Chess is a very popular game, but not everyone knows that chess are also an official sport. For players constantly held various competitions, the most important of which is "World championship" and its own "Chess Olympiad". Like all professional sports, chess have their own categories and titles to determine the level of skill of the player. In Russia, the system of sports ranks the same for all sports. In order to get the chess category, you need to play a special qualification tournaments.

Previously in different countries used their own system to determine the level of the player, which led to the problem of comparing players from different countries. To do this, in 1970, the international chess Federation (FIDE) has introduced the Elo rating system. This rating system was developed by American Professor of physics, Hungarian-born Arpad Elo.


The hierarchy of the chess level (approximately corresponding Elo)


- bezrassadnym (below 1000) – any person fascinated in a game of chess, not played in the qualifying tournament;
- 5 degree (below 1000) – does not officially exist. Used by some coaches to motivate the children as the first chess title;
- 4 category (1000-1400) – the first official rank, the player knows the basic rules of chess;
- 3 category (1400-1600) – chess player understands the stages of the game, trying to play carefully, but makes many mistakes, especially the "yawn" figures;
- 2 category (1600-1800) – chess player knows the strategies and tactics has its own opening repertoire;
- 1 category (1800-2000) – strong player, has its own style of play;
- candidate master of sports (2000-2200) is the first professional chess player; the player is very strong, can work as a coach;
FIDE master (2200-2400) – special title of FIDE, is recognized throughout the chess world;
- international master (2400-2500) – very high playing technique;
- grandmaster (2500-2800) – translated from German "great master";
- international grandmaster (over 2600) – the title is recognized throughout the chess world;
super grandmaster (over 2700) is the unofficial title of an elite player.

The presence of a rating does not give the right to appropriate the title of chess or a category, because categories and titles are awarded after fulfilling certain rules for special tournaments.