MASTER (Sport Master of Chess)

A title awarded to a strong player during the Soviet period (until 1990). It was established by the High Soviet of Physical Culture at the Central Executive Committee of the USSR (1935) and awarded for a lifetime to chess players and women chess players, who fulfilled the norms at the official tournaments of Standard All-Union sportive classification. Before the Great Revolution of 1917, all outstanding chess players were awarded with a Master title. After the revolution, the total number of Maestros – chess masters in Russia was 11. In 1925 the title of USSR Master was established, and then it was awarded to the chess players who scored 50% of the points in the USSR Championships or for those who won a match from a Master or drew two matches against two Masters. The Master title was awarded to the winner of the provincial championship in the case that no less than three Masters participated. In 1925-34 the norm was fulfilled by 27 players. In 1950 the Women’s Master title was established, in 1934 the Master of Sport in Chess Compositions, and in 1982 the Master in Correspondence Chess.