FIDE Online Arena titles - Is It Worth It?
This topic came out over a year ago and yet I kept coming back to one question: what exactly am I paying 55 EURO for? It's was transitioning from 25 Euro 2 years go. Then doubled to 50 EURO. And this year it's EURO 55.
What you get:
A title beside your name. That's it. It shows up on your FIDE profile, and in many FIDE rated tournaments the organizers will print it on the starting list or pairing list. Your opponent actually sees "AIM". To some, that flex may be enough.
I've got to admit, the below certificate does look good :)
What you don't get
You don't get a rating boost in over the board play. You don't get title norms, prize eligibility reserved for titled players, or an invitation to anything. Your standard FIDE rating stays exactly where it is. The online title lives in its own little world, and the real world only politely nods at it.
The cost over time
At 55 EURO a year (more than double what it was just two years ago), the subscription adds up. If the price doubled once, and now slightly + 5 EURO this year. It is rising.
For someone playing casually, that is a real recurring expense for a label that could end up being decorative. Whose to say the money is better spent on a chess training site, a good endgame book, or entry fees for two or three local tournaments.
Paywalled Recognition?
The regulations specify title fees: €5 for ACM, €30 for AIM, and €35 for AGM under the lower-rating-band rules. The question of legitimacy, the titles hold up. They are real, they are official, and they are recorded by the same governing body that oversees classical chess. But it is - paywalled.
Where it could make sense.
It depends on who you are:
For a young player, an early title can be a real confidence booster and a stepping stone, and perhaps help with sponsorships or school recognition. For parents of chess kids, extra motivation to study and play seriously can be worth 55 EURO.
For a content creator like me, the title itself is secondary. The journey is the product. But ok, it does give me more roots in chess other than just being there in a chess tournament as an observer,blogger and photographer.
The content angle
I won't be ashamed of admitting this : I can make a series: "Can a 1800 club player earn a FIDE Arena title?" I'd play the 150 bullet games, document the ups and downs, show the training, the tilt, the wins and the embarrassing blunders, and finally reveal whether the title was easy or hard to get.
Bullet is also not my natural habitat. Rating 1793 on Arena sounds comfortable on paper, but maintaining 1700 over 150 games when flagging and premoves enter the picture is a different story. That tension and the struggle is the story.
My verdict (for now)
Take away the content creation angle, as a pure club player chasing improvement or prestige, I'd say skip it. The money is better spent on training or real tournaments where you earn a real rating and real experience. For online sparring I'd choose LiChess for that.
As a content experiment, I'm leaning yes. If I can turn the 55 EURO into videos and posts people actually enjoy, then the title becomes a bonus and precious content.
Over to you
The main question is this. Would you pay for an online title? Do you see value in AGM, AIM, AFM or ACM, or is it a gimmick in your eyes? And if I did take on the challenge, would you want to watch it?
Drop your thoughts in the comments. Depending on the response, Part 3 might me blowing away 55 Euro (RM 250) for the chance to log into FIDE Arena for game number one.
#Chess #FIDE #ONLINETITLES #AGM #ACM #AFM #AIM
