GM norm

A GM norm, where GM means Grandmaster, is a title norm at the highest level of FIDE's open title series. FIDE is the International Chess Federation. The purpose is to demonstrate a GM-level tournament performance against opposition that also meets quality and diversity requirements.

Main conditions

• A performance of at least 2600. Performance is a number calculated from the score and the strength of the opponents.
• An adjusted average opponent rating of at least 2380. Rating is a numerical estimate of competitive playing strength.
• A score of at least 35 percent of the available points.
• At least half of the opponents must hold one of the player titles that FIDE counts for this rule, with Candidate Master (CM) and Woman Candidate Master (WCM) excluded.
• At least one third of the opponents, with a minimum of three, must be Grandmasters. Rules also govern the national federations represented and which games are valid.

For a GM norm calculation, FIDE sets an adjusted rating floor of 2200 for opponents. When the rule applies, at most one opponent can be raised to 2200 solely for that calculation, and if several are below the floor, the lowest-rated one is adjusted. One norm does not by itself award GM. Under the normal route, the norms must cover at least 27 games and the player must have reached a 2500 rating.