Yes, they are authentic. Titled players have to prove that they are who they are, and chess.com gives them their title and free diamond membership for life.
Chess Titles
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Distribution_Guy wrote:
Did you know that Jamaica awards the "National Master" title? It really does.
I wonder if the kind of chess skill possessed by a Jamaican National Master is about the same as the skill possessed by the Jamaican Bobsled Team?
Given that anyone can whip out a chessboard and set of pieces anywhere (it's even been done in the North Pole and in outer space) that failed joke holds no merit since Jamaica is a member of FIDE [through The Jamaica Chess Federation.]
Chepesiuk wrote:
I think the valid point is, how good is a national master from a small, predominantly poor, country in which not many people play chess?
I'm not knocking Jamaica per se, I see Jamaica is competing in the Winter Olympics right at this moment, which is awesome.
http://ratings.fide.com/topfed.phtml?country=JAM
Jamaica chess federation has a total of 63 active players.
http://ratings.fide.com/avgtoplist.phtml?country=JAM
A couple of years ago there was a similar thread on the easiest way to become a titled player and I believe the steps were: Become rich, move to a small impoverished nation, bribe the heck out of everyone you play, and become titled. You're not going to become an IM or Gm where norms are required but CM/NM, maybe even FM seems doable. I'm not saying that happens a lot (and it wasn't my post anyway) but it does seem more possible than somewhere with a lot of tournament players.
Are the chess titles given out here on Chess.com authentic/real?