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World chess No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has quit a major tournament after being told he could not continue playing in jeans.
The chess great was defending his titles at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York when officials made the request.
The grandmaster said he offered to change his pants the next day, but was fined and told to change immediately.
The chess federation (FIDE) said the dress code rules were designed to “ensure fairness and professionalism for all participants”.
Carlsen is a famous chess figure who has caused some controversy in recent years.
Last year, he settled a long-running lawsuit accusing an opponent of cheating at a tournament.
On Friday, he pulled out of the short-form championship due to an altercation over his clothing. Carlsen was the reigning blitz and rapid chess champion.
He added that he would not appeal the decision, saying: “Honestly, I’m too old at this point to care too much.”
He said he was wearing jeans to a lunch meeting and “didn’t even think about” changing them for another pair of pants as he headed to the tournament.
He showed up in a shirt, jacket, dark jeans and shoes and played a few rounds before being asked to change.
When his offer to change the next day was rejected, Carlsen said it “became a bit of a principle for me”.
In a statement, FIDE confirmed the 34-year-old had been fined $200 (£159) and said its rules were applied “impartially”. They cited a case where another player was fined the same day before changing shoes.
Carlsen is a five-time world chess champion and maintains a leading position in the sport.
The Norwegian has long been considered a chess player in the chess world since becoming a grandmaster – the highest title in chess – at the age of 13.
In a settled dispute with opponent Hans Niemann, Carlsen withdrew from the 2022 tournament after Niemann beat him before accusing his American rival of cheating.
Niemann denied the allegations and even said that he would “undress” to prove his innocence.
Last August, the couple settled the lawsuit for $100m (£79m).
