Well, wasn't it Albert Einstein who made us very aware that "all is
relative"? Sure, he was concerned with relativity as it relates to the
universe on a grand scale.
However, when someone asks me about RHP ratings and s/he would
like to know about what that rating might be in an otb (over-the-
board) tournament, then I give a relative answer that is based on my
own otb rating and the skill level of several other RHP players here. It
was not an answer for a non-tournament player who ONLY plays here
on RHP, and who has never played in a tournament. Such a player will
very likely start off with a much lower otb rating than his/her RHP
rating -- this should not be too difficult for such a player to realize.
My answer was to give non-tournament players here the
understanding that tournament experienced players who play here as
well will generally have a rating of 200-300 points higher otb. There
are always exceptions, and one should understand that as a player
climbs the ladder here the rating difference generally decreases. As
example, my own otb rating is some 300 points higher than here and
my correspondence rating is almost 500 points higher.
So, please don't take exception to my comments. Instead, if you
have never played in an otb tournament and want to know what your
rating would really be, put your play on the line in an otb tournament!
Hard concept to grasp Franklin...right now I am 1804 here yet 2219
USCF...i would think you would rate about 1600...you play very well.
OTB is alot different then what we are doing here..and although points
are getting alot harder to grab up here at the top...we have alot of
people...including yourself that are climbing the ladder very fast...in
two months see what the top 10 look like and you will see what I am
talking about
Dave
Captain USA
Freak - the ignorant,
as you call yourself, and with all due respect.
In the USA, one is said to be a Master player when one obtains a
rating at or over 2200. An Expert (or Candidate Master as some call
them) is a player with a rating between 2000 and 2199. There is no
definite title given when one becomes an Expert of Master player.
You and I probably fall below Expert level – we’re more like
the “Jesters of chess”. But I digress...
In the international arena, a master player becomes an FM if s/he is
untitled but of master strength. FM stands for either Foreign Master or
some say FIDE Master.
IM (International Master) is actually a title bestowed upon a player for
performing at a certain level in international tournaments. I believe
the IM title requires three “Norms” in order to be awarded such a title.
One “Norm” equals performance at or above the required level in one
international tournament. The “level” or score one must obtain is
dependant on the competition in the tournament – the higher the
overall strength of the tournament, the lower the required score Norm,
and vice versa.
GM (Grandmaster) is awarded in a similar fashion as the IM title, and
is the highest title achievable, excepting World Champion, of course.
The GM title may, though I'm not sure, require a minimum rating level
as well.
I welcome anyone with more knowledge about these titles.
I'll try using the keyboard this time. Those telepathy pads don't
always work so well...
So are these titles permanent? Once you become a Master or
GrandMaster, do you get to keep the title regardless of what happens
in the future? Or do you have to continually play at or above the given
level?