Magnus Carlsen recently appeared on the PGX Podcast to discuss players from different eras of the game. When asked to rank the older generation, he selected Kasparov first, followed by Fischer, Karpov, Vishy, and Kramnik. His assessment reflected the dominance these players have held throughout chess history.

For the modern era, Carlsen positioned Caruana at the top in classical play, with Nepo, Nakamura, and Karjakin following in that order. This ranking offered insight into how the world champion views his contemporaries and the players who shaped competitive chess in recent decades.

The young player category saw Pragg lead the group, ahead of Sindarov, Alireza, Arjun, and Gukesh. Carlsen's assessment of the active younger generation largely aligned with current classical live ratings, though he placed Nepomniachtchi above Nakamura despite their differing ranking positions.