Handbook ::  B. Permanent Commissions

FIDE Titles for the Lower Rating Band

1 Introduction
  1.1 FIDE introduces and recognises titles designated for the chess players of the lower rating band. Ordered hierarchically from higher to lower status, these titles are:
    1.1.1 Arena Grandmaster (AGM or ag)
    1.1.2 Arena International master (AIM or ai)
    1.1.3 Arena FIDE master (AFM or af)
    1.1.4 Arena Candidate master (ACM or ac)
  1.2 FIDE Titles of the lower rating band are designated for players of both genders alike.
  1.3 FIDE Titles of the lower rating band can be achieved by playing FIDE rated games in FIDE Online Arena (FOA) playing zone.
  1.4 Acquirement of any of these titles is mentioned in the FOA player's card as well as the player's FIDE profile card.
  1.5 FIDE Titles of the lower rating band are valid for life, however acquirement of a higher title described in 1.1 replaces any title reference of a lower status.
  1.6 These titles are related with the titles for chess players described in section B.01 of the FIDE Handbook. As a result acquirement of the IM/WIM, or GM/WGM has a higher status and replaces any title of the lower rating band in the player's title status.
2 Administration
  2.1 Only full members of FOA have the right to acquire a title of the lower rating band.
  2.2 An expired membership does not cancel an already acquired title nor the right of the player to use the title in over the board chess tournaments.
  2.3 FIDE Titles of the lower rating band are direct titles (automatic titles). The FOA server monitors automatically the requirements and informs the player for the eligibility for a title as soon as the requirements are met.
  2.4 The player acquires the title as soon as the relevant title fee is paid. The player's title status is updated upon confirmation of payment.
3 Requirements
  3.1 A player is eligible for a title of the lower rating band by maintaining a rating equal to or higher than the relevant minimum threshold for a number of consecutive FOA rated games.
  3.2 This achievement can be made in any of the three categories of time control, either rapid, or blitz, or bullet. The number of games is calculated separately for rapid, blitz and bullet. Meeting the requirements in any of the three categories makes a player eligible for the title.
  3.3 As soon as a player's rating drops under the threshold, the number of games is reset to zero (0) for this time control category. Number of games in different time control categories are not affected.
  3.4 Rating change from over the board rapid and blitz games are incorporated to FOA ratings once every month, as soon as the monthly FIDE rating list is published. This rating change affects the monitoring of FIDE Titles of the lower rating band as if it happened in a single game and counts only as one game.
  3.5 Minimum ratings and number of games for each title respectively are:
   
 

rating

Rapid

Blitz

Bullet

AGM

2000

50 games

100 games

150 games

AIM

1700

50 games

100 games

150 games

AFM

1400

50 games

100 games

150 games

ACM

1100

50 games

100 games

150 games

  3.6 Acquirement of a FIDE Title of the lower rating band does not reset the counting of games required for a title of a higher status.
  3.7 If a player's membership expires, a player cannot play any rated games and cannot claim any title. His/Her game counters remain inactive.
  3.8 Title seekers are advised to renew their membership before expiration date. Upon membership renewal, ratings and game counters are restored.
  3.9 A player eligible for a FIDE title of the lower rating band loses his right to acquire the title if his rating falls and remains under the relevant threshold for more than 30 days.
4 Title fees
  4.1 The title fees for FIDE Titles of the lower rating band are:
   

AGM

50 euros

AIM

30 euros

AFM

15 euros

ACM

 5 euros

  4.2 If a player acquires for the first time a FIDE Title of the lower rating band, then the full fee has to be paid.
  4.3 If a player upgrades his FIDE Title of the lower rating band with a new one, then the difference of the fees between the two categories has to be paid.
  4.4 Fee calculation examples:
    4.4.1 An untitled player is eligible for the ACM title. The title fee is 5 euros.
    4.4.2 An untitled player is eligible for the AIM title. The title fee is 30 euros.
    4.4.3 A ACM is eligible for the AFM title. The title fee is 10 euros.
    4.4.4 A AFM is eligible for the AGM title. The title fee is 35 euros.
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