As we farewell 2024 and welcome 2025, there has been some drama in the chess world. At the 2024 Rapid and Blitz Championship, on the brink of the new year, there has been quite the intensity – a scandal involving jeans and now two champions to share the crown?
Well it all began with the number 1 ranked player in the world, and reigning champion in the contest.
Yes. I’m speaking about Magnus Carlsen.
On the first day of the tournament, an arbiter approached Magnus about his jeans, citing a breach of FIDE’s dress code. Magnus was fined and asked to change, but the defending champion refused, promising to do so later.
In an interview with Take Take Take – a platform Magnus himself co-founded with Levy Rozman (aka Gotham Chess) – he admitted arriving at the tournament in a rush and being unprepared for the unexpected dress code requirements. He also revealed that he would withdraw from the tournament. This was not to everyone’s surprise.
Remember in 2023, when he pulled out of the World Championship after having won it ten years in a row prior?
But a withdrawal due to a dress code error was not expected.
“…honestly my patience with them was not very big to begin with and it’s it’s okay like they’re they can enforce their rules, that’s fine by me, and my response is…”
After a few days, however, Magnus announced that after a “fruitful” conversation with the FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich, he would return to the tournament. And soon enough, FIDE posted that a flexibility in the dress code would allow Magnus to still participate in the competition.
So guess who arrived just in time for the blitz knockout bracket?
That’s right. Magnus.
…in jeans.
And so the competition went on, as the final four went on to their semifinals. Magnus, after handling a tense comeback against Hans Niemann, would comfortably sweep past Jan-Krzystof Duda, of whom had beaten Fabiano Caruana in the earlier round. Meanwhile, on the other half, Ian Nepomniachtchi, of who you might remember lost to Ding Liren in the World Championship the same year Magnus pulled out, beat Volodar Murzin in the first round, winner of the rapid section, and outlasted Wesley So in a tough semifinal tiebreak.
And it came down to Magnus and Ian for the final.
While they ultimately shared the title, the match itself was anything but predictable. Magnus took the early lead with two wins. Nepo, however, was not so quick upon giving up. A dramatic comeback ensued, as he fought back in the third, and in the fourth with a brilliant knight sacrifice, led the defending champion to resign and level at two apiece. Then came three close draws and with still a equal score at 3.5 – 3.5, Magnus offered an interesting suggestion; that they share the title amongst the two of them. After some contemplation, Ian agreed. They presented this to the tournament officials and expressed that if it were to continue, neither side would have the complete energy to fully continue.
Deciding a winner from one succumbing to exhaustion felt much too cruel, so both players agreed it was better to share the title. Their suggestion was approved and thus Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi became joint World Blitz Champions. They split the prize money, but as there was only one trophy, Magnus kindheartedly let Ian keep it.
In a way, I guess kindheartedly really meant:
“I have too many, it’s not that precious to me, you can have it, for me it’s only going to take up more space.”
And so for the first, and quite possibly the last, time in history, there were two winners of the World Blitz Championship.
This decision not only showcased sportsmanship but also set a unique precedent in the chess world, reminding us that sometimes, collaboration can prevail over competition.
Peace! ✌️