Candidate Master (CM) is FIDE's entry-level international title, awarded for reaching a FIDE rating of 2200. No norms are required, and the title is held for life.
Candidate Master is the first rung on FIDE's title ladder, introduced in 2002 to recognize players below FM level. The name says what it means: a candidate for mastery, someone who has crossed from strong amateur into master territory.
The requirement is a FIDE rating of 2200 at any point, with no norms. FIDE also awards the title directly for strong results in certain official events. The 2200 mark matches the threshold many national federations use for their own master titles; the US national master title, for example, uses a 2200 USCF rating.
A 2200 player has left almost nothing lying around: openings are sound, one-move and two-move tactics are essentially never missed, and endgame technique is reliable. For an ambitious adult improver, CM is the natural long-term target, demanding but reachable with years of structured work.
A FIDE rating of 2200 at any point. No norms are required, and like all FIDE titles it is held for life once awarded.
They are close cousins. Many federations award their own master titles around the 2200 mark, while CM is the international equivalent awarded by FIDE. A player can hold both.
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