A Grandmaster is a chess player that has achieved the highest title in the game. The GM title is awarded to players that have surpassed a FIDE rating of 2500.
Very few players achieve the Grandmaster title in their lifetimes. To say it requires hard work and dedication is an understatement.
To give you an idea how hard it is to become a grandmaster, this will give you some perspective. There are around 600 million rated chess players in the world. This is worth repeating and reading again, not 600 million chess players, but 600 million players that actually have a rating. Meaning they take the game at least semi-seriously. Of those 600 million, there are only 1725 players that have become grandmasters in the history of the game. Which is about 0.3% of rated chess players are GM’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chess grandmasters are there in the world?
There are around 600 million rated chess players in the world. Of those 800 million, there are only 1725 grandmasters in the world. Which is about 0.3% of rated chess players are GM’s.
How many hours of chess study and practice does it take to become a grandmaster?
On average, it takes about 12,000 hours to become a grandmaster. Although putting in those 12,000 hours doesn’t mean you’ll become a Grandmaster by default. This is simply the average amount of time is has taken existing Grandmasters to become one.
What age do chess players have to start playing to become a grandmaster?
If you look up the age Grandmasters at which they received the title, you’ll find that many of them became a GM in their teen years. Many of them did it in their early teens and a few even in their single digit years. Otherwise, there is no actual age you must start playing to become a grandmaster, but is does become more difficult the older you get.
Who is the youngest chess player to become a grandmaster?
Sergey Karjakin is the youngest chess player that achieved the grandmaster title. He started playing chess at the age of 5 and achieved the Grandmaster title at 12 years and 10 months.
Conclusion
There is an unofficial chess title that exceeds the GM title, called a Super Grandmaster (GM). This isn’t a title that’s recognized by FIDE, but chess players will use this term to describe Grandmasters that hold a FIDE rating of above 2700. These are Grandmasters that are so good, they are in even a smaller league of their own. For more information, you can read more about the Super Grandmaster title.
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