlsen vs Vassily Ivanchuk · 19th Amber Blindfold · 13 March 2010 · 0-1

Latest gameOlexandr Bortnyk vs Magnus Carlsen · World Blitz 2025 · 29 December 2025 · ½-½

Classical games4: 3–1–0 (won–drawn–lost)

His most played move order1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O (7 games)

Busiest year2023, with 98 games

Replay all 389 games Magnus Carlsen profile All Magnus openings

Source: the Rama Chess database of 7,484 Magnus Carlsen games, 2001 to 2025 (many of his games, not all of them). Opening names follow the ECO code of each game. The type of event is read from the event name.

The opening

Flank Openings: the starting moves

Flank Openings chess opening position after 1.b3, board diagram — Flank openings are the first moves other than 1.e4 and 1.d4 that are not the English or Réti; in his games the most common start is **1.b3**.

In his own games the line he reached most often is **1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O** (7 games).

Best wins

Magnus Carlsen's Flank Openings wins against top players

Magnus Carlsen vs Jeffery Xiong, 1-0Titled Tue 11th Mar Late · 11 March 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 49 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Pentala Harikrishna, 1-0Titled Tue 11th Mar Late · 11 March 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 31 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura, 1-0Titled Tue 13th May Early · 13 May 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 48 moves
R Praggnanandhaa vs Magnus Carlsen, 0-1SuperUnited CRO Blitz 2025 · 5 July 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 60 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Le Tuan Minh, 1-0Titled Tue 19th Aug Early · 19 August 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 26 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Jeffery Xiong, 1-0Titled Tue 19th Aug Late · 19 August 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 48 moves

Results by year

Flank Openings by year (2010–2025)

Carlsen wonDrawnOpponent won

Record · Updated October 2026

Magnus Carlsen's record in Flank Openings

The Rama Chess archive holds 389 games in which Magnus Carlsen played Flank Openings, from 2010 to 2025. He won 275, drew 59 and lost 55, a score of 78.3%. The games come from all time controls (classical, rapid and blitz).

He has had this opening on the board mostly with White: 306 games as White (226 wins, 38 draws, 42 losses) and 83 games as Black (49 wins, 21 draws, 13 losses).

His most frequent opponents here are Hikaru Nakamura (25), Wesley So (15), Vladislav Artemiev (9). The earliest game is from 2010 (19th Amber Blindfold) and the most recent from 2025 (Titled Tue 7th Jan Late). The ECO code seen most often is A00.

Replay the games Magnus Carlsen profile All his openings Learn openings

By colour

With White and with Black

Carlsen played	Games	Won	Drawn	Lost	Score
White	306	226	38	42	80%
Black	83	49	21	13	72%
All games	389	275	59	55	78%

Year by year

Flank Openings games by year

Year	Games	Won	Drawn	Lost	Score
2010	4	1	1	2	38%
2012	1	1	0	0	100%
2013	1	1	0	0	100%
2014	3	3	0	0	100%
2015	2	2	0	0	100%
2016	11	8	2	1	82%
2017	11	10	1	0	95%
2018	15	9	4	2	73%
2019	2	2	0	0	100%
2020	12	7	3	2	71%
2021	31	13	6	12	52%
2022	47	32	10	5	79%
2023	98	72	13	13	80%
2024	64	49	7	8	82%
2025	87	65	12	10	82%

Opponents

Who he played most in Flank Openings

Hikaru Nakamura · 25 Wesley So · 15 Vladislav Artemiev · 9 Andrew Tang · 8 Alexander Grischuk · 6 Jeffery Xiong · 6 Olexandr Bortnyk · 6 Le Tuan Minh · 6

All 389 games: Magnus Carlsen in Flank Openings

Year

Game

ECO

Result