The jeans chess player Magnus Carlsen wore when the world No 1 withdrew from a tournament over its dress code have been sold in an eBay auction for $36,100 with proceeds going to charity.
Carlsen, and the Coreliani jeans he was wearing, made headlines at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in 2024 in December when the five-time world champion initially quit the New York tournament after officials had deemed he had broken its rules on clothing.
The Norwegian was fined $200 and asked to change. When he refused to do so, he was subsequently not paired for the ninth round.
Last month, Carlsen posted on X: “The forbidden jeans — can now be yours. I am auctioning my jeans. A sentence I never thought I would write. But here we are.”
OOTD pic.twitter.com/9reOP6zuJv
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) December 28, 2024
The Norwegian said at the time he had worn the jeans for a meeting and “didn’t even think” about wearing different trousers for the tournament. He said he had offered to change for the following day but that was not accepted.
A few days later, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced Carlsen would return for the World Blitz Championship, with president Arkady Dvorkovich confirming that while the official dress code would remain in place it would be relaxed to accommodate “elegant minor deviations”.
After 10 days on eBay, the jeans, which retail at a few hundred dollars, were sold with proceeds going to youth mentoring charity, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA).
“Chess has long been a favorite activity for Bigs and Littles in our program. It creates opportunities for mentorship, critical thinking, and lifelong connections,” Artis Stevens, CEO of BBBSA, said, as reported by Chess.com.
“With the proceeds from this auction, Big Brothers Big Sisters will expand its efforts by organizing chess clinics, community events, and more, equipping youth with essential skills to navigate life’s challenges.”
Carlsen is considered one of the finest chess players in history and in addition to his five world chess championships is also a five-time world rapid champion and an eight-time world blitz champion.
(Top photo: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP via Getty Images)
