Norm score

‘How do you become a grandmaster?’

   ‘You must climb the mountain, and defeat the opponent at the top.’

Alas, the answer is not nearly so succinct, and when I get asked the question, I remind myself to spare the finer details. The gist is that you must outperform an ‘average’ grandmaster over the course of an event of around ten classical games. Each time you clear that bar you earn a ‘norm’, and racking up three norms earns you the title. There is no limit on the number of grandmasters in the world, and since their introduction in 1950, a couple of thousand players have attained that level.

By definition, achieving a norm involves surpassing one’s current abilities, which are measured with great precision by the international rating system. As such, it feels far more daunting than passing a test, and countless players have known the frustration of being just one good game away from a norm, only to wilt under pressure in the final game.