Magnus Carlsen reclaims World Rapid chess title after forfeiting it last year over ‘jeans’

Magnus Carlsen reclaimed the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship after forfeiting the title last year over an infamous dress code violation for wearing jeans during the event.

The World No 1 finished on 10.5 points at the end of the 13-round Rapid event in the Open category in Doha on Sunday. Aleksandra Goryachkina clinched the women's World Rapid title.

Carlsen won 10 rounds, drew two others and lost just once — Round 7 against Vladislav Artemiev. Russian Artemiev, who led the event for the most part, remained unbeaten on 9.5 points.

Carlsen has six Rapid world titles in the bag. He was the favourite to make it a hat-trick of triumphs in New York last December before a controversy emerged over dress code violation.

Carlsen stunned the chess world by walking out of the tournament hall, protesting FIDE's demand that players cannot wear jeans.

Carlsen had the last laugh as his protest forced FIDE to give relaxations to its dress code. The superstar returned to the championship, wearing jeans, and won the Blitz world title, which he famously shared with Ian Nepomniachtchi. Carlsen did not stop there and put up his 'game-worn' jeans for auction, fetching a whopping $36,100 (approximately ₹31.5 lakh) that he gave for charity.