3 Grandmaster norms and a FIDE rating of 2500+ qualifies you
for a Grandmaster (with some exceptions). A GM norm is achieved with a 2600-rated performance in a tournament with at least 9 rounds, where at least 50 percent are titled players.
Learning openings, middlegames, and endgames is important—but focus on learning how to learn first. The right training methodology can work wonders. Learning how to learn, and how to think in chess can supercharge your journey to Grandmaster-dom.
Get a good coach who will help you shape your playing technique, train you based on your strengths and weaknesses, and build up your game psychology. Choose wisely! This person will be by your side for a long time.
Start playing, competing, losing, and winning. There is no other way to become a GM. Win games, one after another, and keep winning until you fulfil point no. 1. Know that you will have to fight countless battles over the board from now on... and you need to be battle-ready!
To become a chess Grandmaster (GM) is a dream shared by chess players the world over. Aside from becoming World Champion, it is the most coveted title in chess, yet in 2021 just over 1,700 players have achieved this goal in the entire world. This should not put off an aspiring GM; part of the allure of becoming a chess Grandmaster is the fact this title is so difficult to attain. And once you get the title, it is for life (unless you are stripped of it for, say, cheating). So let’s look at how it’s done.
How to Get the Grandmaster Title
If you are interested in the details of how to achieve the Grandmaster title, we recommend you consult the official FIDE handbook, as there is some fine print to absorb and there are some exceptions to these rules, but in short you need to complete the following two feats:
Get a FIDE rating of over 2500
Win three GM norms
A GM norm is achieved with an excellent performance at a viable tournament. Again, the rules here are subject to various conditions, but essentially to win a GM norm you need to achieve a rating performance of 2600 in a tournament of at least 9 rounds, in which ½ of your opponents are titled (FM, IM, GM, WGM, WIM) and 1⁄3 of your opponents are themselves Grandmasters. No small task, I think you’ll agree. But don’t worry! This article will focus on the steps you need to take to be able to meet those requirements, including where to start, how to learn and train, how to gain the mentality of a Grandmaster, and how to leverage the latest in chess science to become a chess Grandmaster.
