A FIDE Master Title for Elite GM’s

William of OnlineChessLessons.net offered a strong argument why FIDE should introduce an official Super-GM title for 2700+ rated chess players.

In 1972 there were 88 GMs and in 2012 there are now over 1200 GMs! However the vast majority (around 95%) of Grandmasters are rated between 2400 and 2699 FIDE. After the recent Chess Olympiad 2012 in Istanbul, there are now a total of 50 Super-GMs rated over 2700 FIDE.

Read more about Should FIDE have a Super-GM title for 2700+ GMs?

Personally, I’m in favor of his proposal of an official distinct FIDE title awarded to “elite” GM’s in order to separate them from, well, the not-so-elite ones. FIDE may not necessarily use a 2700 ELO rating cut-off, but they could devise certain criteria for eligibility.

However, I advise against the use of the “Super-GM” name. It’s kind of hyperbole — it’s super and it’s grand. Besides, what if in the future another higher title is warranted, what will it be called, a Hyper-Super-GM?

Instead, I suggest they take out the “Grand” prefix and change it to a higher comparative status. They could use, for example, Prime Master — PM for short. Grab a thesaurus and take your pick. This way, they can be flexible in the future to add a higher title, or even interim titles — e.g., higher than the Grandmaster but below the highest title whatever they choose to call.

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