Norwegian, Mark Carlsen , World chess number one defending his titles at Fife World Rapid  and Blitz Chess Championships in New York has quit a major tournament after being told he could not carry on playing while wearing jeans.

The grandmaster said he had offered to change his trousers for the next day, but was fined and told he needed to change immediately.

The chess federation (Fide) said its dress code regulations were designed to “ensure fairness and professionalism for all participants”

Last year, he settled a long-running legal dispute after accusing a rival opponent Hans Niemann, of cheating in the tournament. Carlsen quit a tournament in 2022 after Niemann beat him, before going on to accuse his American rival of cheating.

Niemann had denied the allegations, and even said he would “strip fully naked” to prove his innocence.

The pair went on to settle a $100m (£79m) lawsuit in August last year.

On Friday he pulled out of the championships for the short form versions of the game due to the dress altercation. Carlsen is a five-time World Chess Champion, and retains the top ranking in the sport and reigning Blitz and Rapid Chess champions.

He wouldn’t be appealing the decision, saying: “Honestly, I am too old at this point to care too much.”

Fide confirmed the 34-year-old was fined $200 (£159), and said its rules were applied

“impartially”. They cited a case where another player was fined on the same day before changing his shoes.

Carlson is considered a maverick in the chess world since becoming a grandmaster – the top title in chess – at the age of 13.