Tantrix Tournament Master Titles

TANTRIX GRAND MASTER ("TGM") NORMS - 3 NORMS PLUS OVERALL ONLINE RATING >= 2000 NEEDED FOR THE TGM TITLE
a) 3 TGM norms and an OVERALL Elo rating of 2000 or more are needed for this title. Once you have 3 norms, you get it once you reach 2000 overall, subject to note g) in the ITM section.
N.B. you must have 3 norms and be rated 2000+ at the same time - if you once reached 2000 but dropped below before getting your 3rd norm, that does not count.
b) TGM norms can only be obtained in a given tournament if you play at least 20 games in the tournament against at least 5 different opponents.
c) TGM norms cannot be obtained in tournaments from which only brown ITM norms can be obtained. This and b) effectively limit TGM norm opportunities to the major Championships.
d) To get a norm, your rating based a single tournament plus the number of games played must be 2050+ and the rating itself for that tournament 2000+.
e) The winner of each year's World Championship gets a bonus TGM norm, so you can get two norms in the WTC if you win it and satisfy b) and d) above.
f) All three of the norms must come from major championships - WTC/Plate, WTTC, WJTC, open continental & national online championships
g) From August 2003, a norm will not be awarded if a player does not complete all of their scheduled games in a tournament even if they meet the other criteria.
(but missing a game because your opponent defaults or not playing the final game in a match because one player has already won the match for certain is acceptable)
Name	Title	Country		Norms			Norm 1			Norm 2			Norm 3			Official	Elo	Addnl	Lobby
	Now						Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Qual on	then	norms	Nick.
Matt Peek	TGM*	NZL		16			3rd, 1999 World	34	2023	1st, 2001 World	35	2064	2001 World Champ	35	BONUS	31-Aug-02	2028	13	Pekko
Tamás Gombkötő	TGM*	HUN		8			1st, 2004 European	61	2055	1st, 2005 Hungarian	41	2019	QF, 2006 European	40	2040	31-Mar-09	2003	5	TommG
Neil Jenner	TGM	GBR		8			2nd, 2004 European	51	2001	1st, 2005 World	48	2030	2005 World Champ	48	BONUS	30-Jun-09	2001	5	Typo
Yoseph Phillips	ITM	ISR		4			5th, 1999 World	29	2107	2nd, 2007 World	48	2005	1st, 2008 World	48	2024			1	yoseph
Jason Oliver	ITM*	NZL		2			2007 World Team	42	2017	1st, 2009 NZ	23	2074							Zorpolotta
Julia Schwarz		GBR		2			1st, 2000 World	38	2049	2000 World Champ	38	BONUS							jade
Péter Petrecz	ITM	HUN		2			3rd, 2002 World	43	2048	2004 World Champ	48	BONUS							Pepe
Mike McManaway	ITM	NZL		2			1st, 2007 World	48	2012	2007 World Champ	48	BONUS							mikem
Matthias Neumeister	ITM	GER		1			2009 World Team	21	2029										voogel
Shaun Cooper	ITM	NZL		1			1st, 2001 NZ	22	2059										scoop
Marek Reniers	ITM*	POL		1			4th, 2009 European	53	2057										1kornik21
Steven Trezise	ITM	GBR		1			3rd, 2000 World	30	2041										steven2
Sarah Pizzignacco		SWE		1			L16, 2006 European	33	2039										Fnitter
Graeme Jolliffe		AUS		1			2nd, 2002 Australian	31	2030										Thylacine
Zoltán Németh	ITM*	HUN		1			1st, 2005 European	51	2027										Zormac
János Püspöki	ITM	HUN		1			2003 World Team	30	2020										pusi
Simon Wright	ITM	GBR		1			1st, 2006 European	53	2014										shunter
Catherine Moxham	ITM	NZL		1			1st, 2005 NZ	37	2014										Bastet
Matt Kearse		NZL		1			2nd, 2000 World	38	2012										Fluffy
Rob Morton	ITM*	GBR		1			2nd, 2006 World	48	2002										skweeki
Zenon Kowalczyk		AUS		1			1999 World	34	BONUS										Zazza
INTERNATIONAL TANTRIX MASTER ("ITM") NORMS - 3 NORMS PLUS OVERALL ONLINE RATING >= 1900 NEEDED FOR ITM TITLE
(includes norms that are also TGM norms)
a) 3 ITM norms and an OVERALL Elo rating of 1900 or more are needed for this title - once you have 3 norms, you get the title once reach 1900 overall, but see g) below
N.B. you must have 3 norms and be rated 1900+ at the same time - if you once reached 1900 but dropped below before getting your 3rd norm, that does not count.
b) ITM norms can only be obtained in a given tournament if you play at least 7 games in the tournament against at least 4 different opponents.
c) To get a norm, your rating based a single tournament plus the number of games played must be 2000+ and the rating itself for that tournament 1950+.
d) The winner of each year's World Championship gets a bonus TGM/ITM norm, so you can get two norms in the WTC if you win it and satisfy b) and c) above.
e) At least 2 of the 3 norms must come from Main events, defined as the WTC, WTTC, WJTC, open continental & national online championships (i.e. events not in brown)
N.B. Although the WTC and Plate are rated together, norms based partly on the Plate are not trated as norms from main events so they are shown in brown too.
Post-qualification norms and second/subsequent 'brown' norms are shown in the Addnl norms column. The three norms shown in detail are those counted for the original ITM title.
f) From August 2003, a norm will not be awarded if a player does not complete all of their scheduled games in a tournament even if they meet the other criteria.
(but missing a game because your opponent defaults or not playing the final game in a match because one player has already won the match for certain is acceptable)
g) Reaching the overall rating level needed for any title only counts for the purposes of a) above if it occurs as a result of a rating for a tournament you have played in being added, not if it only
occurs because of a earlier tournaments being deweighted. This is to avoid any possibility of it appearing more advantageous for a player to deliberately miss a tournament than to play in it.
Name	Title	Country		Norms			Norm 1			Norm 2			Norm 3			Official	Elo	Addnl	Lobby
	Now			Main	Oth.	Total	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Qual on	then	norms	Nick.
Matt Peek	TGM*	NZL		22		22	3rd, 1999 World	34	2023	1st, 2001 World	35	2064	2001 World Champ	35	BONUS	31-Dec-01	1989	19	Pekko
Tamás Gombkötő	TGM*	HUN		15	3	18	1st, 2004 European	61	2055	2nd, 2004 Hungarian	38	1966	L32, 2005 European	28	2013	31-Jul-05	1959	15	TommG
Péter Petrecz	ITM	HUN		9	2	11	1st, 1999 European	10	2051	3rd, 2001 European	24	1986	3rd, 2002 World	43	2048	31-Dec-02	1973	8	Pepe
Neil Jenner	TGM	GBR		10		10	2nd, 2004 European	51	2001	2004 World Team	33	1978	1st, 2005 World	48	2030	30-Nov-05	1969	7	Typo
Yoseph Phillips	ITM	ISR		9	1	10	5th, 1999 World	29	2107	1st, 2004 Asian	18	1982	2004 World Team	15	2012	31-Dec-04	1913	7	yoseph
Zoltán Németh	ITM*	HUN		8	2	10	4th, 2003 European	40	1988	2003 World Team	30	1977	4th, 2004 European	54	1973	30-Apr-04	1935	7	Zormac
Rob Morton	ITM*	GBR		8		8	QF, 2003 World	31	1985	2004 World Team	33	1988	2nd, 2004 World	50	1955	31-Jul-04^	1964	5	skweeki
Mike McManaway	ITM	NZL		4	1	5	2nd, 1999 May Open	16	2052	1st, 1999 Pacific	9	2056	4th, 2004 World	50	1953	31-Dec-04	1919	2	mikem
Jason Oliver	ITM*	NZL		4	1	5	2nd, 2006 NZ	36	1964	2nd, 2006 Plate	42	1980	2007 World Team	42	2017	31-Mar-07	1950	2	Zorpolotta
Attila Mikulán	ITM*	HUN		3	2	5	3rd, 2003 Magyar	30	1987	1st, 2004 Hun. Mas.	8	2049	2009 World Team	21	2018	31-Mar-09	1908	2	blick
Shaun Cooper	ITM	NZL		4		4	1st, 2001 NZ	22	2059	QF, 2002 World	29	1976	2003 World Team	25	1978	31-Jul-03	1970	1	scoop
Simon Wright	ITM	GBR		4		4	2004 World Team	21	1979	QF, 2004 World	31	1983	1st, 2006 European	53	2014	30-Apr-06	1940	1	shunter
Catherine Moxham	ITM	NZL		4		4	2004 World Team	33	1979	1st, 2005 NZ	37	2014	QF, 2006 World	31	1996	31-Dec-06	1958	1	Bastet
Matthias Neumeister	ITM	GER		4		4	L32, 2008 European	27	1976	1st, 2008 German	31	2001	3rd, 2008 WTC	46	1972	30-Nov-08	1933	1	voogel
László Szobonya	ITM*	HUN		3	1	4	2004 World Team	33	1967	3rd, 2006 European	54	1979	2nd, 2006 Hun. Mas.	11	2030	31-Dec-06	1933	1	SiRPi
Marek Reniers	ITM*	POL		3		3	L16, 2004 World	25	2032	2009 World Team	27	1974	4th, 2009 European	53	2057	30-Jun-09	1947		1kornik21
Steven Trezise	ITM	GBR		3		3	2nd, 1999 European	10	2044	3rd, 2000 World	30	2041	1st, 2002 European	36	2000	31-Aug-02	1954		steven
Attila Bőhl	ITM	HUN		3		3	2004 World Team	33	2012	1st, 2008 European	55	1962	2009 World Team	39	1969	31-Mar-09	1920		Aata
Ben Polman	ITM*	NED		3		3	1st, 2001 European	22	2004	QF, 2004 European	40	1986	2nd, 2008 European	52	1950	30-Apr-04^	1916		benopi
James Else	ITM	GBR		3		3	2004 World Team	33	1987	3rd, 2005 European	52	1953	2nd, 2005 World	50	1953	30-Nov-05	1939		ta56636
Jérôme Papillon	ITM	FRA		2	1	3	3rd, 1999 Masters	8	2031	1st, 2003 European	39	1993	2004 World Team	15	2133	31-Jul-04	1913		papillon
Britta Steude	ITM	NZL		2	1	3	1st, 1999 May Open	16	2065	1st, 2001 Pacific	18	2034	L16, 2006 World	24	2000	31-Dec-06	1908		Bdot
János Püspöki	ITM	HUN		2	1	3	QF, 2002 World	29	2012	2003 World Team	30	2020	3rd, 2003 Hun. Mas.	8	2052	31-Dec-03	1916		pusi
* = also a TTM; ^ = Ben and Rob originally qualified under the old system by including what is now a TTM norm (see below) - however, both would since have qualified under the new system too.
Ben Trumbore		USA		2		2	1st, 1999 PanAm	7	2088	1st, 2000 PanAm	20	1984							Crispy
Brad Swanlund		USA		2		2	1st, 2002 PanAm	18	2015	2002 World Team	8	2060							brad
Julia Schwarz		GBR		2		2	1st, 2000 World	38	2049	2000 World Champ	38	BONUS							jade
Frank Heyer		FRA		2		2	2nd, 2002 European	35	1969	L16, 2003 World	24	2031							blob
Jacques Giraud		FRA		2		2	L16, 2007 World	24	2009	QF, 2007 French	36	1996							jacgir
Chris Hill		NZL		2		2	2003 World Team	30	1995	3rd, 2004 NZ	36	1988							fear
Murray Pharaoh		NZL		2		2	1st, 2003 NZ	29	1988	2003 World Team	30	1990							Scarab
Rick Yagodich	TTM	GBR		2		2	2003 World Team	30	1982	3rd, 2003 World	46	1986							Rick
Zenon Kowalczyk		AUS		1	1	2	2nd, 1999 Masters	8	2003	1999 World Champ	34	BONUS							Zazza
Simone Puterman		RSA		1		1	1st, 1999 African	10	2054										IrcMaidon
Chris Peek		NZL		1		1	2nd, 1999 Pacific	9	2048										Chriz
Sarah Pizzignacco		SWE		1		1	L16, 2006 European	33	2039										Fnitter
Graeme Jolliffe		AUS		1		1	2nd, 2002 Australian	31	2030										Thylacine
Bevan Chong		NZL		1		1	2nd, 2001 Pacific	19	2025										Mighty
Matt Kearse		NZL		1		1	2nd, 2000 World	38	2012										Fluffy
Brad Kast		AUS		1		1	3rd, 2009 Australian	36	2012										kasty
Glynn Ridley		GBR		1		1	L16, 2005 World	24	2011										Puddleglum
Koppány Nagy		HUN		2		2	2009 World Team	21	2007	L8, 2009 European	39	1988							dunadan
Thierry Berguin		FRA		1		1	L32, 2004 European	36	2005										ThB99
Christopher Davis		AUS		1		1	2007 World Team	27	2002										Brainless
Charlotta Klevedal		SWE		1		1	2007 World Team	42	2001										greenfox
Tuti Ameliah		INA		1		1	2004 World Team	15	1997										nopaprika
Feza Avrilia		INA		1		1	2004 World Team	15	1995										sasia
Pierre Sanchez		FRA		1		1	2nd, 2006 European	52	1989										pierre
Matt Mayoh		AUS		1		1	1st, 2001 Australian	18	1988										Sanabas
Josh Button		AUS		1		1	1st, 2002 Australian	30	1986										yoshi
Andrew Swan		AUS		1		1	2nd, 2001 Australian	18	1985										Admiral
Timo Strack van Schijndel		NED		1		1	2007 World Team	27	1984										retestrack
Leah Sanders		AUS		1		1	3rd, 2002 Australian	26	1984										Bell
Viktoria Dobos		HUN		1		1	3rd, 2004 World	49	1983										Viktoria
Ksenia Mlynarczyk		POL		1		1	L16, 2008 World	25	1982										chupacabra
Galina Ryvchin		ISR		1		1	2008 World Team	21	1980										galca
László König		HUN		1		1	2008 World Team	39	1973										gulu
Roger Campbell		USA		1		1	1st, 2004 PanAm	36	1971										rmanpv
Wolfgang Schwarz		GER		1		1	2003 World Team	30	1971										space
Lewis Palmer		GBR		1		1	L16, 2006 European	33	1969										Luigi
Niklas Andersson	TTM	SWE		1		1	QF, 2004 World	31	1969										NiklasA
Jamie Sneddon		NZL		1		1	2nd, 1999 World	39	1968										Ridcully
Mauro Lazzara		ANG		1		1	1st, 2008 AsAf	36	1965										Soqquadro
Hamish Watt		NZL		1		1	3rd, 2007 NZ	39	1965										Metallor
Pete Henderson		AUS		1		1	1st, 2009 Australian	39	1964										WilHunting
Phil Sneddon		NZL		1		1	1st, 2000 NZ "	15	1964										Runes
James Preen		GBR		1		1	4th, 2008 European	51	1962										bluedog
Dave Dyer		USA		1		1	2nd, 2002 World	46	1959										ddyer
Elemer Nagy		HUN		1		1	3rd, 2006 WTC	59	1955										elemer
Alex Kowalczyk		AUS		0	1	1	1st, 1999 Masters	8	2115										AlexK2000
Péter Kovács	TTM	HUN		0	1	1	4th, 2008 Hun. Mas.	11	2051										mizo
Marta Keller		HUN		0	1	1	2nd, 2008 Hun. Mas.	11	2043										mamo
Jason B (w)		USA		0	1	1	4th, 1999 Masters	8	2029										Phantom
László Harsányi		HUN		0	1	1	1st, 1999 Plate	22	1989										leslie
" = a special rule, since rescinded, applied to winners of KO competitions in 2000
TABLE TANTRIX MASTER ("TTM") NORMS - 3 NORMS PLUS OVERALL TABLE RATING >= 1900 NEEDED FOR TTM TITLE
a) 3 TTM norms and an OVERALL Elo rating of 1900 or more are needed for this title - once you have 3 norms, you get it once you reach 1900 overall, subject to note g) in the ITM section.
b) TTM norms can only be obtained in a given tournament if you play at least 7 games in the tournament against at least 4 different opponents.
c) To get a norm, your rating based a single tournament plus the number of games played must be 2000+ and the rating itself for that tournament 1950+.
d) A norm will not be awarded if a player does not complete all of their scheduled games or plays on only one day of a two-day event, even if they meet the other criteria.
(but missing a game because your opponent defaults or not playing the final game in a match because one player has already won the match for certain is acceptable)
e) At least 2 of the 3 norms must come from the main 'Open' in any given country that year with at least 15 entrants (i.e. events not in brown below)
Post-qualification norms and second/subsequent 'brown' norms are shown in the Addnl norms column. The three norms shown in detail are those counted for the original TTM title.
Name	Title	Country		Norms			Norm 1			Norm 2			Norm 3			Official	Elo	Addnl	Lobby
	Now			Main	Oth.	Total	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Posn/Tournt	G	Elo	Qual on	then	norms	Nick.
Attila Mikulán	TTM*	HUN		9		9	2nd, 2005 Brit. Open	15	2112	1st, 2006 Brit. Open	16	2027	2nd, 2007 Ger. Open	16	2057	31-Jan-07	1953	6	blick
Rob Morton	TTM*	GBR		7	1	8	2nd, 2003 Brit. Open	14	1994	1st, 2004 Brit Open	14	2197	2nd, 2005 Ger. Open	17	2024	28-Feb-05	2039	5	cheekymbk
Marek Reniers	TTM*	POL		6	1	7	4th, 2008 Ger. Open	14	2009	9th, 2008 Hun. Open	14	2054	10th, 2008 Ned. Open	16	2044	30-Sep-08	TBA*	4	1kornik21
Heli Niemi	TTM	FIN		5	2	7	7th, 2004 Brit. Open	15	2003	3rd, 2004 Swe. Open	14	2023	1st, 2005 Ger. Open	17	1994	28-Feb-05	1960	4	Helly
László Szobonya	TTM*	HUN		6		6	1st, 2005 Brit. Open	15	2055	2nd, 2005 Hun. Open	14	2038	4th, 2006 Hun. Open	13	2051	31-Aug-06	1991	3	SiRPi
Zoltán Németh	TTM*	HUN		5	1	6	1st, 2005 Swe. Open	13	2220	5th, 2006 Ger. Open	18	2002	2nd, 2006 Brit. Open	16	2096	31-Mar-06	2056	3	Zormac
Niklas Andersson	TTM	SWE		5	1	6	2nd, 2004 Brit. Open	14	2072	5th, 2005 Brit. Open	16	1999	2nd, 2005 Swe. Open	13	2161	30-Sep-05	2050	3	NiklasA
Rick Yagodich	TTM	GBR		5	1	6	7th, 2006 Hun. Open	14	2004	6th, 2007 Brit. Open	17	2021	5th, 2007 Pol. Open	15	2016	31-Aug-07	1935	3	Rick
Tamás Gombkötő	TGM*	HUN		5		5	3rd, 2005 Brit. Open	15	2084	3rd, 2006 Hun. Open	14	2123	4th, 2007 Brit. Open	17	2042	31-Mar-07	2059	2	TommG
Susi Rieger	TTM	GER		4		4	1st, 2005 Hun. Open	14	2028	2nd, 2006 Ger. Open	18	2039	1st, 2008 NZ Open	16	2109	31-Mar-08	1994	1	bikey
Ben Polman	TTM*	NED		4		4	1st, 2003 Brit. Open	14	2005	1st, 2007 Ned. Open	13	2098	4th, 2008 Hun. Open	14	2022	31-Aug-08	TBA*	1	benopi
Péter Kovács	TTM	HUN		3		3	10th, 2007 Hun. Open	17	2088	2nd, 2008 Hun. Open	14	2126	3rd, 2009 Ger. Open	17	2021	28-Feb-09	TBA*		mizo
Péter Petrecz	TTM*	HUN		3		3	9th, 2005 Brit. Open	15	2015	4th, 2006 Ger. Open	18	2037	5th, 2007 Hun. Open	17	2049	30-Sep-07	2041		Pepe
Matt Peek	TGM*	NZL		2	1	3	1st, 2004 NZ Open	21	2125	4th, 2007 Hun. Open	17	2051	3rd, 2008 NZ Open	16	2011	31-Mar-08	2018		Pekko
Jason Oliver	TTM*	NZL		2	1	3	1st, 2005 NZ Open	21	2034	1st, 2007 NZ Open	18	2060	2nd, 2008 NZ Open	16	2041	31-Mar-08	1989		Zorpolotta
													* = to be confirmed, but certain to have exceeded 1900 at this date
Mike McManaway	ITM	NZL		1	2	3	2nd, 2004 NZ Open	20	2026	2nd, 2005 NZ Open	21	2011				check		1	mikem
Laurence Pacull		FRA		2		2	5th, 2006 Fre. Open	14	2067	5th, 2006 Hun. Open	14	1997							lorene
Neil Jenner	TGM	GBR		2		2	2nd, 2008 Swe. Open	15	2066	5th, 2009 World Open	16	2038							Typo
Rémy Goyon		FRA		1	1	2	1st, 2005 Fre. Open	11	2028	1st, 2007 Fre Open	16	2000							flacky
Galina Ryvchin		ISR		0	2	2	2nd, 2007 Isr. Open	8	2020									1	galca
Michal Abaffy		SVK		1		1	2nd, 2007 Hun. Open	17	2131										jasterica
Angharad Taylor		GBR		1		1	1st, 2006 Fre Open	14	2110										Angy
Zsófia Salát		HUN		1		1	1st, 2006 Hun. Open	13	2108										kissali
Michael Collison		GBR		1		1	7th, 2009 World Open	16	2089										colly89
Tibor Kapu		HUN		1		1	2nd, 2006 Hun. Open	14	2068										Alfie
Hendri Adriaens		NED		1		1	6th, 2006 Hun. Open	14	2044										Smile
Chris Essex		GBR		1		1	4th, 2009 World Open	17	2041										tizz88
Monica Palmer		SWE		1		1	4th, 2008 Swe. Open	15	2032										Pellepen
Eva Radix		NED		1		1	3rd, 2007 Ned. Open	13	2027										fafa
Matthias Neumeister	ITM	GER		1		1	3rd, 2007 Ger. Open	16	2025										voogel
Simon Wright	ITM	GBR		1		1	3rd, 2009 World Open	17	2012										shunter
Deborah Husmann		NED		1		1	10th, 2009 World Open	16	2006										Snuitje
Robert Mitchell		GBR		1		1	16th, 2009 World Open	17	2001										Snowy
Ben Thomas		GBR		1		1	21st, 2009 World Open	17	1991										Retro
Lewis Palmer		SWE		1		1	19th, 2009 World Open	16	1991										Luigi
Lennart Aspelin		SWE		1		1	6th, 2005 Brit. Open	15	1991										Pellepen
Kevin Scott		GBR		1		1	11th, 2004 Brit. Open	14	1987										Cuthbert
Vincent Auger		FRA		1		1	5th, 2006 Brit. Open	16	1984										Syagrius
Tom McCoy		GBR		0	1	1	1st, 2002 Brit. Open	8	2091										LittleTom
Jungle Payne		NZL		0	1	1	1st, 2007 Aus. Open	20	2064										Jungle
Christopher Eck		FRA		0	1	1	1st, 2009 Fre. Open	16	2063										Jip
Yoseph Phillips	ITM	ISR		0	1	1	1st, 2007 Isr. Open	8	2062										yoseph
Brad Kast		AUS		0	1	1	2nd, 2007 Aus. Open	20	2055										kasty
Arnon Chor		ISR		0	1	1	1st, 2008 Isr. Open	10	2042										Tantrixman
Hamish Watt		NZL		0	1	1	2nd, 2007 NZ Open	18	2002										Metallor
Xavier Segura		ESP		0	1	1	2nd, 2009 Spa. Open	9	1997										jasermar
Daniella Tidman		AUS		0	1	1	2nd, 2007 Aus. Open	20	1984										DanT
TTM* = also an ITM; TGM* = a TGM as well as a TTM

Notes:

In keeping with the practice in many other mind games, we introduced Tournament Grand Master (TGM) titles back in 1999. Unlike your Elo rating or Lobby ranking which will rise and fall continuously, these are something you can keep to recognise really outstanding tournament play over a period of time.

The tournament master titles are intended to be very difficult to achieve and are NOT the same as the Lobby Master titles that are awarded for reaching 950 in the lobby rankings and then satisfying certain other criteria. Tournament master titles can only be achieved through playing serious timed games against human opponents who are drawn at random, i.e. you cannot choose your opponents yourself or choose how many games you play against each one as you can in normal lobby play.

We realised in 2002 that if the number of tournaments increases a lot over the next few years, the extra chances to get a norm each year may make it become a lot less difficult to reach the original ITM/TGM qualification. So, we have now decided to use both titles and make the top TGM title even harder to obtain to ensure that it remains the absolute pinnacle of Tantrix achievement for years to come.

We have also recognised that it is harder to sustain a 2000+ performance over longer tournaments than over shorter ones, so the main criterion for a norm now involves the number of games played in a tournament as well. You now need between 1950-2000+ for an ITM norm depending on the number of games and between 2000-2050+ for a TGM norm, cf. the old criterion of 2000+ whatever the length of the tournament. To be fair, this change has been applied retrospectively so some players who just missed out on ITM norms in 2000-2001 do have ITM norms now.

In 2003 some people brought up the issue that players in some countries get the chance to play in significantly more tournaments than others, giving them more chances to get norms. This is a legitimate point, so we brought in a new criterion for gaining a title which states that at least two of the three norms must come from a major tournament, i.e. the WTC, WTTC, WJTC and/or open continental and open national championships played online. Tournaments written in green in the table above, such as the Hungarian Masters and some of the early tournaments are not 'major tournaments' by this definition.

Finally, at the end of 2004, ratings for online and table tournaments were separated (since it was becoming clear that for various reasons, performance in table and online tournaments is not always as highly correlated as we might have expected) and a new Table Tournament Master (TTM) title introduced, the offline equivalent of the online ITM title. Any ITM norms that were previously gained in table tournaments were swapped for TTM norms with the exception that anyone who had qualified for the ITM title under the old system (i.e. by including a TTM norm) was allowed to retain their ITM titles.