International Master

The World Chess Federation, FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), awards several performance-based titles to chess players, up to and including the highly prized Grandmaster title. Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating and norms (performance benchmarks in competitions including other titled players). Once awarded, FIDE titles are held for life, though a title may be revoked in exceptional circumstances. Open titles may be earned by all players, whilst the women's titles are restricted to female players. A strong female player may have a title in both systems.

A chess title, usually in an abbreviated form, may be used as an honorific. For example, Viswanathan Anand may be styled as "GM Viswanathan Anand".

FIDE's first titles were awarded in 1950 and consisted of 27 Grandmasters (GMs), 94 International Masters, and 17 International Women Masters.

FIDE's first GMs were:

The standards for FIDE titles were not formally defined, and were decided by a committee. In 1957, FIDE introduced norms (qualifying standards) for FIDE titles.

The term "Grandmaster" had been in informal use for strong chess players for several decades before its official institution by FIDE in 1950. At the same time FIDE also instituted the lesser rank of International Master, and two further subordinate ranks, FIDE Master and Candidate Master were later created. The requirements for each rank have varied over time, but generally require having demonstrated suitably strong skill in rated competition. Additionally the World Federation for Chess Composition awards Grandmaster, International Master and FIDE Master titles to persons who demonstrate high skill in the field of composing and solving chess problems (see list of grandmasters of the FIDE for chess compositions and Chess_problem § Titles).

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