Dear chess fans,
this is really crazy!
In the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2024 currently held in New York, the top seeded player and reigning Rapid Champion Magnus Carlsen was wearing jeans in round 7 and was warned by the arbiter. According to the dress code jeans are not allowed for whatever reason. Also Ian Nepomniachtchi did the same violation and got the same fine of 200$. But unlike Nepo, in the next round Magnus again wore jeans and the arbiter decided to create a scandal and did not pair him for round 9.
https://x.com/chesscom/status/1872783469165855137
So Magnus´ chance to catch up in the rankings (he had a bad first day with only 2,5 out of 5 games) was severly hindered.
But Magnus decided to not play on and leave the tournament, here his reaction!
https://x.com/Blazie_Harsh/status/1872784477354902012
I agree with Magnus - to forfeit a game because of wearing jeans is more than ridiculous. Especially in the US where people wear whatever they want.
Maybe he was also fed up with his performance and used this as a way to exit the tournament. In any case FIDE did not show here any sensibility in dealing with the no.1 attraction of the tournament.
What do you think?
PS: Here is a longer interview with him:
https://x.com/Lebrun_Cat/status/1872784469268283728
And here the official statement of FIDE:
https://x.com/FIDE_chess/status/1872787870106435883