The world’s No 1 chess player Magnus Carlsen will return to the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York after initially withdrawing as he refused to change out of a pair of jeans.
The 34-year-old pulled out from the World Rapid Championship on Friday after breaching the dress code and opting not to change his attire.
However, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced on Sunday Carlsen would return for the World Blitz Championship. The organisation’s president Arkady Dvorkovich confirmed that while the official dress code would remain in place, it would be relaxed to accommodate “elegant minor deviations”.
A post on Carlsen’s X account read: “Oh, I am definitely playing in jeans tomorrow”.
“I am playing at least one more day here in New York and, if I do well, another day after that,” the Norwegian said, speaking to Take, Take, Take.
Why did Carlsen withdraw?
FIDE deemed Carlsen had broken the dress code for the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships by wearing jeans on Friday.
He was initially fined $200 and asked to change but he refused to and was subsequently not paired for round 9 of the World Rapid Championships.
Carlsen claimed he had worn jeans for a meeting and “didn’t even think” about swapping into different trousers for the tournament. He said he offered to change for the following day but this was not accepted.
“I had a nice lunch meeting before I came here, I barely had time to go to the room and change so I just put on a shirt and jacket, I didn’t even think about the jeans — I even changed my shoes,” he told Take, Take, Take.
“I got a warning that I would not be paired if I did not change my clothes. They said I could do it after the third round today. I said I’ll change tomorrow if that’s OK. They said you have to change now. At that point, it became a bit of a matter of principle for me.”
Carlsen (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
He then said he did not intend to return to defend his title in the World Blitz Championship, which begins on Monday.
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