Carlsen isn't the only contemporary chess star who has taken a liking to poker. Popular chess streamer Alexandra Botez is 🧬 also here at EPT Monte Carlo, as is two-time United States Women's Champion and PokerStars Pro Jen Shahade.
"I think the 🧬 current World Champion Ding (Liren) here should be really strong," he said. "I know from talking to him, he calculates 🧬 really quickly in chess is really, really good at math. So I'm sure he could do well."
But Carlsen, who cited 🧬 Rafael Nadal, not Jordan, as his greatest sports influence, said such a comparison would be a mistake.
"I don't like to 🧬 take a lot of pride and my poker," he said. "So I'm trying to, you know, learn a little bit, 🧬 so it doesn't bother me that much. But if I do something really stupid, then that's to be expected. So 🧬 that's fine."