Magnus Carlsen has announced his participation in the upcoming World Blitz Championship despite initially withdrawing from the event. The 18 version of Lichess Chess, a training and analysis tool, offers new possibilities for players.
Carlsen’s decision to participate came after he expressed frustration with the strict dress code enforced by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), which claims exclusive rights to award world championship titles in chess. The conflict centers around Carlsen’s support for Freestyle Chess, a more dynamic and open version of the game.
In an interview uploaded on YouTube 24 hours before the World Blitz Championship began, Carlsen stated that he would participate in at least one more day of the tournament if things go well. However, his participation was initially denied due to a dress code violation.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich relaxed the dress code for Carlsen after discussions with the player and other top grandmasters, allowing him to compete wearing jeans instead of traditional attire.
Source: https://en.chessbase.com/post/magnus-carlsen-participate-world-blitz