Title in chess: official designations and meanings

Title

Definition

In chess, a title is an official designation conferred on players (and sometimes arbiters, trainers, or problemists) that recognizes a standardized level of achievement or authority. Titles such as Grandmaster (GM) and International Master (IM) are awarded by FIDE, the international chess federation, and are typically held for life once earned. The word “title” can also mean a championship crown—for example, “the World Championship title.”

How the term is used

• As a prefix to names in pairings, reports, and broadcasts: GM Magnus Carlsen, IM Irina Krush, WGM Aleksandra Goryachkina.
• In tournament regulations: “GM/IM norms available,” “Tournament open to titled players,” “Titled playoff.”
• As shorthand for a crown: “He challenged for the World Championship title,” or “She retained her title.”

Types of chess titles

• FIDE over-the-board player titles (lifetime):
  • GM (Grandmaster): Requires multiple performance norms plus a 2500+ published FIDE rating at some point.
  • IM (International Master): Norms plus 2400+ rating.
  • FM (FIDE Master): Typically 2300+ rating threshold (no norms required).
  • CM (Candidate Master): Typically 2200+ rating threshold.
  • Women’s titles: WGM (norms + 2300+), WIM (norms + 2200+), WFM (2100+), WCM (2000+). Note: Many top women hold the open GM/IM titles as well.
• National federation titles (examples vary by country):
  • NM (National Master) in the U.S.: generally USCF 2200+; also SM (Senior Master) and LM (Life Master) distinctions exist.
  • Other countries have analogous national master titles tied to their local rating systems.
• Online/FIDE Arena titles:
  • AGM, AIM, AFM, ACM are online-specific designations from FIDE’s online arena. They are distinct from over-the-board GM/IM/FM/CM.
• Non-playing FIDE titles:
  • IA (International Arbiter), FA (FIDE Arbiter), FT (FIDE Trainer), FI (FIDE Instructor), among others—recognize officiating/coaching expertise, not playing strength.
• Problem chess and solving titles:
  • International Solving Grandmaster, International Solving Master, and composition titles recognize excellence in problem solving and chess composition.

How titles are earned

• Norms-based titles (GM, IM, WGM, WIM):
  • Players earn “norms” by achieving a required performance rating over a sufficient number of games (typically at least nine) against a field meeting strict criteria (e.g., number of titled opponents, federation mix, arbiter supervision, rating floors, and tournament format).
  • Commonly, three norms plus the required rating peak (e.g., 2500 for GM, 2400 for IM) secure the title.
• Rating-only titles (FM, CM, WFM, WCM): Achieving a published FIDE rating threshold grants the title.
• Direct titles: Exceptional results in designated events (e.g., winning the World Junior U20 Open often confers GM; strong results in Continental/World Youth events can confer IM/WGM/WIM, etc.) can grant titles without all standard norm steps.

Strategic and psychological significance

• Pairings and invitations: Titles influence seeding, appearance fees, and invitations to closed events, which in turn affect a player’s competitive opportunities.
• Norm hunting: Players select tournaments with an appropriate mix of titled opponents to maximize norm chances, affecting opening choices and risk management.
• Psychology at the board: Facing a titled player can induce “title respect,” leading some to play overly cautiously or, conversely, to overpress in pursuit of a statement win.

Historical notes

• FIDE formalized the modern title system in 1950, introducing GM and IM; women’s titles followed, with WGM established in 1976.
• The World Championship “title” dates to 1886 (Steinitz–Zukertort) and remains the sport’s most prestigious crown. Notable title matches include Spassky vs. Fischer, 1972; Kasparov vs. Karpov, 1985; Anand vs. Kramnik, 2008; Carlsen vs. Anand, 2013; Ding vs. Nepomniachtchi, 2023.
• Titles are lifelong once awarded. Over time the number of titled players has grown with chess’s global expansion, but norms and rating thresholds preserve standards across eras.

Examples

• Player designation: “GM Magnus Carlsen,” “IM Elisabeth Pähtz,” “WGM Zhu Jiner,” “FM Eric Rosen.”
• Tournament note: “This 9-round Swiss offers GM/IM norms; average top-board opposition ~2550. A 7/9 score with the right opponent mix can be a GM norm.”
• Championship usage: “Ju Wenjun retained the Women’s World Championship title in 2023.”
• Career milestone: “After crossing 2500 and earning his third norm, she was awarded the IM title.”

Interesting facts and anecdotes

• Youngest GM: Abhimanyu Mishra earned the GM title at 12 years and 4 months (2021), breaking Sergey Karjakin’s long-standing record.
• WGM vs. IM: The WGM title’s requirements are between FM and IM; many elite women—like Judit Polgár—pursued and achieved the open GM title instead.
• Multiple hats: Some figures are both titled players and titled officials (e.g., a GM who is also an International Arbiter or FIDE Trainer).
• Titled-only events: Online platforms host “titled” arenas to ensure high-level opposition and spectacle, reinforcing the cachet of having a title.

Related terms

See also: Grandmaster, International Master, Norm, World Championship, FIDE