Putting your heart into it
In April 2025, during the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, a fascinating scene captivated the chess world: Magnus Carlsen was measured mid-game with a heart rate of just 42 beats per minute!
When asked about it on Twitter, Magnus simply replied “It’s called hvilepuls” — a Norwegian term meaning resting heart rate. Make of that what you will!
For comparison, Fabiano Caruana — widely regarded as the second-best chess player on the planet behind the GOAT — hit a peak of 170 bpm in time trouble against Aronian in 2024! More than four times Carlsen’s rate!
Caruana has spoken about this, saying he could feel his heart pounding during the game — which is hardly surprising given that heart rate. Having recently experienced the same thing myself during a game, I can tell you: the first time, it catches you off guard!
| Situation | BPM |
|---|---|
| Carlsen | 42 |
| Deep sleep | 35–50 |
| Resting | 60–80 |
| Light mental activity | 65–85 |
| Moderate effort | 90–120 |
| Intense effort | 130–170 |
| Max effort / acute stress | 170–200+ |