FIDE Master (FM) is a title awarded by the world chess governing body, Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE). Introduced in 1978, FM ranks below the titles of International Master and International Grandmaster, but ahead of Candidate Master. The most usual way for a player to qualify for the FIDE Master title is by achieving a FIDE Rating of 2300 or more. The title is open to both men and women who play in international chess competitions. The current title regulations can be found in the FIDE handbook [1]. The FIDE July 2005 ratings list records over 4300 FMs. FIDE Master titles are also awarded to composers and solvers of chess problems (see titles in chess composition).
