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There was similar drama exactly a year ago recently about a woman chess player wearing "sport shoes": https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/28/world/asia/chess-fine-sho...



For God's sake, no pictures of the shoes in that article, just a link to a long ass video where she allegedly holds them up. Im not watching a 20 minute video to see shoes.

At least the Daily Fail has pictures - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12908497/Chess-kaza...


Those look like pricey converse knock-offs, which implies the organisers are operating under a different definition of "sport shoes" than the rest of us...


Doing a real service to humanity.

Also - those shoes are ugly. Yet, I would not think twice about appropriateness. Would seem fine to wear to work, a funeral, or a state function.


The rules specifically said "dress to impress" and she wore thousand dollar shoes. Ridiculous. Good for Magnus, somebody needs to take a stand and he's got the clout to do so.


The rules specifically said "dress to impress" and she wore thousand dollar shoes.

Maybe not everyone is impressed by money?


That's an abuse of quantifiers, and an interesting one. You suggest that the judges become literal fashion police, each individual with the authority to remove a contestant whose clothes are not impressive in their personal opinion. That should indeed be protested against; it's a chess tournament and not a fashion show.

The word "to" is commonly interpreted to mean "for the purpose of" in this context. That is, the contestant should put effort into making their appearance impressive. Which, I also find offensive, but to a lesser degree.

I'd propose that they certainly aren't "sport" sneakers, which is what she got dinged for. Unless you're a multi-millionaire playing tennis in a country club, I guess -- but the only reason a person would wear those particular shoes in sport would be to impress their peers.

And if you're not personally impressed by money, how would you interpret the "dress to impress" guideline? Would you find any shoes to be impressive? Perhaps no shoes at all? I'd lean towards 6" platforms, myself, as some people find tallness impressive.


You suggest that the judges become literal fashion police, each individual with the authority to remove a contestant whose clothes are not impressive in their personal opinion.

See also: Tennis. Schools. Restaurants. Courtrooms. Offices. Stores. Even public sidewalks.

Welcome to society.


Yes, and it's wrong in all those cases as well.

The rules aren't even universal, tennis clubs, schools, and even countries have different rules altogether, which highlights the absurdity of it all.

If you're going to enforce arbitrary rules, they must at least be objectively defined. Otherwise it just becomes a power trip for whomever decides.


Then the rules should have been more specific?




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