How to Become a Grandmaster in Chess: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

One of the greatest achievements that a player can attain is to become a chess grandmaster. It is a symbol of dedicated years of training, competition at the highest level, and knowledge of the game. Nevertheless, in spite of the prestige and mystique attached to the title, the road to becoming a GM is not a mystery, it is a clear (though not easy) process of rating milestones, performance based norms and improvement over time.

How do you become a grandmaster in chess, then? Are you new to the game or already on your way up the rating ladder? This guide will help you to dissect all the information you need to know, including the chess grandmaster requirements as well as the practical steps, tricks and deadlines to follow.

What does it take to earn the title? And how can you construct your journey the smart way? Let us find out.

What Is a Chess Grandmaster?

The Grandmaster (GM) title is the highest title awarded by FIDE, the international chess federation. Once earned, it is held for life — a lasting recognition of elite skill and achievement.

Key characteristics of the GM title:

• Excellence: Only about 2000 players worldwide hold the title.
  
  

• Permanent: Unlike rankings, it’s not revoked if your rating drops.
  
  

• Global Standard: Awarded under strict international conditions, regulated by FIDE.
  
  

In contrast to national titles (like National Master in the US), the Grandmaster title is universally respected and bound by consistent international criteria.

Quick Definition Box:

Basic Requirements to Become a Grandmaster

To earn the Grandmaster title, it’s not enough to simply win a lot of games or beat strong opponents casually. Every GM must fulfill two particular standards stated by FIDE:

1. Achieve FIDE Rating of 2500 (at any stage of career)

You need to have passed the 2500 mark at least briefly in your FIDE rating. This may either occur in a tournament or as a result of a series of consistent performances.
Important: You don’t need to maintain this rating — once you hit it, the requirement is fulfilled for life.

2. Earn 3 GM Norms in FIDE-approved Tournaments

A norm is a performance-based certificate earned in a single event. To get a GM norm, you must:

• Participate in a FIDE-rated tournament for at least nine games.
  
  

• Face opponents from at least 3 different federations
  
  

• Play a minimum of three named players, two of whom must be GMs.
  
  

• Score a Tournament Performance Rating (TPR) of 2600+
  
  

• Have no more than 2 opponents from your own country
  
  

These norms must come from different tournaments, and the events must be approved in advance by FIDE.

Norm Requirements — At a Glance

Read more in the FIDE Norm Handbook

Why Just Having a High Rating Isn't Enough

There are some players who get high ratings (e.g. 2480-2499), but never get their final GM norm. Others may get the norms first but fail to reach 2500. You need both to officially receive the title.

Step-by-Step Process to Get the GM Title

Well, how to become a chess grandmaster in real life - not counting the technical aspects? It is a long process that entails learning, competing, and ever-changing. The next is an effective road map that will show what the road usually looks like.

Step 1: Study the Basics

All GM began with the basics: the movement of pieces, checkmate, thinking ahead. It is crucial to compile a good basic in tactics, strategy and endgames.

Step 2: Start Playing in Official Rated Tournaments

When you think that you have already mastered your skills, you have to join your local federation and start earning the official FIDE rating. Online play will be useful, yet over-the-board tournaments (OTB) will be necessary in order to earn norms and title progress.

Browse chess boards designed for tournament use:
World Chess Tournament Boards

Step 3: Progress Through Title Stages

Most GMs go through these intermediate milestones:

• Candidate Master (CM) – 2200 Rating FIDE
  
  

• FIDE Master (FM) – 2300 Rating FIDE
  
  

• International Master (IM) – 2400 Rating Fide + 3 IM norms
  These are not required but they help you monitor your progress.
  
  

Table (milestone ratings for reference):

Step 4: Train With a Coach and Systematically

The majority of the grandmasters use the services of the experienced coaches, very often these are GMs or IMs, who offer them structure, opening preparation, psychological counseling, and comprehensive game analysis.

Step 5: Play Powerful International Events

You compete in FIDE-rated norm tournaments with a variety of international competition to earn norms. It is costly to travel to such events and it is required.

Pro tip: Compete in unrated tournaments in which titled players will play (e.g. Dubai Open, European Individual, Aeroflot Open).

Step 6: Get 3 GM Norms and 2500 FIDE rating

This is the home-stretch: play a 2600+ in three separate norm-qualified tournaments and get your rating above 2500. It takes some players years to break through and others break through quickly. From now, you really know how to be a chess grandmaster.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Grandmaster?

The question to ask is how long does it take to become a Grandmaster in chess? Well, the truth is that it varies, but it does not happen fast.

The majority of the GMs take between 8 and 15 years of dedicated, continuous effort to attain the title. Most start training seriously when they are children and even at that a very small percent will end up making it all the way.

Typical Timelines

There are very late GMs, but they are not common. The sooner you start on some form of structured training the better your chance of success.

Who Is the Youngest Chess Grandmaster?

Abhimanyu Mishra (USA) currently holds the title, having earned it in 2021 at the age of 12 years and 4 months. Yet every year can have more and more titled youngest GMs. Other child geniuses that acquired the title of young are:

• Gukesh D (India) – 12 years 7 months
  
  

• Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine) – formerly held the record at 12 years 7 months
  
  

• Magnus Carlsen (Norway) – 13 years 4 months
  
  

Famous Young Grandmasters Table:

Does Age Matter?

Yes — and no.

• Younger players tend to learn faster and have more time to train and compete.
  
  

• But older players can still achieve the title with extreme discipline and the right environment.
  
  

Maurice Ashley once said:

“Defeat and losing clarify so much… Embrace it.”

A reminder that resilience and mindset may matter just as much as age.

Tips to Help You on Your Journey

Earning the GM title is not just about playing a lot of chess — it’s about playing and studying intentionally. The following are some of the best ways to take you a step closer to your target, regardless of whether you are rated 1200 or 2400.

1. Build Consistent Study Habits

Set aside dedicated time daily or weekly for training. Divide your study between:

• Openings – build a personal repertoire
  
  

• Tactics – sharpen calculation and pattern recognition
  
  

• Endgames – improve technical conversion skills
  
  

• Classic games – study how GMs think
  

Organize your training space with top-quality chess sets.

2. Analyze Your Own Games — Win or Lose

The fastest growth comes from reviewing your own mistakes. Look at tactical errors by using a chess engine (such as Stockfish or Lichess analysis), and also:

• What made me take such a move?
  
  

• What was my plan?
  
  

• What did I miss?
  
  

Pro tip: Annotate your games in PGN format and revisit them monthly.

PGN example: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 b6

3. Play in Serious Tournaments Regularly

To gain experience and rating points, you need to play rated events often — ideally against stronger opposition. Alternate formats:

• Classical tournaments (for norms and learning)
  
  

• Rapid/blitz (to test intuition and openings under pressure)
  
  

Ready to compete? Pick a reliable digital chess clock.

4. Use PGNs and Engines — But With Purpose

Engines are powerful but should be used to understand, not just fix blunders. Don’t blindly copy moves — always ask why a move is recommended.

Example: Queen's Gambit Declined (GM-style precision)

In this line, Black plans ...Bb7 and ...Nbd7 to slowly equalize and outmaneuver. A good example of positional restraint and clarity.

5. Surround Yourself With a Strong Chess Environment

• Join a club or online community
  
  

• Work with a titled coach
  
  

• Watch commentary from top-level events
  
  

• Read books written by GMs (e.g. Kotov “Think Like a Grandmaster”)

Searching for all-in-one equipment? Explore chess computers for training and analysis.

Grandmaster vs Other Chess Titles

In order to appreciate the worth of becoming a Grandmaster, it is useful to compare it with the other official chess titles. FIDE grants a number of lifelong titles dependent on performance, rating and norms. Each step up the ladder represents increased skill and achievement — but Grandmaster (GM) is the summit.

Comparison Table: Chess Titles Explained

What Makes a Grandmaster Different?

• Strength: GMs do not only excel in one or two events but rather in a high number of events.
  
  

• Deeper knowledge: Their endgame accuracy, opening preparation and positional knowledge is the best in the world.
  
  

• Experience: Most GMs have played thousands of classical games and analyzed just as many.
  
  

Notes on Women's Titles

WGM (Woman Grandmaster), WIM, WFM, and WCM are also given out by FIDE. They are lower rated titles which are won in women's tournaments.

But numerous leading women players (e.g. Judit PolgAr, Hou Yifan) have instead sought the open GM title and have attained it - demonstrating that gender is not an obstacle to the highest level of strength.strength.

Explore official FIDE title regulations

In case you are serious about climbing the ladder, you should think of investing in professional chess pieces as training and tournament tools.

Wisdom from Grandmasters

There is the story behind every title of Grandmaster, and it is usually the story of difficulties, failures, and silent triumphs. The best players worldwide have given advice that is more than opening and endgame advice, they have given an insight of what is required to be a successful player in chess.

Here are some powerful thoughts from iconic GMs to guide and inspire your journey:

Maurice Ashley – On the Power of Losing

“If you win, you're sort of supposed to … It's the losses that you really remember. They often bring more insight than victories — or at least have the potential to.”— The Guardian, 2024

Ashley, the first Black American Grandmaster, emphasizes the learning value of defeat. Rather than avoid losses, top players lean into them to grow stronger.

Read the full interview on The Guardian

Alexander Kotov – On Honest Self-Assessment

In his classic book Think Like a Grandmaster, Soviet GM Alexander Kotov emphasized the importance of brutal self-analysis. According to him, being ruthlessly honest with yourself is the only way to identify where you're strong, where you're weak, and how to move forward as a chess player.

This mindset isn’t just about reviewing mistakes — it’s about developing the discipline to confront them and grow through them.

Magnus Carlsen – On Learning Through Play

Before becoming a World Champion, Carlsen often emphasized how his early development was driven by curiosity rather than formal instruction. He began by simply exploring positions on the board, without relying on books or structured training — letting intuition lead the way.

This organic, self-directed approach helped him develop a deep feel for the game, and serves as a reminder that raw curiosity can sometimes be just as valuable as disciplined study.

More quotes from Carlsen at The Chess World

Svetozar Gligorić – On Meaning Beyond the Game

“The moment of death has the power to stress in a single move the achievement or the futility of a life.”
— From his memoirs, via Wikipedia

Not every Grandmaster plays for medals or glory. For some, chess is a life’s calling — a reflection of how they think, live, and connect with the world.

FAQs About Becoming a Chess Grandmaster

How long does it take to become a Grandmaster in chess?

The process of acquiring the GM title usually requires several years of hard work, between 8 and 15. The prodigies reach it at an earlier age (before 15) and others strive towards it in their adulthood. The most important ones are the age of beginning, the intensity of training, the access to the tournaments, and the innate ability.

Who is the youngest chess Grandmaster?

The youngest Grandmaster as of 2021 is Abhimanyu Mishra (USA) who became a Grandmaster at the age of 12 years and 4 months. He broke Sergey Karjakin's previous mark.

List of youngest GrandMasters from chess.com

What is the IQ of a chess Grandmaster?

There’s no official IQ requirement. Some studies suggest GMs tend to score high (120–140+), but pattern recognition, memory, discipline, and study habits matter more than raw IQ. Many top players attribute their success to years of structured training — not genius alone.

What is the salary of a chess Grandmaster?

Income ranges greatly:

• The best GMs (such as Carlsen or Nakamura) make millions in sponsorship, tournaments, and streaming.
  
  

• Middle-level GMs can get up to 20,000-100,000$ per year in coaching, content, prize money and teaching.
  
  

• Some have part time or full time employment to supplement their chess careers.
  
  

The majority of the GMs do not depend on prize money alone but add coaching or online platforms to top up the income.

In Conclusion – Your Journey Starts Today

When you think about how do you become a chess grandmaster. Don't forget that to become a Grandmaster is not only an honor, but a change. In the process, you will hone your discipline, acquire profound problem solving abilities, and you will become more resilient with every tournament, every loss, and every lesson.

The process may last years, yet, the trophies are not the only rewards. You will understand the beauty of chess, how to become a grandmaster in chess and how to think critically in a pressure situation and you will belong to one of the most exclusive intellectual groups in the world.

Just four things and you know how do you become a grandmaster in chess.
You start. You build. You study. You compete.
And you keep going — even when it’s hard, even when it’s slow.

Essential Resources to Support Your Path:

• Train with precision using high-quality chess boards and pieces
  
  

• Practice like a pro with a digital chess clock
  
  

• Study smarter with powerful chess computers
  
  

• Build your at-home training space from our full chess accessories collection
  
  

Whatever your current level, the Grandmaster title is not just for the few — it’s for those who are willing to earn it.

Now, Your move.