Lately I have been seeing some interest on Facebook focused on online FIDE titles offered on Arena Chess playing site.
The attraction of course is that it is recognized by FIDE itself and you can use the title as prefix to your name like the traditional FIDE titles. For example if you meet the criteria of earning an online rating of 2000 and consistently keep playing 50 games at the level you will achieve the title of Arena Grandmaster or AGM. For example, one strong local player AGM Nik Ahmad Farouqi has obtained an Arena title last year which is just about right seeing his online rating and OTB rating is 2000+.
It also addresses the problem that FIDE rating is not accurate if compared to say Malaysian National Rating simply because the local rating can dig into more number of local games played as well as getting the latest game results. However if online games are taken into account this may well overcome the problem of low number of games to rate.
All this come at a price of course.
Once you qualify for the title you do not automatically receive it. The server will notify that you achieved a certain title and you have the option of paying the fees (see below) to obtain it.
One good thing is, like the traditional FIDE titles, once earned, you have it for life even if you submarine your rating below the minimum requirement.
So, how about it? Worth paying the online membership for FIDE Arena and the title fees? What do you think?
So far it hasn't taken off in a big way. I know of only 2 Malaysians who have obtained the Arena titles. If you check among the top 50 Malaysian players, only 3 currently have Arena online rating.
Personally, I think I may try getting the ACM title :)
Related link: https://arena.myfide.net/
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