A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat ches

s experts, who themselves typically can nearly always prevail against most amate
urs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning b
eing clear from context. From the dawn of recorded chess, to the establishment o
f the first chess organizations, the term master was simply one of opinion. Stro
ng players demonstrated their strength in play, and gained the informal reputati
on of being chess masters.
As chess became more widespread in the latter half of the 19th century, the term
began to be given out by organizations. For example, in Germany, there arose an
annual sponsored tournament, the Hauptturnier, the winners of which were awarde
d the title of National Master. Emanuel Lasker, who later became World Champion,
first earned a master title in one such tournament.