Top chess player Magnus Carlsen is set to participate in the World Blitz Championship starting Monday after a dress code issue caused a dispute during the Rapid World Championship. The chess governing body, International Chess Federation (FIDE), has agreed to relax its dress code rules following the controversy.

On Friday, during the Rapid World Championship, Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat. This went against the tournament’s dress code, so he was fined $200 and not allowed to play in a late-round game because he refused to change his pants. Upset by this, Carlsen decided to leave the tournament, starting a discussion about how dress code rules are applied in chess.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich addressed the situation on Sunday, saying tournament officials could now consider allowing "appropriate jeans" paired with a jacket and other "elegant minor deviations" from the dress code. He added that Carlsen’s stance highlighted the need for better rules that align with chess as a “global and accessible sport.”

Carlsen stands firm, ready to compete in jeans

In a video posted on social media, Carlsen confirmed his participation in the World Blitz Championship while planning to wear jeans again. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said, but he emphasised his love for playing blitz and wanted fans to enjoy the games.

Carlsen explained that changing clothes between games could disrupt his concentration. “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said. Referring to his punishment as "unbelievably harsh," he suggested that he didn’t believe he had broken a rule.

Controversy sparks rule change

The problem started on Friday during the Rapid World Championship, which happened alongside the blitz event. Players are usually not allowed to wear jeans. An official fined Carlsen and told him to change his jeans, but he refused. Because of this, he wasn’t allowed to play in a ninth-round game.

FIDE explained that players could easily change clothes since they were staying nearby. However, Carlsen said that changing clothes would disturb his focus, so he decided not to follow the rule.

Another player, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was also fined earlier that day for wearing sports shoes. He agreed to change his shoes and continued playing.

This situation has started a bigger discussion about whether dress codes in chess tournaments should be updated. Carlsen’s decision to join the World Blitz Championship shows he’s determined to focus on the game. Meanwhile, FIDE is making changes to make chess more comfortable for players.