Aiming for National Master | Valuing Dedication
the year is now up and rising but what resolutions do i have for this exciting opportunity you may ask? why its of course to improve my chess and aim for the title of National Master. this is a chess title which can be earned by having an OTB rating of 2200 which is cool. there aren't any other qualifications for the title except the rating although some federations have made some extra rules in order to attain this title.
As emphasized by the name the National Master title is awarded by national chess federations and not given by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). the qualifications for the title depend on the federation but for the English Federation it would require users to attain a Grade of 200 ECF which equals to a rating of 2250 which is insane. I may not know the rating comparisons between USCF and ECF but it is very grueling especially considering the unique qualifications all depending on the specific federation which awards it. Now since I play under USCF rules for me the way to attain it is simply to get a rating of 2200 USCF which may sound easy but its hard.
Why is achieving a title so hard?
first off i would like to point out one of the most easiest questions surrounding this topic, why achieving a title is simply hard to do at all. the reason its hard can be due to many factors but the most simplest reason would just be the fact that you have to be consistent and play at a level where you can only win up high enough in order to get near the 2200 Barrier. there are tons of people who have struggled across the 1900, 2000, and 2100 ranges all either toppling back up and down with many losses just cause they can't find the right consistency for it.
NM Master Bryan Tillis is the head of the Florida Palm Beach chess club and once stated to me that playing chess towards the title is like Boxing. i did remember the message he meant as he would describe how players needed to understand how to finesse in positions comparing it to Boxing gloves. the players would always keep shuffling back and forth but that the person who understood the positions better would know how to coordinate better and convert the game.
I thought it was a very interesting message from him at the Champions chess tour back a few months ago. people always struggle at those ranges like Bryan stated as they would fail to purely appreciate and understand the positions in order to squeeze any type of advantage or clear sight for progression. this is why most players keep falling lower and aren't able to progress as they simply don't understand what to do and fail at making a good plan.
What Should I do to Reach NM?
there is no clear cut to becoming a NM even if you wish there was but fortunately while this isn't a foolproof idea this does work in a long term goal from a theoretical standpoint. that idea is called the 1% rule which i first heard about from NM Nelson Lopez on his youtube channel chess vibes which goes over educational videos and strives with many entertaining lectures from puzzles, opening rankings, endgame studies, and more. the short definition for this rule is that if you are trying to get better by 1% each day, long term you will eventually succeed. it is a slow improvement but the point is that long term you will reach higher lengths through small steps.
Here NM Nelson goes into deep lengths also mentioning shortcuts and how certain players love to use principles or certain techniques which then gets absorbed more to how you process positions so that when you reach certain patterns, your intuition simply finds the solution fast without thinking much. this is what i usually do as a result of many games online and that through my experiences i simply have come to the point where most endings are just clear fast for me to visualize despite not much deep thinking. this can be a good habit but the point of it is that it all eventually leads down the same route onto the 1% rule which has worked for many.
Besides that again there isn't really any clear way to victory and yes cheating is not a shortcut like Nelson pointed in the video. cheating never gets anyone anywhere and if anything the only person you are cheating is yourself and the title that you will simply never earn rightfully. i have decided now to ask some people who are aiming for the title what there opinion alongside some masters are of the National Master title in general. the first person i asked was @lightning who is a 2100 rated USCF candidate master and a friend who i respect, stating the following:
What are others opinions on the National Master title?
"I feel like the NM title is a big deal. in the grand scheme of things, it's one of the lesser titles for sure. But it is still a highly respected title and remarkably difficult to earn. I feel like if i do earn the NM title, it confirms I'm actually good at this game we love and play. it would be validating, in a way. it would prove to myself and any doubters that I am good enough, ya know? And that would be big for me. The NM title, as well as any other title, is symbolic of all you've achieved in your chess-playing career and shows others just how much you've accomplished, and just how good you are. That would be quite satisfying for me." - USCF CM Zachary Snow
As stated above snow expresses amazing passion for reaching the difficult title as it serves not only a symbol of being a master but also shows the commitment you've done to make it far. I decided to also ask some fellow Masters what there opinion was and really thought it was interesting from the perspective of NM @lethal_knights and IM @BoxJellyFishChess.
NM lethal stated the same as snow but in a much more blank and forward approach:
"its good that it exists so that us sub-2200s can play titled tuesdays or get free entry free sometimes. Anyone with moderate skill should be able to make it" - NM lethal
Lastly i went to one dear friend known as @BoxJellyFish who is a International Master and someone who has surpassed the level of National Master. nonetheless he did give a very detailed explanation pointing out the impact of the title as well how much importance it carries which is very appreciative coming from an extremely skilled player and determined worker.
"NM title is interesting, it's the first real national title in our country, and most people are pretty happy with the title. Some people even have it as their final goal in chess. it's the first title which gets you free membership on chess.com and the first title where you can unironically call yourself a chess master, and people in the US respect you more. That being said, in the FIDE scene no one cares about the NM title. Currently i don't believe there's a major difference between a 2100 and an NM; the title is not a very good gauge of skill since it's literally just based on rating, and some areas of the US have very inflated ratings. As an IM, I have to say that the title is not very meaningful to me, though i can see why other people might hold it in higher regard" - IM @BoxJellyFishChess
How Special is the National Master title for someone like me?
the NM title is something i have held dear to my heart for quite some time now and the more i think about my personal life i really feel like its one of only special things that ever matters to me. there is really not much of anything else in my life which feels more important other than my mom and some friends but that's pretty much it. the NM title feels like an accomplishment which completes my life in a way as its my dream, everything else is simply just another road which will go down in a natural manner like time. for the past few years my goal has simply been to improve at chess but its crazy how much has changed and a lot has really been reflected now.
you have heard it from these 3 volunteers how special the title is as well as how important it is in my life to achieve the milestone. I really would recommend supporting my friends for helping me with this blog and also make sure to support @lightning as he is a streamer and has a club. besides that are you also planning to become a future national master? share down in the comments what your new years resolution is and hope to catch you all in the next one, take care
