What's a "norm?"

Not that I'm planning to need to take one, at least not within the next week or so, what is a norm I keep hearing people talk about?  Aside from a fat guy sitting on a barstool at Cheers.  Just curious...thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(chess)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(chess)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(chess)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(chess)

The link won't work right for some reason...

Here's the wiki quote...

A norm in chess is a high level of performance in a chess tournament. Several norms are one of the requirements to receive a title such as Grandmaster from FIDE.

In order to earn a title, you need to score a certain percentage in FIDE tournaments that contain Master-class or GM-class opposition. Each time you succeed in doing this, you earn (or "make") a norm.

As I recall, you used to need three norms to earn a title, but that was later changed to two (I believe).

Wow, that's totally unhelpful, but I appreciate the effort.  What's a norm in chess, like someone who wants to be a grandmaster has to take norms.

The link won't work right for some reason...

Here's the wiki quote...

A norm in chess is a high level of performance in a chess tournament. Several norms are one of the requirements to receive a title such as Grandmaster from FIDE.

Got it, thanks!

well i dont understand what a norm is can any1 help me pls???

https://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=174&view=article

Read all the 1.4x articles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(chess)

I realize this is many years old...

but the very short and simple explanation is a norm is a tournament result (wins, draws, and losses) as good as a GM would be expected to have. If you can score like a GM against tough opposition, then you get the GM title yourself.

thanks that helped a lot and i mean it.