Carlsen often seems to win without doing anything in particular, but doing it very well. Commentators have tried to explain his peculiar gift by appealing to 'nettlesome' moves, moves that have no obvious dangers, but perhaps are surprisingly awkward to meet.

Opening

Carlsen, particularly when younger, has been noted more for his avoidance of sharp and theoretical lines, than having signature opening systems. He often seems content to aim for a 'normal' White plus in the opening, hoping to build on it later on, particularly in blitz. Nonetheless, he has often embraced some deep theory, and his defence of his title against Caruana owed much to the Sveshnikov Sicilian.

[Event "Carlsen - Caruana World Championship Ma"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2018.11.28"]
[Round "13.2"]
[White "Fabiano Caruana"]
[Black "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B33"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[EventDate "2018.11.09"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 {
Less common than 7.Bg5, but Caruana stuck with it after dropping the Rossolimo.
} Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 {The stage is set for a White Queen's-side attack and
for Black to counter on the other wing.} Ng6 10. Qa4 Bd7 11. Qb4 Qb8 12. h4 h5
13. Be3 a6 14. Nc3 a5 15. Qb3 a4 {These little pawn runs are quite common in
Carlsen's quickplay games.} 16. Qd1 Be7 17. g3 Qc8 18. Be2 Bg4 19. Rc1 Bxe2 20.
Qxe2 Qf5 21. c5 {White has to try this break.} O-O {Risky?} 22. c6 {This must
be the most dangerous idea.} bxc6 23. dxc6 Rfc8 24. Qc4 Bd8 25. Nd5 {An echo
of White's 7th move.} e4 26. c7 {Tactically flawed} Bxc7 27. Nxc7 Ne5 {and Nd3+
} 28. Nd5 Kh7 (28... Kh7 29. Ne7 Qf3) 0-1

'Only' a blitz game? Commercial pressures mean that the top players have to engage each other more often at speed, and Carlsen has been, if anything, more dominant at blitz play than classical.

Middlegame

Carlsen plays with a subtlety few can match or understand, but sometimes he plays a game where the themes are clearer. Here he is demonstrating the d5 outpost in a modern setting, the Maroczy Bind, and the virtues of the French Defence.

[Event "Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "St Louis, MO USA"]
[Date "2015.08.27"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Black "Wesley So"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2853"]
[BlackElo "2779"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2015.08.21"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3
Nbd7 9. Qd2 b5 10. O-O-O Be7 11. g4 b4 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. exd5 Nb6 14. Na5 Nbxd5
{All theory so far.} 15. Nc4 $1 {Sacrificing a pawn to get a bind.} Nxe3 16.
Nxe3 O-O 17. Bc4 Nd7 18. h4 a5 19. g5 Rc8 20. Bd5 {White dominates d5 while
the black Bishop is doing the work of a pawn.} Nb6 21. Kb1 Qc7 22. Rhf1 Nxd5
23. Nxd5 {I've shown outpost games on this site before, but can such a basic
strategy work in the modern era? Well, yes, but you might have to work harder..
.} Qb7 24. f4 f5 25. Qe3 e4 26. h5 Rc5 27. h6 $1 g6 {White has greatly
weakened the black King's-side.} 28. Qb3 Rf7 29. a4 Bd8 30. Rd4 Kf8 31. Rfd1
Rc6 32. Ne3 Bb6 {The Bishop is finally allowed to speak, having transferred to
the Queen's-side. However, there is no easy way back to defend the King.} 33.
Nc4 $1 Bxd4 34. Nxa5 Qb6 35. Nxc6 Bc5 36. Qd5 e3 37. a5 Qb5 38. Nd8 Ra7 39.
Ne6+ Ke8 40. Nd4 Qxa5 41. Qg8+ Kd7 42. Qxh7+ {Now White will have a huge asset
in any endgame.} Kc8 43. Qg8+ Kb7 {The King races to be with the rest of his
gang.} 44. c3 bxc3 45. Qb3+ {White's King now also enjoys the protection of
other pieces, and can consider pushing the h-pawn.} Qb6 46. Qxb6+ {Safety first
} Kxb6 47. bxc3 Bxd4 48. Rxd4 {Black can't run the e-pawn:} Kc6 (48... e2 49.
Rxd6+ Kc5 50. Re6) 49. Kc2 Ra2+ 50. Kd1 Rf2 51. Ke1 Kd7 52. Ra4 Ke6 53. Ra8 Rh2
54. c4 Kf7 55. Rb8 Ke6 56. Rg8 {White cleans up.} 1-0

[Event "London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2012.12.07"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Black "Judit Polgar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A33"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2012.12.01"]

{Judit Polgar likes to attack, likes sharp play, likes the initiative. She did
not look happy during this game...} 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 e6 6. a3 Bc5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. e4 {The Maroczy Bind, although an uncommon
version.} O-O 9. Be2 b6 10. O-O Bb7 11. Bf4 d6 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Re1 Ne5 14. Nd2
Nfd7 15. Be3 Qc7 16. b4 Qb8 17. f4 Ng6 18. g3 {White has seized space all over
the board.} Rfe8 19. Bf3 Qa8 20. Bf2 Ngf8 21. Qe2 Qb8 22. Red1 g6 23. e5 {
Poking, I thought, at the weak d-pawn, but the d-pawn does not feel poked.} Bc6
24. Bd4 Red8 25. Bxc6 Rxc6 26. Nf3 dxe5 {Maybe best, but White fixes some
holes in Black's position.} 27. fxe5 Rdc8 28. Ne4 Qc7 29. Nfd2 a6 30. Nf2 Bg5
31. Rf1 $1 {Letting go the e-pawn for a chance to get pieces into the holes.}
Bxd2 32. Qxd2 Nxe5 33. Bxe5 Qxe5 34. Ng4 Rd6 35. Nh6+ Kg7 36. Rxf7+ Kh8 37. Qf2
Qd4 38. c5 bxc5 39. Qxd4+ Rxd4 40. Rxc5 Rcd8 41. Rcc7 {The Maroczy bind is
long past, but White still has a strong grip on the position.} Rd1+ 42. Kg2
R1d2+ 43. Kh3 R2d5 44. Ng4 Rh5+ 45. Kg2 Rd2+ 46. Kf3 Rf5+ 47. Ke3 Rxf7 48. Rxf7
Rd8 49. Nf6 Rb8 50. Kf4 h6 51. Ke5 {It's close to zugzwang: a King march to e7
will decide.} a5 52. bxa5 Ra8 53. a6 1-0

[Event "Corus A"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2010.01.27"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2810"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventDate "2010.01.16"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2010.01.22"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2
O-O 9. Be2 a6 10. O-O b5 11. Kh1 {Avoiding theory, of which there is a whole
lot.} Qc7 12. a3 Bb7 13. Rad1 Rac8 14. Qe1 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Bc5 17.
Qh4 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 f6 19. Bd3 h6 $1 {Conceding a weakness, of course, but best.}
20. exf6 Rxf6 {Black can double up on the newly opened file.} 21. f5 $2 Rcf8
22. Rg1 Nc5 23. fxe6 Nxe6 24. Rg4 Nf4 25. Qg3 Qe7 26. Rxf4 Rxf4 27. Ne2 Rf1 28.
Nd4 Rxg1+ 29. Kxg1 Re8 30. h4 {Black's pawn is blockaded and his bishop is bad,
but his major pieces are great.} Qe1+ 31. Kh2 Qxg3+ 32. Kxg3 Kf7 33. Kf2 Kf6
34. g3 Bc8 35. c3 Bg4 36. Bc2 g5 37. hxg5+ hxg5 38. Bb3 Ke5 39. Bc2 Rf8+ 40.
Kg2 Bd7 41. Nf3+ Kf6 42. Bb3 g4 43. Nd4 Ke5 44. Bc2 a5 45. Bd1 Ke4 0-1

Endgame

Carlsen has taken endgame grinding to a new level; everyone is scared of his ability to find tiny improvements and niggles that add up to a win, at least in practical play. Perhaps some of these endgames are drawn on paper, but chess, it should be noted, is played on a board. Offered without notes, as a study in pure will to win:

[Event "World Championship Candidates"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2013.03.31"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Teimour Radjabov"]
[Black "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E32"]
[PlyCount "178"]
[EventDate "2013.03.14"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 e5 8. O-O
c6 9. Rd1 Re8 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. a3 Bxc3 12. Qxc3 Qe7 13. b4 Nb6 14. Be3 Ng4 15.
Nd2 f5 16. h3 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 e4 18. Rac1 Be6 19. Qc3 Rad8 20. Bf1 c5 21. bxc5
Na4 22. Qb4 Nxc5 23. Nb3 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Na6 25. Qxe7 Rxe7 26. e3 Kf7 27. Be2 b6
28. Rd8 Nc5 29. Nd4 Kf6 30. Kf1 Rd7 31. Rf8+ Bf7 32. Ke1 g6 33. h4 h6 34. Rc8
Be6 35. Rf8+ Rf7 36. Rh8 Rc7 37. Nb5 Rd7 38. Nd4 h5 39. Rf8+ Bf7 40. Rc8 Ke5
41. Ra8 a6 42. Rc8 Rd6 43. Nc6+ Kf6 44. Nd4 Be6 45. Rf8+ Ke7 46. Ra8 Rd7 47.
Rb8 Rb7 48. Rxb7+ Nxb7 49. Kd2 Kd6 50. Kc3 Bf7 51. Nb3 Ke5 52. Bf1 a5 53. Be2
Be6 54. Bf1 Bd7 55. Be2 Ba4 56. Nd4 Nc5 57. Kb2 Be8 58. Kc3 Bf7 59. Nc6+ Kd6
60. Nd4 Nd7 61. Nb5+ Kc5 62. Nd4 Ne5 63. Nb3+ Kc6 64. a4 Kd7 65. Nd4 Kd6 66.
Nb5+ Kc5 67. Nd4 Be8 68. Nb3+ Kd6 69. c5+ Kc7 70. Kd4 Nc6+ 71. Kc3 Ne7 72.
cxb6+ Kxb6 73. Nd2 Bxa4 74. Nc4+ Ka6 75. Na3+ Kb7 76. Nc4 Ka6 77. Na3+ Ka7 78.
Kd4 Nc6+ 79. Kc5 Ne5 80. Nc4 Nd3+ 81. Kd4 Nc1 82. Bf1 Bb5 83. Nxa5 Bxf1 84.
Nc6+ Kb6 85. Ne7 Nd3 86. Nxg6 Kc7 87. Ne7 Bh3 88. Nd5+ Kd6 89. Nf6 Bg4 0-1

Here's one showing the two Bishops in a position where the Knights didn't look too badly off -- in fact, some commentators dismissed it as drawn.

[Event "London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2015.12.11"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Black "Hikaru Nakamura"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D12"]
[PlyCount "155"]
[EventDate "2015.12.03"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. cxd5 cxd5 7. Nc3 e6 8. g4
Bg6 9. Ne5 Nfd7 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Bg2 Nc6 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Bb4+ 14. Nc3 Nb6
15. O-O O-O 16. d5 exd5 17. Nxd5 Bc5 18. Nc3 Bd4 19. Qf3 Qf6 20. Qxf6 Bxf6 21.
Bf4 Rad8 22. Rad1 Bxc3 23. bxc3 {BB vs NN} Na4 24. c4 Nc3 25. Rd2 Rxd2 26. Bxd2
Ne2+ 27. Kh2 Rd8 28. Be3 Nc3 29. a3 Rd3 30. Rc1 Nd1 31. Be4 Rd7 32. Bc5 Nb2 33.
Rc2 Na4 34. Be3 Nb6 35. c5 Nd5 36. Rd2 Nf6 37. Rxd7 Nxd7 {Now a pure BB/NN
endgame} 38. Kg3 Kf8 39. f4 Nf6 40. Bf3 Ke7 41. f5 gxf5 42. gxf5 Kd7 {White
has split pawns and no way of pushing the Knights back} 43. Kf4 Ne8 44. Kg5 Ke7
45. Bf4 a6 46. h4 Kf8 47. Bg3 Nf6 48. Bd6+ Ke8 49. Kf4 Nd7 50. Bg2 Kd8 51. Kg5
Ke8 52. h5 {Undermining the support point for the Knight.} Nf6 53. h6 Nh7+ 54.
Kh5 Nf6+ 55. Kg5 Nh7+ 56. Kh4 gxh6 57. Kh5 Nf6+ 58. Kxh6 {The Knights jump out,
trying to win pawns.} Ng4+ 59. Kg7 Nd4 60. Be4 Nf2 61. Bb1 Ng4 62. Bf4 f6 63.
Be4 Nf2 64. Bb1 Ng4 65. Be4 Nf2 66. Bxb7 {Giving up the f-pawn?} Nd3 67. Kxf6 {
No, the Bishop!} Nxf4 68. Ke5 Nfe2 69. f6 a5 70. a4 Kf7 71. Bd5+ Kf8 $2 72. Ke4
Nc2 73. c6 Nc3+ 74. Ke5 Nxa4 75. Bb3 Nb6 76. Bxc2 a4 77. c7 Kf7 78. Bxa4 1-0

Here is a brisk and more straightforward effort. White's pawn advances on the King's-side made them vulnerable, and Black abandoned the Queen's-side to attack them. Black then invested two Rooks for the Queen: often the Rooks are better, but with White's King exposed and with more than one pawn to tease White with, the Queen was boss.

[Event "World Blitz Championship"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2009.11.18"]
[Round "38"]
[White "Viswanathan Anand"]
[Black "Magnus Carlsen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteElo "2788"]
[BlackElo "2801"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "2009.11.16"]
[EventType "blitz"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 Bf5 7. h3 c6 8. Nf3
Nbd7 9. g4 {Trying to make life awkward for Black.} Be4 10. Bg2 O-O 11. O-O Re8
12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2 Nf8 15. b4 Ng6 16. Bg3 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6
18. Rab1 a6 19. a4 Nh4 20. b5 {Classic minority attack stuff; Black tries to
make mischief on the Queen's-side. White's minority attack will create a pawn
weakness.} axb5 21. axb5 Qg6 22. bxc6 bxc6 23. Rfc1 h5 {Black takes a
can-opener to the King's-side.} 24. Qc2 Qg5 25. Qxc6 Nxg2 26. Kxg2 hxg4 27. h4
Qf5 28. Qd6 Qf3+ 29. Kg1 Ra2 $1 {The initiative has passed to Black.
Uncomfortable!} 30. Rf1 Rxe3 $1 31. Qd8+ Kh7 32. Qg5 g3 $1 {A little tactic
appears:} 33. Qxe3 gxf2+ 34. Qxf2 Rxf2 35. Rxf2 {White is not so badly off for
material, but the exposure of the King is fatal.} Qg4+ {Two Rooks are normally
more than a match for the Queen, but the exposed King and passed pawn mean
White is lost.} 36. Rg2 Qxd4+ 37. Kh1 Qe4 38. Rf1 f5 39. Kg1 d4 40. Rgf2 d3 41.
h5 Qg4+ 42. Rg2 Qd4+ 43. Kh1 d2 44. Rgg1 f4 45. Kg2 Qe3 46. Rh1 Qg3# {The
swallowtail mate.} 0-1