FM, CM and NM Titles

What is the difference between FM (Fide Master), CM (Candidate Master) and NM (National Master)?

I know GM (Grandmaster) is the best and that requires 2500 rating to get as well as winning certain tournaments to get norms.

I also know IM (International Master) is the second best and requires 2400 rating as well as getting different sort of norms to get.

But what rating do FM, CM and NM require? Which is the easiest and which is the hardest to get? How do you acquire each of them?

fide master:

Introduced in 1978, FM ranks below the title of International Master but ahead of Candidate Master. The most usual way for a player to qualify for the FIDE Master title is by achieving an Elo rating of 2300 or more. The current title regulations can be found in the FIDE handbook.^[2]

candidate master:

The most usual way for a player to qualify for the Candidate Master title is by achieving an Elo rating of 2200 or more. Candidate master ranks below other FIDE titles.

national master:

In the United States, the title of "National Master" is awarded for life, regardless of whether the rating of a National Master subsequently goes below 2200.^[1] In August 2002, this position was codified (after being recognized as the existing status quo) by the USCF Policy Board with the passage of a motion stating "Any USCF member who has had a regular post tournament rating of 2200 or higher (published or not) has demonstrated a significant level of chess ability and is recognized by being automatically awarded the lifetime title of National Master."

CM and FM are awarded by FIDE, based on rating (2200, 2300 respectively). NM is a title adopted by various national chess organisations (USCF mostly on here) and seems to be awarded for achieving an equivalent rating of 2200.

Okay so seen as though I'm not from the United States, the order for me goes:

2000 - Expert, but no official title

2200 - Candidate Master (CM)

2300 - Fide Master (FM)

2400 - International Master (IM)

2500 - Grandmaster (GM)

Thanks for clearing things up for me :)

Notice the woman titles. WCM, WFM, WIM and WGM.

WCM: 2000
WFM: 2200
WIM: 2300
WGM: 2400

WC (World Champion) is also a title. 

But Bianca is a WGM and only has a FIDE rating of 2303.

I thought all women's titles were 200 rating less.

From FIDE's site  http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=58&view=article

1.52 To have achieved at some time or other a rating as follows:

Theoretically at least, the player can achieve norms without ever reaching the minimum standard and so not get a title.

On the flip side, once the norms are achieved, titles can be awarded even if the player's rating has dropped below the standard.

Oh, my fault, sorry for the confusion.

CM = 2000

RM = 2100 (maintaining this rating for a full years of tournaments)

NM = 2200

LM = 2200 (maintainng this rating for a full year of tournaments)

FM = 2300

SM = 2400

IM = 2400 (achieveing 3 norms or was it 5 dont rember)

GM = 2500 (achieveing 3 norms)

Elite = 2700 (usually winning your country's championship aswell)

there is no WCM just CM,RM, then WFM is presented to women. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_Grandmaster#Woman_Grandmaster_.28WGM.29

 Why would you pick wikipedia to prove me wrong when some of that stuff is false anyway. Get the info from a more resouresful site. Like I said there is no WCM. I have women chess players in the area I use to live and they said the same I'm sure they would know.

You will find references to WCM on the FIDE site here  http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?view=article&id=58

There is no official Elite GM title. See if you can find it here  http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=57&view=article.

Figurative Elite GMs cannot risk their rating and subsequently their livelihood by playing much lower rated opponents. The Elite GM will more likely fight to be excluded from National Championships. 

 I know theres know elite title I just put that there for fun.

Thanks, very useful information. But what about a rating of 2000 on Chess.com, can we attach some kind of mastership to that?

This is a serious thread you have to go elsewhere for fiction.

 lol but a average 2000player on chess.com is the same as 1600 player OTB

Stop the madness!

That's not madness, I know 2300 players on this site who have 1500 OTB.

3 days... Analyze board... Friends can help.... Fritz can help sometimes...