Hikaru Nakamura: ‘There’s no one who wouldn’t watch chess because Magnus Carlsen is playing in jeans, or his underwear’ | Chess News
World No 3 chess star Hikaru Nakamura has slammed FIDE, the world governing body of chess, for their high-handed approach regarding dress code at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship. FIDE fined world no 1 Magnus Carlsen for wearing jeans at the event in New York and insed that he change, which led the Norwegian to quit the tournament.
“This thing about dress code, the sooner that chess moves into the 21st century and we don’t try to portray this fake image of these great geniuses who never say bad things, keep emotions aside, and are gentlemen like it’s the 1600! The sooner we get past this nonsense the better chess is going to be. It’s an antiquated view. It’s out of place. The notion of fining people, it’s really comical to me that FIDE tries to enforce this dress code,” said Nakamura on his YouTube channel.
Nakamura pointed out that most players competing at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship who are outside the top 10 ranks are “paying an arm, a leg and a kidney to compete in this event”.
Asked why players don’t get together to get the rules that don’t make any sense to change, Nakamura admitted that it’s very difficult for players to agree on things.
“Travel is very expensive, hotels are very expensive… all this adds up. Funny that FIDE tries to perpetuate this fake image telling players that they should go out and wear nice clothes when basically players are struggling to make a living and FIDE is not doing anything to support you. I think for me, that’s the biggest problem with FIDE right now. They think they’re living in a world where they think it’s the 1970s,” Nakamura added.
“Regarding Magnus playing in jeans, there is not a single person who won’t watch because Magnus is playing in jeans! Or in his underwear or Speedos! I don’t think there is a single person in the world who cares about these things at all. He’s the best player in the world, and that’s what they want to see. The whole thing is insane,” added Nakamura. “People are here to watch chess. They’re not here to follow this nonsense. It’s really a tragedy that we’re dealing with this. This could have easily been avoided if FIDE wasn’t so insane, for the lack of a better way of putting it.”
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