The Hard Road To Chess Grandmaster
When someone, especially an adult, gets into chess, one of the first questions they ask is whether or not they could become a grandmaster. There is something inherent to the human condition that makes us think that, maybe, somehow, we missed our calling, and we could actually be a secret genius. A new chess player thinks they might have stumbled into their gift and could actually become a great chess player. The reality is that you are good enough to beat your friends and family, but becoming a grandmaster is incredibly difficult. But, is it impossible?
What Is a Chess Grandmaster
It is a difficult road to the grandmaster title. To become a chess grandmaster, you must reach a FIDE rating of at least 2500 and earn three GM norms in officially recognized international tournaments. Most grandmasters are players who have been dedicated to chess since childhood. Think of becoming a grandmaster like becoming a professional athlete in a major sport. If you are going to make it to the NBA or the MLB, you need to have been playing basketball or baseball since as early as you could pick up the ball. In this case, as early as you could push a pawn.
Understanding the Chess Rating System
What does it mean to have a 2500 ELO rating? ELO is a system used to measure chess skill across various platforms. If you're familiar with online chess, you know about similar rating systems on sites like Lichess or Chess.com, where winning or losing affects your rating based on your opponent's strength. The specific rules and calculations are less important. Just win games, and your rating increases. Over-the-board ELO operates similarly. In the US, a USCF (United States Chess Federation) game typically adjusts only your USCF rating. Most beginners start with a rating between 500 and 1000, but this applies only to USCF ratings.
The *NEW* Austrian Coffeehouse Series Chess Pieces - 4.0" King
DGT 3000 Digital Chess Clock
The Camaratta Signature Championship Chess Table - Dark Brown
Other Chess Titles
Grandmaster is not the only FIDE title on the way to the top of chess. There are a number of other titles, and all of them are impressive milestones.
- Candidate Master (CM)
The CM title is awarded by FIDE to players who reach a FIDE classical rating of 2200. This is still an impressive achievement, but it is 300 rating points below the GM rating threshold.
- FIDE Master (FM)
FM is similar to CM but requires a FIDE rating of 2300 or higher. This is a highly impressive accomplishment, representing a significant step up from a national master's level, as international ratings are more challenging to attain.
- International Master (IM)
An International Master must attain a FIDE rating of at least 2400, which is 100 points below a GM. In addition, they need to earn IM norms, which make becoming an IM more challenging than achieving an FM or CM. To earn the title, players must secure three IM norms and meet other requirements, such as playing a certain number of games, competing against players from different federations, and facing other titled players.
What are Grandmaster Norms?
Grandmaster Norms in chess are specific performance standards achieved during a tournament that demonstrate a player's level of skill. Tournaments designed for those seeking Grandmaster titles must meet specific criteria for a norm to be earned. These include the player having a high enough performance rating, the tournament comprising typically 9 or more games, and opponents of adequate strength from various chess federations. When both the player and the tournament meet these minimum conditions, the player can earn a GM Norm, a key step toward earning the Grandmaster title.
The W.T. Pinney Series Chess Pieces - The Camaratta Collection - 4.75" King
Tap N Set Pro Digital Chess Clock - with DOUBLE DISPLAYS
Signature Fitted Coffer Chess Box - Walnut Burl
The Fight For Grandmaster Norms and Rating
It is not uncommon for a player to reach the IM level and then be unable to meet the required number of norms or the required rating to become a grandmaster. Still, these players are incredibly gifted players who have achieved a high level of play.
Essential Skills and Knowledge for Chess Players
One aspect of becoming a Grandmaster that some overlook is the sheer amount of work required to study and learn chess. Not only do you have to spend hours and hours learning opening theory, but you have to master middlegames and endgames completely. No grandmaster has not spent days studying what most of us would consider to be the most boring and mundane (and complex) endgames!
Opening Theory
Achieving the status of a grandmaster requires extensive knowledge of opening theory, allowing you to play ten, fifteen, or even twenty moves ahead in every game. This involves memorizing all your openings and preparing for any moves your opponent might make. For many, this is one of the most obvious distinguishing factors between CM and GM. Grandmasters have a depth of opening memorization matched with a complete strategic understanding of the positions those openings reach.
The Fischer Spassky Series Chess Pieces - 6.0" King
DOWNLOAD - CHESSBASE '26 - Premium Package
The Millennium King Competition Chess Computer
Middlegames and Tactics
A Grandmaster reaches a middlegame position, ready and fully understanding it. Unlike club players, who are often surprised by the positions they reach and have to spend time understanding the new middlegames. You also need strong midgame tactics and good awareness of tactical motifs. The key difference between good players and all-time greats is consistency! While you might spot a tactic 90% of the time, a grandmaster rarely misses it. This consistency must be proven every game. Anyone can sometimes play at a grandmaster level in one game, but to become a GM, you must do so consistently in every game.
Endgames
Endgames are another area where Grandmasters set themselves apart: positions, memorization, and theory that Grandmasters must master. If you are an aspiring grandmaster, know that you cannot escape learning and mastering endgames. The best players can visualize a winning endgame, whatever it may be, and play toward that position without worrying whether it is, in fact, a winning one. Endgame study is just more memorization, more knowledge, and positional understanding that grandmasters have.
Training and Development
So, how do you gain all of this knowledge if you do want to become a grandmaster? Players who achieve that milestone typically receive intensive chess coaching from a very young age. Early exposure to chess is one of the strongest predictors of whether a player might become a Grandmaster. Like many chess coaches, I often get asked, “Could I still become a grandmaster?” Usually, this question comes from adult learners who believe they can still improve. The unfortunate truth is that unless you start playing chess before age ten, reaching the Grandmaster level is unlikely. But, you could still aspire to be a titled player! Reaching CM level as an adult is not unheard of.
Chess Coaching
Like elite athletes, Grandmasters start playing chess early and often receive coaching. This consistent training helps them learn essential openings, middlegames, and endgames. They also learn fundamental skills such as chess notation very early, allowing them to study legendary world championship matches and solve numerous chess puzzles to improve their skills.
Number of Grandmasters
It is difficult to know exactly how many Grandmasters there are worldwide. Because it is a title you hold for life. Many players have held the title. But their rating, or level of play, has gone down as they have aged. Still, there are more than 1,850 Grandmasters today. Compare that to 1950, when there were 27. Some suggest there are too many Grandmasters and that the title is devalued by the sheer number. But I think that undersells the sport of chess. Sure, not all 1850 chess grandmasters may be at an elite level. However, not everyone who ever played in the NBA can still dunk a basketball. But it doesn’t make the players currently playing any less venerated.
The *NEW* Austrian Coffeehouse Series Chess Pieces - 4.0" King
Premium Chess Box - Golden Heart
The Large Ultimate Chess Bag
Super Grandmaster
To fill the linguistic need for a way to separate all Grandmasters from those at the very top, people have begun to use the term Super Grandmaster. It refers to the top players, typically the around 40 or so rated above 2,700. Whether or not we think the term is necessary or not doesn’t really matter, because it has become widely used and accepted. In most sports, there are the elite that rise to the top, but we still don’t take away from the others that fill out the game. A grandmaster is an impressive title that requires immense work and skill. Taking that achievement away would be a mistake.
Can Anyone Be a Grandmaster?
The unfortunate truth of becoming a grandmaster, or reaching the top of any sport, is that you have to be very fortunate. Not just fortunate to have skill and ability, but also to be in a position to succeed, both by your location and your financial situation. At some point, if a player wants to become a chess grandmaster, they will most likely need to travel and play internationally. Obviously, this is not obtainable by everyone. Even just receiving top-tier coaching for a promising young student is a costly endeavor. If you or your child has dreams of becoming a grandmaster, know that it is not an easy road, but with enough resources and skill, you have a chance if you start early. It is a hard road, but if you get on the right one and go the right direction, you can dream big.