---
title: "How to become a FIDE Master"
url: "https://georgelichess.com/titles/fide-master.md"
canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/titles/fide-master"
last_updated: "2026-11-07"
type: "guide"
summary: "The rating and rated games FIDE asks for the FIDE Master title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker."
related: ["https://georgelichess.com/titles.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/grandmaster.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/international-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/candidate-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-grandmaster.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-international-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md"]
---

# How to become a FIDE Master

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The rating and rated games FIDE asks for the FIDE Master title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.

The FIDE Master title is awarded for a rating. You earn it by reaching a FIDE rating of 2300 (B01 1.3), published or interim, and, for a rating reached after 2017-07-01, by having played at least 30 rated games (B01 1.3) by then.

## What FIDE asks for

- **Rating you must have reached:** 2300 (B01 1.3) rating points. A published or interim FIDE rating, reached at some time.
- **Rated games behind that rating:** At least 30 rated games (B01 1.3). Applies to a rating reached after 2017-07-01; an earlier rating needs no game count.
- **Title won in a listed championship:** Needs a rating of at least 2100 (B01 0.6.2). Some championships award the title at once to a player who finishes high enough and has reached this rating.

## Check your own numbers

Use the [title requirements checker](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md) to compare your rating and rated games with the requirement.

## How many rating points are left to the FIDE Master title?

The title is a rating line, so the question is how far from it you are. The line is 2300 (B01 1.3) and, while your rating is under 2400, you gain or lose 20 (B02 8.3.3) points for each point you score above or below what the rating table expects. A junior who qualifies for the higher factor, until the end of the year of their 18th birthday and while rated under 2300, gains or loses 40 (B02 8.3.3) points for each such point.

Points still needed for the FIDE Master title:
| Your rating | Points to gain | Points above expectation at K 20 | Points above expectation at K 40 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2180 | 120 | 6 | 3 |
| 2200 | 100 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 2220 | 80 | 4 | 2 |
| 2240 | 60 | 3 | 1.5 |
| 2260 | 40 | 2 | 1 |
| 2280 | 20 | 1 | 0.5 |
Clause: B02 8.3.3.

Worked out here by dividing the gap by K. The last two columns are the total score above expectation you need over all the games that count, not in one event. The junior factor stops at 2300, the same number as the line, so it applies to every rating point still needed.

## What does a nine game event do to a rating near 2240?

Worked out here with the Handbook's expected-score table: you start at 2240, 60 under the line, and play nine opponents who average 2309, all within 50 points of 2300. The table expects you to score 3.64 of 9.

Rating change from 2240 over nine games at K 20:
| Score | Rating change | New rating |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3.5 of 9 | -3 | 2237 |
| 4 of 9 | +7 | 2247 |
| 4.5 of 9 | +17 | 2257 |
| 5 of 9 | +27 | 2267 |
| 5.5 of 9 | +37 | 2277 |
| 6 of 9 | +47 | 2287 |
| 6.5 of 9 | +57 | 2297 |
| 7 of 9 | +67 | 2307 |
Clause: B02 8.3.3.

One event rarely closes a gap of this size. The table shows why a steady score above expectation over many games matters more than one hot tournament.

## Is there another way to the FIDE Master title?

Some championships award the title straight away to a player who finishes high enough, provided that player has reached a rating of at least 2100 (B01 0.6.2). That is lower than the usual line of 2300 (B01 1.3), and it applies only to the listed championships. The women's title that matches this one, Woman FIDE Master, has its own line of 2100 (B01 1.3).

## What comes after the FIDE Master title?

The next step is the International Master title, which is earned through norms. It asks for a rating of 2400 (B01 1.5.3) reached at some time and norms that cover at least 27 games (B01 1.5.1).

## A title for a rating you have already shown

The FIDE Master title is awarded on rating alone: you need to have reached 2300 (B01 1.3) at some time, with enough rated games behind it. No single event decides it, and no particular mix of opponents is required. The title records that your over-the-board strength at a standard time control has already reached that level.

That changes what the work looks like. You are not trying to peak for one week against a carefully built field. You are trying to raise your level in ordinary events until the official figure catches up with it.

## Reading the rating requirement properly

The requirement says you must have reached the level at some time, and the Handbook counts a published or an interim rating. In practice a high point in the middle of a rating period can count even if the next published list shows a lower number. Do not assume the title waits for a list. Check the highest figure your rating reached, not only the figure printed on the last list you saw.

The second part is the game count. A rating reached after the Handbook's cut-over date needs at least 30 (B01 1.3) rated games behind it, while an earlier rating does not. In effect, a few lucky early results cannot produce the title on their own. If you are a junior with a fast-rising number, count your rated games honestly before you celebrate; a high rating on few games is a number the title cannot yet use.

## The direct route through a listed championship

Some championships named in the Handbook award the title directly to a player who finishes high enough. That route has its own minimum: you must already have reached 2100 (B01 0.6.2) at some time, and a rated-games count of 30 (B01 0.6.2) applies to ratings reached after the Handbook's later cut-over date. A strong finish without the rating does not carry the title.

Treat this route as a bonus rather than the plan. Because its rating minimum sits below the 2300 (B01 1.3) level, a strong finish in one of those championships can bring the title before your rating gets there. Only the events the Handbook lists qualify, so confirm an event is on that list before you count on it.

## Where plans fall short

The first trap is playing too few rated games in the right conditions. The title counts only over-the-board games at a standard time control, and rapid and blitz ratings sit on separate lists. A year of online blitz can sharpen your play and still do nothing for the requirement.

The second is protecting the number. A player near the target may skip strong events to keep the rating from dropping, and the rating then stalls. The level only has to be reached once, so entering events where you are slightly underrated is usually the better trade.

The third is misjudging where points come from. Each result is weighed against the rating gap to your opponent, and that gap counts for at most 400 (B02 8.3.1) points while you are rated below 2650 (B02 8.3.1). A win over a far weaker player is the expected result and adds little, while a loss in the same game costs a great deal. A schedule built on easy pairings carries more risk than it looks.

## Planning a year around the requirement

Work backwards from your current rating. Count how many standard games you can play in a year, then judge whether your average gain per event is enough to bridge the gap. Mix events where you are among the favorites with events against stronger players, because a win or a draw against a higher-rated opponent is worth more than the same result against a lower-rated one.

Between events, work on the specific losses: the games you lost from better positions, and the openings you avoided. A good review looks for the patterns that repeat across games, and fixing those is often worth more than another opening file.

This is where the first lesson fits: George reviews your games, finds those patterns and builds a plan around your calendar. The free title requirements checker shows where your rating and game count stand against the Handbook, so you can see the gap before you start.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which rating earns the FIDE Master title?**

A FIDE rating of 2300 (B01 1.3), published or interim, reached at some time.

**Do I need a minimum number of rated games?**

For a rating reached after 2017-07-01, yes: at least 30 rated games (B01 1.3) by then. An earlier rating needs no game count.

**Does the FIDE Master title last for life?**

Yes. A FIDE title is valid for life (B01 0.4).

Checked against the FIDE Handbook edition dated 1 January 2024 on 2026-10-19.

## Related

- [FIDE chess titles](https://georgelichess.com/titles.md)
- [How to become a Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/grandmaster.md)
- [How to become an International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/international-master.md)
- [How to become a Candidate Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/candidate-master.md)
- [How to become a Woman Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-grandmaster.md)
- [How to become a Woman International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-international-master.md)
- [Chess title requirements checker](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md)