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Magnus Carlsen quits chess championship after refusing to change out of jeans
npr ^ | 12/28/2024 | By Scott Neuman

Posted on 12/29/2024 12:31:48 PM PST by BenLurkin

Magnus Carlsen, the world's top chess player, has quit the World Rapid Chess Championship being held in New York after refusing to change out of jeans to abide by a dress code.

The Norwegian chess grandmaster was fined $200 on Friday and given a warning by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the governing body for international chess championships, to change into acceptable attire or be disqualified.

Five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen says he will not defend his title World Five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen says he will not defend his title Carlsen told chess channel Take Take Take that he'd been at a lunch meeting and arrived at the championship wearing a shirt, blazer and jeans and that he "didn't even think about" changing out of his jeans.

After receiving the fine, "I said I'll change tomorrow," Carlsen said. "But they said you have to change now. It became a matter of principle for me so here we are."

Carlsen's decision to withdraw from the World Rapid Championship means he will be unable to defend his title in that event, which he has won five times previously. His withdrawal also means he will not be able to defend his title in the World Blitz Championship, scheduled to take place afterward. Carlsen is a seven-time champion in blitz chess. The move opens the door for other top players to claim the prestigious titles.

In a statement, FIDE said that its regulations, including its dress code, are "designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants."

It said that jeans "are explicitly prohibited under long-standing regulations for this event" and that FIDE's decision "was made impartially and applies equally to all players.

FIDE pointed out that another player, Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi, had earlier been fined for wearing sports shoes in contravention of the dress code, but that he "complied, changed into approved attire, and continued to play in the tournament."

Carlsen told Take Take Take that he doesn't plan to appeal the decision. "Honestly I'm too old at this point to care too much. If this is what they want to do I'll probably set off to somewhere where the weather is a bit nicer," he said.

Carlsen, 34, became a grandmaster at age 13. In 2022, he resigned a game with fellow grandmaster Hans Niemann after a single move and subsequently accused the player of cheating. A judge later dismissed a $100 million defamation lawsuit filed by Niemann against Carlsen, according to Chess.com.


TOPICS: Hobbies; Miscellaneous; Sports
KEYWORDS: chess
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1 posted on 12/29/2024 12:31:48 PM PST by BenLurkin
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Good for him for not backing down. He was a big fan of Trump in the past, not sure about now.


2 posted on 12/29/2024 12:34:17 PM PST by RightWingNutJob69
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To: BenLurkin
"...he resigned a game with fellow grandmaster Hans Niemann after a single move and subsequently accused the player of cheating."

LOL...hard to cheat in one move. Or maybe his opponent opened by knocking over Carlsen's King?

3 posted on 12/29/2024 12:35:57 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (Marxism is a politics for the ugly, unwanted, uneducated, unhealthy, and insane.)
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To: BenLurkin

Many competitors are ritualist when it comes to competing. It’s a way to quit and set their mind by following a certain preparatory routine before going into competition.


4 posted on 12/29/2024 12:42:35 PM PST by iontheball
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Remember when Bobby Fisher claimed that Boris Spassky was making the neon light bulbs buzz so as to distract the American champion?


5 posted on 12/29/2024 12:43:52 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

Who knew competitive chess had a dress code?

But what’s the point, of losing his ability to compete, over such an issue?


6 posted on 12/29/2024 12:44:47 PM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Crappy writing. Magnus accused him of cheating in a tournament, then the next time they played, in a different tournament, Magnus made a single move then quit in protest over the alleged cheating in the prior tournament. It was a bit of a kerfluffle.


7 posted on 12/29/2024 12:44:48 PM PST by Retrofitted
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To: RightWingNutJob69; BenLurkin

There are rules in life.

We may not like them.

We can try to change them.

But until then, the rules reign.

This is like taking a knee…Mr Carlsen acted like a child.


8 posted on 12/29/2024 12:45:43 PM PST by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s² )
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To: Retrofitted

Thanks for clarifying. Crappy writing, indeed. Such crappy writing is so commonplace these days. The author could have used your two simple sentences to clarify.


9 posted on 12/29/2024 12:47:12 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (Marxism is a politics for the ugly, unwanted, uneducated, unhealthy, and insane.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

It’s chess; there’s always something:

“If you’re thinking
Of the kind of thing
That we’ve seen in the past
Chanting gurus, walkie-talkies,
Walkouts, hypnotists,
Tempers, fists,
Not so fast.”
-”The Arbiter”, “Chess the Musical” (1988)


10 posted on 12/29/2024 12:47:20 PM PST by Retrofitted
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To: BenLurkin

The real reason he pulled the stunt, so the theory goes, is that he was doing poorly and not on track to retain the title. So he did something to get kicked out rather than having to drop out or stay and lose the title.


11 posted on 12/29/2024 12:49:58 PM PST by libh8er
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

“LOL...hard to cheat in one move. Or maybe his opponent opened by knocking over Carlsen’s King?”

No cheating in that game. He resigned in protest over possible cheating in previous games.


12 posted on 12/29/2024 12:55:11 PM PST by TexasGator ('1/11111)
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To: iontheball

“Many competitors are ritualist when it comes to competing. It’s a way to quit and set their mind by following a certain preparatory routine before going into competition.

He had been abiding the dress code since he wasa little kid so I doubt jeans were a part of his routine.


13 posted on 12/29/2024 12:58:32 PM PST by TexasGator ('1/11111)
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To: DoodleBob

“There are rules in life.”

Except there isn’t. The people at the event were low ranking flunkies and did not even know the rule he supposedly broke. He actually is playing tomorrow in jeans and it is pre-approved since they were not prohibit in the first place. The jeans he wore to the event were brand new dark blue (nice looking) and he wore the FIDE Jacket and shirt.

https://youtu.be/4d5T4w5bEz8?si=TWWPoefqZwA7fD2f


14 posted on 12/29/2024 12:58:53 PM PST by BushCountry (A properly cast vote (1 day voting) can save you $2.00 a gallon.)
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To: RightWingNutJob69

So, clarify: do you think being a fan of Trump enables a person to ignore etiquette and refuse to abide by the longstanding traditions of the championship?

If this story is true as reported, the guy’s an egotistical, temperamental boor.


15 posted on 12/29/2024 1:04:02 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: BenLurkin

What if he wore slacks with jeans printed on them? Would that work?


16 posted on 12/29/2024 1:06:02 PM PST by Tom Tetroxide (Psalm 146:3 "Do not trust in princes, in the son of man, who has no salvation.")
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To: TexasGator

How is it possible to cheat at a venued accredited tournament with both officials and spectators watching?


17 posted on 12/29/2024 1:07:52 PM PST by desertsolitaire ( Lee Harvey Oswald and the Bands final performance)
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To: BenLurkin

Sorry, he’s changed his mind this morning and will compete in the tournament with appropriate wear.


18 posted on 12/29/2024 1:09:37 PM PST by BipolarBob (As it was in the days of Noah they were feasting, drinking egg nog and celebrating Christmas.)
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To: BenLurkin

darn! Now I’m going to have to watch paint dry!


19 posted on 12/29/2024 1:10:20 PM PST by 2nd Amendment
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To: 2nd Amendment

LOL!


20 posted on 12/29/2024 1:13:04 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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