Magnus Carlsen, the five-time World Chess Champion, became a father for the first time last week when he and his wife, Ella Victoria Carlsen, welcomed their newborn on September 27. Ella shared a heartwarming photo of Magnus and their child sleeping side by side to announce the news, which drew an outpouring of congratulations from the global chess community. However, it was FIDE, the world governing body for chess, whose response caught attention.
FIDE social media post
FIDE posted on social media, “Congratulations. Magnus Carlsen has great genes,” referencing the American Eagle ad tagline featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. The post also subtly alluded to the so-called ‘jeans-gate’ incident at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz in December last year. During that event, Carlsen had withdrawn from the Rapid portion after being warned by an arbiter to change his jeans between rounds. The incident led to Carlsen boycotting part of the tournament in New York before an agreement was reached, allowing him to return for the World Blitz Championship. On the question of whether his child will play chess, Carlsen previously told the BotezLive YouTube channel, “I will not force anything on my kids when that day comes, but I think chess is a great game and it’s fun, and I think I will at least encourage my kids to test it.” Magnus and Ella married in January earlier this year. In an interview after their marriage, Carlsen was asked if it had impacted his chess. He joked, “I should be very careful about what I say right now,” before adding, “I’ve generally played quite well and had fun playing chess since we got together. I’ve won 100 percent of my classical tournaments—granted I’ve only played one. She’s a great support at tournaments as well. She understood quite quickly that I get a little moody when I play, but she deals with that pretty well.” This joyful chapter in Carlsen’s life has been celebrated across the chess world, marking a personal milestone for the world number one.
