How the elite title of chess Grandmaster evolved from informal praise to rigorous standards.
In short: The title of Grandmaster is the highest honor in chess, held for life by roughly 2,000 players worldwide. While the term originated as a casual descriptor for experts in the 19th century, it eventually transformed into a formal, strictly regulated credential governed by the international chess organization, FIDE.
The journey toward a formal Grandmaster title began in the early 20th century. While some accounts suggest Tsar Nicholas II bestowed the title upon five finalists at the 1914 St. Petersburg tournament, historians like Edward Winter have questioned the veracity of this story. Before 1950, the title remained largely informal, though the Soviet Union briefly established its own 'Grandmaster of the Soviet Union' title in 1927, which was later abolished and then revived in 1935 for Mikhail Botvinnik.
In 1950, FIDE finally formalized the title, awarding it to 27 players, including world-class competitors and those qualified for the inaugural Candidates Tournament. However, the early selection process was criticized for being haphazard and politically influenced. For instance, Efim Bogoljubow, who had played two World Championship matches, was initially excluded due to opposition from Communist countries, only receiving the title in 1951 after a contentious vote.
To address concerns of title inflation and lack of merit, FIDE overhauled its regulations several times, notably in 1957, 1965, and 1970. The 1965 Congress introduced the 'norm' system, requiring players to achieve specific performance scores against other titled players in high-level tournaments. By 1970, the system integrated the Elo rating system, developed by Arpad Elo, which allowed tournaments to be categorized by the average strength of their participants. Today, while the title is open to all, it remains an exclusive achievement, with only 44 women having earned the GM title as of 2025.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Grandmaster (chess)
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