The World of Chess Players: All You Need To Know
All people regardless of their age indulge in entertainment. But of all activities, chess is probably the most complex one. No other game has had such an impact on our civilization.
Previously, it used to be played exclusively by kings and commanders. Aristocrats used them to develop strategy and logical thinking. At the peak of its popularity, chess players were even more famous than the Pope. Let’s have a brief look at its history and title classification.
Origins of A Highly Intellectual Game
Although chess seems a peaceful activity, it’s actually a tool of military strategy. Its first records state that the game appeared in the 6th century in India. Here is the legend:
- The youngest prince of the Gupta Empire was killed in a battle
- The older brother wanted to explain to their grieving mother how it happened
- The man devised a way to represent the scene on an 8×8 board
It was called caturaṅga, with different pieces that moved according to certain rules. The goal was to show that success doesn’t depend solely on the King. Instead, the position and behavior of troops influence the outcome.
Сhess Players: Title Classification
People who master the game on a professional level get a title. However, it is often very confusing for those who are not into this topic.
Class-Based
If you participate in tournaments and win, you get points. The moment you reach 1000, you enter Class E. Starting from 2000, you’re in the Expert class (up to 2199). But if you perform worse than expected, you lose some of your scores.
Most players refer to their highest achieved level. Even if they don’t hold it at the moment. You can find memes, jokes, and real chess humor at https://rchess.com/materials/humor.
FIDE-Granted
The most ambitious players aspire to FIDE titles. It’s the World Chess Federation for elite professionals. The rating system is as follows:
- CM (Candidate Master, 2200+)
- FM (FIDE Master, 2300+)
- IM (International Master, 2400+)
- GM (Grandmaster, 2500+)
Once earned, these titles are not taken away, even if the performance drops. The highest achievable limit is 2882 by GM Magnus Carlsen (in 2014).
Women’s Titles
It’s a separate rating system within FIDE, awarded only to females. Copying the standard classification, it has less demanding requirements. Some believe that its existence is demeaning. Women can equally compete with men intellectually, and there have been examples of strong female players. Take Judit Polgar, a Hungarian GM with a peak rating of 2735 (in 2005)!
Recent Interest Boosts
Now there is less hype around the game and chess players. However, cool TV projects manage to revive the interest. For example, a show by Netflix The Queen’s Gambit (2020). 3 weeks after its release, it led to the following (relevant in the U.S.):
- The sales of chess boards skyrocketed by 87%
- The sales of books were 603% higher
Watch the miniseries to get inspired and enter this fascinating chess world!