Title Norm Calculator
See the score you need for a GM, IM, WGM or WIM norm performance, given the number of games and your opponents' average rating.
From norm to title
FIDE's titles of Grandmaster, International Master, Woman Grandmaster and Woman International Master are awarded for a combination of rating and norms. A norm is a title-level performance in a qualifying event. For the GM title, a player needs norms covering at least 27 games in total and to have reached a rating of 2500 at some point; for the IM title, 27 games of norms and a rating of 2400. The norm itself requires a performance rating of at least 2600 for GM, 2450 for IM, 2400 for WGM and 2250 for WIM, with a minimum score of 35%.
The score you need
Because the performance is Ra + dp, the required score depends on how strong the opponents are. In a nine-round open where your opponents average 2310, an IM norm needs a performance of 2450, so dp must be at least +140. From the table, 6 out of 9, 67%, gives only +125, but 6½, 72%, gives +166: the norm needs 6½ points. For a GM norm against opponents averaging 2380, the minimum for a GM norm field, 6½ gives 2546 and you need 7 out of 9, a performance of 2600. A performance of 2599.5 is rounded up, so the threshold is effectively half a point lower than it looks.
The field matters as much as the score
A great score is not enough on its own. The opponents' average rating must reach a minimum, 2380 for a GM norm, 2230 for IM, 2180 for WGM and 2030 for WIM, so a player cannot earn a norm by beating a weak field. There are also composition rules. For a GM norm, at least a third of the opponents and at least three of them must be GMs, at least half must hold titles, and a minimum number must come from federations other than the player's own. A common misconception is that any 2600 performance is a GM norm; many strong results in national events fail the foreign-opponent rule. Organisers who want norm chances design the field and pairings for them, and the chief arbiter checks the requirements before signing the certificate.
Rating floors
Regulations allow the lowest-rated opponents in a norm event to be counted at a minimum rating, a floor, so that a single weak opponent does not ruin the average. Historically the floors have been 2200 for GM norms and 2050 for IM norms. The rules on how many opponents can be raised, and the current floor values, are set in the FIDE Title Regulations, which change from time to time; this calculator uses the average you enter without applying a floor.
How to use it
- Choose the title you are aiming for.
- Enter the number of games in the event and the average rating of all your opponents, including those still to play.
- Optionally enter your score and games played so far to see what you still need.
- Check the field meets the titled and foreign opponent requirements with the chief arbiter.
Questions from the tournament hall
What performance rating do you need for a GM norm?
At least 2600, or 2599.5 before rounding, over at least nine games, with an average opponent rating of at least 2380 and at least a third of the opponents being grandmasters, with a minimum of three. The score must also be at least 35%.
How many points do I need for an IM norm in nine rounds?
It depends on your opponents' average rating. Against an average of 2310 you need 6½ out of 9 for the required 2450 performance; against an average of 2250 you need 7. The stronger the field, the fewer points you need.
How many norms do you need to become a grandmaster?
Norms covering at least 27 games, which usually means three norms from nine-round events, plus a rating of at least 2500 at some point. Some norms count for more games, and certain events, such as continental championships, can award titles directly.
What is a rating floor in norm calculations?
A minimum rating at which the lowest-rated opponents may be counted when working out the average, so that one weak opponent does not prevent a norm. Floors have historically been 2200 for GM norms and 2050 for IM norms; the current rules are in the FIDE Title Regulations.
Disclaimer: Chess results apply FIDE's published rating, title and tiebreak rules to the figures you enter. They are not official ratings, norm certificates or tournament rulings. FIDE's published lists, the event's regulations and the chief arbiter decide; national federations and online servers use their own rating systems.