New FIDE Title?
January 19, 2009
There are too many chess Grandmasters in the world, and not everyone in the World Chess Federation (FIDE) is happy with this data. According to LA Times chess columnist International Master Jack Peters, some FIDE officials consider adding a new title, higher than Grandmaster, which will separate the top chess players from the rest.
January 2009 FIDE rating list pointed at 1,188 Grandmasters; about 1,100 more Grandmasters than 1970; 32 of them with more than 2700 rating points, an attainment that back in the 1970s was gained solely by Bobby Fischer. The inflation in FIDE's most prestigious chess title (except for the World Chess Champion) is the center of a new FIDE committee, arranged to handle with upcoming challengers.
FIDE's adoption of ELO rating system and its determination to award Grandmaster title to players of 2500 rating points and more is one of the causes to the present Grandmasters overflow. Other reasons may include the availability of chess computers and the modification of chess tournaments worldwide to the young players' wish for the desired titles.
There are too many chess Grandmasters in the world, and not everyone in the World Chess Federation (FIDE) is happy with this data. According to LA Times chess columnist International Master Jack Peters, some FIDE officials consider adding a new title, higher than Grandmaster, which will separate the top chess players from the rest.
January 2009 FIDE rating list pointed at 1,188 Grandmasters; about 1,100 more Grandmasters than 1970; 32 of them with more than 2700 rating points, an attainment that back in the 1970s was gained solely by Bobby Fischer. The inflation in FIDE's most prestigious chess title (except for the World Chess Champion) is the center of a new FIDE committee, arranged to handle with upcoming challengers.
Background
FIDE started awarding chess titles in 1950, though the term "Grandmaster" was already in use in 1907 and in 1914 chess tournament in St. Petersburg, the Russian Tsar Nicholas II awarded the title to the top five finishers. At first, FIDE Grandmaster title was given to all the players the players World Championship Candidates tournaments and to retired chess masters (27 titles altogether). Later, FIDE made efforts to standardize its titles; eventually settling on Elo rating system in the 1970s.FIDE's adoption of ELO rating system and its determination to award Grandmaster title to players of 2500 rating points and more is one of the causes to the present Grandmasters overflow. Other reasons may include the availability of chess computers and the modification of chess tournaments worldwide to the young players' wish for the desired titles.