World No. 1 and current champion Magnus Carlsen had a rocky beginning to the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York City. On the first day of the tournament, Norwegian Grandmaster Carlsen only drew one game, and amassed 2.5 points. But things became catastrophic on Day 2 with Carlsen being disqualified for violating the dress code.

Why was Carlsen disqualified?

The five-time world champion was in trouble for showing up on Day 2 in jeans that were against the dress code for the prestigious tournament. FIDE officials fined Carlsen $200 and instructed him to change into formal attire immediately.

Carlsen, however, refused to comply on the spot and told them he would wear formals the following day but would not go back to change at that moment. This defiance led to his exclusion from Round 9, with FIDE Chief Arbiter Alex Holowzsak disqualifying him for failing to adhere to the regulations.

“FIDE regulations for the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, including the dress code, are designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants.”

“Today, Mr. Magnus Carlsen breached the dress code by wearing jeans, which are explicitly prohibited under long-standing regulations for this event. The Chief Arbiter informed Mr. Carlsen of the breach, issued a $200 fine, and requested that he change his attire. Unfortunately, Mr. Carlsen declined, and as a result, he was not paired for round nine. This decision was made impartially and applies equally to all players,” FIDE said in a statement.

Carlsen's response

Carlsen seemed unfazed by the disqualification. On his X account, formerly Twitter, he posted an image with the caption "OOTD" (Outfit Of The Day), trolling the situation. The post was immediately viral, garnering thousands of reposts and more than 26,000 likes.

Among the proponents of Carlsen was the famous YouTuber James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, known as 'MrBeast.' In the post, Donaldson responded, "Savage.”

The disqualification of Carlsen has brought up a heated debate within the chess fraternity as some people criticized FIDE for its strict dress code while others appreciated its decision to maintain professionalism.