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Magnus Carlsen explains why he’s playing at World Rapid and Blitz despite jeansgate last year

When Carlsen was asked if there would be more controversy at this year's FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, like last year's jeansgate, he said "There always are incidents at the World Rapid and Blitz. I hope I'm not going to be part of it this time."

Magnus Carlsen arrives for his round 1 rapid game at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Doha. (PHOTO: Anna Shtourman)

Magnus Carlsen’s relationship with the global governing body of chess, FIDE, was at its worst last year during the World Rapid and Blitz Championship, when Carlsen, after being fined for wearing jeans, had pulled out of the World Rapid Championship rather than change into trousers in the middle of the event. He was eventually coaxed into playing at the FIDE World Blitz Championship, where he gave birth to another controversy by sharing the title with Ian Nepomniachtchi.

There were doubts about Carlsen playing in Doha for this year’s traditional year-ending championships. While Carlsen has competed in every World Rapid and Blitz Championship since 2014, and is playing at the ongoing event in Doha as the world number one in both formats, Carlsen almost did not make it to Qatar’s capital for the event. So what changed his mind?

“First of all, I found some motivation to play and compete against the best in a world championship setting. Apart from that, it’s become a tradition in Norway (to watch the World Rapid and Blitz on TV),” Carlsen said in an interview with Chess.com after the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’s final event.

When asked about his relationship with FIDE, Carlsen said: “I haven’t really spoken to FIDE people much for the last year at all. My contact with the World Rapid and Blitz has been with Muhammad, the organizer in Qatar, whom my family and I have a great relationship with. Which is also part of the reason why I wanted to play (at World Rapid and Blitz).”

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Carlsen was also asked if there would be more controversy at this year’s FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, like last year’s jeansgate.

“I’m sure that there will be incidents because there always are at the World Rapid and Blitz. I hope I’m not going to be part of it this time. That’s what I can say,” he added.

Carlsen was asked who would be favourite at the two events.

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“If I do well, I will have a great chance. Hikaru (Nakamura) is not there. Alireza (Firouzja) is not there as far as I know (Alireza eventually got a late entry to the tournament). That means there is a gap. I’m mainly focused on my own play. If I do well, I will have a great chance. After me, it’s very much a free-for-all,” Carlsen said before adding: “The Rapid is fewer rounds and significantly more random than the Blitz. In the Rapid, there’s probably 30 people who can win, and maybe seven or eight of them are young. (Volodar) Murzin did great last year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a top 10 player yet.”