The fuss around the grand master’s wearing of denim pants to a tournament is a reflection of tensions within the game.

The player’s shock withdrawal prompted the International Chess Federation to relax a dress code that penalized him for wearing jeans to a New York tournament.

The world’s No 1 chess player Magnus Carlsen will return to the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York after initially withdrawing as he refused to change out of a pair of jeans. The 34-year-old pulled out from the World Rapid Championship on Friday after breaching the dress code and opting not to change his attire.

Magnus Carlsen has sensationally returned to a New York chess tournament after the governing body backed down in a row over the champion’s jeans. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Magnus Carlsen was disqualified from the 2024 World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York for violating the dress code by wearing jeans. Despite being fined and asked to change, Carlsen refused, leading to his disqualification by FIDE.

Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi have caused a stir in the chess community after agreeing to share the World Blitz Championship title earlier this week.

This is crazy , after multiple draws they took this decision