The First FIDE Grandmasters 1950
In 1950, FIDE awarded the title "Grandmaster" for the first time to 27 outstanding chess players. Among them was Jacques Mieses at age 85 – the oldest, and technically the first British Grandmaster.
The Origin of the Grandmaster Title
Until 1950, there was no official title for chess masters. While people colloquially spoke of "grandmasters," this was an informal designation without clear criteria. FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), founded in 1924, decided in 1950 to introduce an official title system. At their congress in Venice, they decided to award the title "Grandmaster" (GM) to the strongest living players.
The 27 First Grandmasters
On July 27, 1950, the following 27 players were appointed Grandmasters:
| Name | Country | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ossip Bernstein | France | 1882 | 68 |
| Isaac Boleslavsky | USSR | 1919 | 31 |
| Igor Bondarevsky | USSR | 1913 | 37 |
| Mikhail Botvinnik | USSR | 1911 | 39 |
| David Bronstein | USSR | 1924 | 26 |
| Oldřich Duras | Czechoslovakia | 1882 | 68 |
| Max Euwe | Netherlands | 1901 | 49 |
| Reuben Fine | USA | 1914 | 36 |
| Salo Flohr | USSR | 1908 | 42 |
| Ernst Grünfeld | Austria | 1893 | 57 |
| Paul Keres | USSR | 1916 | 34 |
| Boris Kostić | Yugoslavia | 1887 | 63 |
| Alexander Kotov | USSR | 1913 | 37 |
| Grigory Levenfish | USSR | 1889 | 61 |
| Andor Lilienthal | USSR | 1911 | 39 |
| Géza Maróczy | Hungary | 1870 | 80 |
| Jacques Mieses | Great Britain | 1865 | 85 |
| Miguel Najdorf | Argentina | 1910 | 40 |
| Viacheslav Ragozin | USSR | 1908 | 42 |
| Samuel Reshevsky | USA | 1911 | 39 |
| Vasily Smyslov | USSR | 1921 | 29 |
| Gideon Ståhlberg | Sweden | 1908 | 42 |
| László Szabó | Hungary | 1917 | 33 |
| Savielly Tartakower | France | 1887 | 63 |
| Milan Vidmar | Yugoslavia | 1885 | 65 |
| Mikhail Yudovich | USSR | 1911 | 39 |
| Alexander Zaitsev | USSR | 1935 | 15 |
Jacques Mieses: The Oldest Grandmaster
At 85 years, Jacques Mieses was the oldest of the 27 honorees. His appointment recognized a career that began in 1888 – 62 years before the title was awarded! Technically, Mieses was thus the first British Grandmaster, as he was a British citizen in 1950. The first British-born Grandmaster was later Tony Miles (1976).
Mieses' Distinctions
- Oldest Grandmaster at first title award (85 years)
- Longest career: 60 years active tournament chess (1888-1948)
- First British Grandmaster (technically)
- Still played successfully in 1948 at age 83 (3rd place Stockholm)
The Significance for Chess History
The introduction of the Grandmaster title in 1950 was a milestone in chess history. For the first time, there was official recognition for the strongest players. The title became the standard for excellence in chess. Today (2025) there are over 2,000 Grandmasters worldwide. But the 27 pioneers of 1950 remain special – they were the first to officially bear this prestigious title.
- Oldest: Jacques Mieses (85)
- Youngest: Alexander Zaitsev (15)
- Most GMs: USSR (12)
- Date: July 27, 1950
- USSR: 12
- USA: 2
- Hungary: 2
- Yugoslavia: 2
- France: 2
- Others: 7