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.
‘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.
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:
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.
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.