Woman Grandmaster (WGM) – chess term
Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Definition
Woman Grandmaster (abbreviated WGM) is a lifetime title awarded by FIDE, the international chess federation. It is the highest women-specific title in chess, ranked above Woman International Master (WIM) and below the open titles International Master (IM) and Grandmaster (GM), which are not gender-restricted. Only women are eligible for WGM, though many women also earn IM and GM titles.
How it is used in chess
- Title display: In pairing lists, results, and media, a holder is typically written as “WGM Name Surname,” for example, “WGM Tania Sachdev.” If a player also holds an open title (e.g., GM), the highest title is often used in public references.
- Event invitations and seeding: Women’s elite events often invite players based on titles such as WGM and above. In open tournaments, the WGM title can affect norm chances and prize eligibility (e.g., top female prizes).
- Norm context: The WGM title is tied to achieving specific performance “norms” in strong, FIDE-rated events and attaining a rating threshold; it often appears in discussion about a player’s progress toward IM or GM.
Requirements and pathways
FIDE’s Title Regulations define several routes to WGM, commonly including:
- Rating requirement: Achieve a FIDE standard rating of at least 2300 at some point (the title, once awarded, is for life).
- Norms: Typically earn three WGM norms totaling at least 27 games in eligible tournaments. A WGM norm generally corresponds to a performance rating around 2400 against a field meeting FIDE’s criteria (mix of titled opponents, multiple federations, sufficient rated games, and classical time controls).
- Direct titles: Certain achievements can confer WGM directly under current regulations, such as winning the World Junior (Girls U20) Championship or the Women’s Continental Championship. Exact direct-title pathways may change; players and organizers check the latest FIDE handbook.
Because WGM sits between WIM and IM in terms of rating/performance requirements, many WGMs later complete norms for IM or even GM. See also: International Master and Grandmaster.
Strategic and historical significance
The WGM title was introduced in 1976 to recognize excellence in women’s chess and encourage broader participation. Early recipients included leading women players and world champions, notably Nona Gaprindashvili and, shortly thereafter, Maia Chiburdanidze. The title has helped structure women’s elite circuits, provided clear milestones for rising talents, and served as an accessible stepping-stone toward the open titles.
Historically, several WGMs have gone on to become open GMs, including Gaprindashvili (the first woman to earn the GM title, 1978), Judit Polgar (the first woman to surpass 2700 and world top-10), Koneru Humpy, Hou Yifan, and Alexandra Kosteniuk. The existence of women-specific titles is occasionally debated within the chess community, but many credit WGM with creating aspirational goals, more title opportunities, and visibility for women’s chess worldwide.
Notable holders and milestones
- Nona Gaprindashvili: Women’s World Champion (1962–1978), first woman to earn the open GM title (1978); a pioneering figure who also lent her name to the Olympiad’s Gaprindashvili Cup.
- Maia Chiburdanidze: Became Women’s World Champion in 1978 at age 17; later earned the open GM title.
- Judit Polgar: Became a GM in 1991 at 15 and peaked over 2700; she focused on open competition rather than women-only events.
- Hou Yifan: Women’s World Champion and open GM; one of the youngest-ever female GMs, a dominant force of modern women’s chess.
- Other prominent WGMs (some also IMs or later GMs): Anna Zatonskih, Tania Sachdev, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, Dorsa Derakhshani, and many more from rising federations globally.
Examples: seeing WGM in practice
Title usage in an open event pairing list might look like:
- Board 3: GM A. Player (2661) vs. WGM B. Contender (2385)
Illustrative tactic (a classic pattern every titled player knows). This is not from a specific famous game, but shows a mating idea often taught by WGMs in lessons:
Explanation: After 6. Nxe5!, Black’s 6...Bxd1 greedily takes the queen, but 7. Bxf7+! Ke7 8. Nd5# is the famous Legal’s Mate—demonstrating development and initiative outweighing material.
Practical tips for pursuing WGM
- Plan norm events: Choose classical, FIDE-rated tournaments with strong, title-rich fields and international diversity.
- Track performance: Aim for ~2400 performance in norm attempts; maintain a rating push to cross 2300.
- Balance schedule: Mix opens (for tougher opposition and rating growth) with women’s elite events (for invitations, experience, and potential direct-title routes).
- Work toward IM/GM: Many training plans target WGM on the way to IM or GM, focusing on endgame study, opening depth, and practical calculation skills.
Interesting facts and anecdotes
- The WGM title helped formalize a clear ladder in women’s chess: WCM → WFM → WIM → WGM.
- Some players who become open GMs typically use “GM” rather than “WGM” in public listings, though they retain all previously earned titles.
- Performance thresholds for norms scale by title: roughly 2600 (GM), 2450 (IM), 2400 (WGM), 2250 (WIM), reflecting the intended relative strengths.