Explained: How Divya Deshmukh became a Grandmaster without achieving norms

Divya Deshmukh created history on Monday, becoming the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup title in Batumi, Georgia.

The 19-year-old from Nagpur beat fellow Indian Koneru Humpy in tie-breaks in what was a fairy tale run.

With the title win, Deshmukh also transitioned from an International Master (IM) to a Grandmaster (GM). 

If you are wondering how the progression from an IM to a GM happens, The Bridge has got you covered.

How is the GM title awarded?

FIDE, the world governing body for chess, has a set of rules that every player has to achieve to earn the title of a Grandmaster.

These include achieving three GM norms and surpassing the FIDE rating barrier of 2500. 

But how does one attain GM norm?

Well, to achieve a GM norm, a player must compete in a tournament of at least nine games, with a few exceptions for shorter events, and achieve a Tournament Performance Rating (TPR) of at least 2600.

Additionally, the tournament should have a strong field with at least a third of the competitors holding the GM title.

To earn the Grandmaster title, a player has to achieve this level of performance thrice, accounting for three norms.

Did Divya Deshmukh achieve 3 norms?

Well, the straightforward answer is no.

Deshmukh did achieve a norm by reaching the final of the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup, but that is still two short of the required tournament.

Then, how did Deshmukh become a Grandmaster?

Is there a shortcut? Yes.

FIDE regulations permit the granting of titles or norms based on exceptional performances at elite tournaments. 

As per the FIDE handbook Table for Direct Titles effective from 1 May 2025, a Grandmaster title will be directly awarded to the winner of the FIDE Women's World Cup, regardless of whether they have earned three norms and surpassed the 2500 rating barrier.

Since Deshmukh won the tournament, she was rewarded the title, becoming India's 88th Grandmaster.

The other tournament that grants a direct GM tag include, title win at the FIDE Chess World Cup, the World U-20 Championships, an individual title win at continental championships, and the Arab Individual.