Magnus Carlsen Back in Chess Tournament After Dress Code Dispute

World chess champion Magnus Carlsen is set to participate in the World Blitz Championship on Monday, following a decision by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to relax its dress code. This comes after Carlsen was fined and prevented from playing in a previous tournament for refusing to change out of jeans.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich announced on Sunday that tournament officials would now have the discretion to allow “appropriate jeans” when worn with a jacket, as well as other minor deviations from the standard dress code. Dvorkovich acknowledged that Carlsen’s stance highlighted the need for a broader discussion on adapting chess rules to reflect the sport’s global and accessible nature.

Carlsen, in a video posted on social media, confirmed his intention to participate in the World Blitz Championship while wearing jeans. The Norwegian grandmaster expressed his love for blitz chess and his desire for fans to enjoy the tournament. He also noted that recent discussions with FIDE had been encouraging.

The controversy began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sport coat to the Rapid World Championship. FIDE officials fined him $200 and requested he change his pants, citing longstanding rules prohibiting jeans at these events. When Carlsen refused, he was not paired for a ninth-round game.

Carlsen maintained that changing clothes would have disrupted his concentration between games and questioned whether he had actually broken any rules. He described the punishment as “unbelievably harsh” but stood by his decision not to change.

The incident has sparked a debate about dress codes in professional chess and the need to balance tradition with player comfort and accessibility.