New World Chess Champ Magnus Carlsen Shatters Nerdy Stereotypes

Reach into your stereotype bank and picture the quintessential chess world champion. The champ is probably a little on the older side, to start. Sits stooped over the board, face pinched and puckered by stress and concentration. There may well be an Eastern Bloc accent involved, or at least a vague general sense of foreign other-ness. Away from the chess board, he's rarely seen in public—and certainly doesn't post goofy photos of himself on social media for all the Internet to see

Now take all those stereotypes and throw them out the nearest metaphorical window. Magnus Carlsen, the 22-year-old Norwegian who was crowned chess's newest world champion on Friday, breaks nearly every pre-conceived notion about the world's nerdiest sport. Read more...