Magnus Carlsen's Controversial Selfie Incident at Grenke Chess Festival
A Memorable Encounter Turns Sour
Alua Nurman was likely thrilled to snap a selfie with chess legend Magnus Carlsen before their match. However, this moment quickly turned into an unexpected situation when Carlsen had her phone taken away. Known for his off-the-board controversies, the five-time World Chess Champion made headlines once again during the Grenke Chess Festival in Germany. On April 3, he was set to compete against Kazakhstan's Nurman. Although Carlsen graciously posed for a photo with her, he soon raised concerns about her violation of tournament rules by bringing a phone into the venue. Nurman, born in 2007, is a Grandmaster and a silver medalist from the Kazakhstan Chess Olympiad. Consequently, officials confiscated her device. While Carlsen appeared confident, Nurman looked surprised by the turn of events. Ultimately, Carlsen secured a victory, maintaining his winning streak. Interestingly, a similar incident occurred at last year's festival, where Carlsen acted in the same manner.
Understanding FIDE Regulations
What do the FIDE rules say?
The FIDE regulations explicitly prohibit players from having mobile phones without the arbiter's consent. If a player does possess a phone, it must be turned off. According to rule 12.3 (b), "Without the permission of the arbiter, a player is forbidden to have a mobile phone or other electronic means of communication in the playing venue, unless they are completely switched off. If any such device produces a sound, the player shall lose the game. The opponent shall win. However, if the opponent cannot win the game by any series of legal moves, his score shall be a draw." Additionally, rule 13.7 (b) states that using a phone or any electronic device without the arbiter's approval is not allowed. "Unless authorized by the arbiter, it is forbidden for anybody to use a mobile phone or any kind of communication device in the playing venue and any contiguous area designated by the arbiter," the rule specifies.