What Magnus Carlsen's Jeans Have to Do with Chess
Briefly

Carlsen emphasized that he was too old to care about FIDE's dress code enforcement, stating, "I'm too old at this point to care too much. My patience with [FIDE] was not very big to begin with." His decision to accept the fine underscored a principle he held about personal expression versus institutional rules, demonstrating a growing discomfort with traditional standards imposed by governing bodies.
Hikaru Nakamura highlighted the absurdity of the situation, arguing, "I don't think there's a single player... who's not going to watch the event because Magnus is playing in jeans or his underwear or, I don't know, a Speedo." This viewpoint resonated with many in the chess community, showing that the focus should remain on players' skills rather than their attire, reflecting a modern shift in public perception of competitive standards.
Read at The New Yorker
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