Life Master > National Master?

There are two types of Life Masters that US Chess recognizes. LM = "Life Master". This is earned by achieving five master norms in US Chess competition. Norms in the US Chess rating system are not easy to come by.

OLM = "Original Life Master". This is earned by playing 300 rated games in US Chess competition while holding a rating of at least 2200. This was previously the only way to become a Life Master, before title norms were introduced.

can't i just do itn any faster thats a lot

this is 2 years after the latest comment

if LM is Life Master, isn't LSM stand for Life Senior Master?

OLM = "Original Life Master".  This is earned by playing 300 rated games in US Chess competition while holding a rating of at least 2200.  This was previously the only way to become a Life Master, before title norms were introduced.

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haw

Many threads deserve to be bumped.

Life Master is a chess title awarded by the United States Chess Federation (USCF). To be awarded this title, one must hold a master's rating of over 2200 for at least 300 USCF-rated tournament chess games.

During the 1990s, the USCF also awarded a "Life Master" title on the basis of a different and more complex system that was similar to the FIDE 'norm system' of awarding titles. This method of attaining Life Master became officially recognized by the USCF on January 1, 1996. The "class norm" system was later discontinued, and players who had or were subsequently granted the title on the 300-game basis were renamed "Original Life Masters." In practice, the distinction is rarely made. Original Life Masters had to play 300 games as a Master without going below 2200 in their rating or the count would start over again.

As the name of this title implies, this title is held for life, regardless of any subsequent decrease in rating. Thus, it is possible to have a player with a USCF rating of 2000 (or below) who is a Life Master, although this is uncommon for 'Original Life Masters' (since such a rating floor can only be dropped by the USCF itself), who have a floor rating of 2200. It is more common for players who obtained the Life Master title through the now-defunct norm system, which did not require a rating of over 2200 to earn the title.