I'm definitely playing in jeans! Magnus Carlsen forces FIDE to bend its knee, and its rules

Magnus Carlsen has forced FIDE to bend its knee, and more importantly, bend its rules over dress code for the World Blitz Chess Championship in New York starting on New Year's eve.

"FIDE is pleased to confirm that Magnus Carlsen will participate in the FIDE World Blitz Championship," the World chess body posted on Monday. "This is great news for the chess world. We are delighted that the reigning World Blitz Chess Champion will be competing to defend his title and aim for another crown at the highly anticipated event in New York," FIDE said.

Carlsen, who is the World No. 1, had forfeited the World Rapid Chess Championship with three more rounds remaining when he was penalised for wearing 'jeans'. Carlsen walked out in protest saying it was a matter of principle. While FIDE has not said anything about a relaxation over its dress code, Carlsen has made his intentions clear: "Oh, I am definitely playing in jeans tomorrow," said the Norwegian Super GM.

Speaking to chess content creator Levy Rozman on 'Take, Take, Take', an app he co-promotes, Carlsen said he had initially thought of not participating in the Blitz event too but had a rethink after talking to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. "We had a lot of discussions yesterday and we have a good relationship with FIDE President Dvorkovich... Speaking to Dvorkovich and the main sponsor, Turlov, it did feel we could have some fruitful discussions, and at the end of the day, I decided to play,” Carlsen said.

What happens next?
"I think there have been slight alterations to the rules... I think it has to be about the intent of the rule. It need to be necessarily down to the letter of the law. That is how it should be.

"What will happen now is there will be some room for arbiters to use commonsense," Carlsen said. "We want the same thing, we don't want people turning up for these events not putting any effort into how they present themselves. We want the players to be comfortable and relatively presentable."

Carlsen stands firm
Carlsen maintains that he did not break any rules by turning up in jeans for the World Rapid championship.

"Of course, I could have changed, but I didn't want to. I thought the punishment they were going to hand out for what was possibly not even as infraction was unbelievably harsh, and I didn't agree with it. I stand by that.

"I know that not every player has the same means for clothes. We are generally not in disagreement. It is not like I didn't comply at all, I accepted the fine, no question. I said it was an honest mistake and that I would change the next day. It is not like I didn't comply at all.

"A couple of years ago in Kazakhstan, through my own fault, I was late from a ski trip, stuck in traffic, and I turned up in sweat pants because I simply had no chance to change and I wanted to get there as quickly as possible, and I know that generally, it is not acceptable. Of course, I changed before the next round because what I wore was not appropriate attire. But what I wore (the other day) was appropriate for any reasonable person, at a 200-player chess tournament."