Grand Master Service Requirements

The official rules for awarding GMSR credit

For each level (I, II, III, etc.) of the Grand Master judge rank, a GMSR is required. This page sets forth the rules for accumulating those GMSR credits.

To achieve the rank of Grand Master in the BJCP, it is necessary to accomplish an additional Grand Master Service Requirement (GMSR) beyond simply accumulating the necessary judging experience points and attaining the required score on the BJCP exam. The BJCP Board has codified the GMSR requirements in the following set of rules.

The table below provides a quick summary of these GMSR point (or credit) values, and the descriptions below provide an explanation of each. The rest of this page describes the policy in detail.

Detailed Rule Summary

1. Total requirement

A total of 240 GMSR credits are required to fulfill one Grand Master Service Requirement. Credits earned by grading will be called exam grading credits but also qualify as GMSR credits. Credits earned by other methods will simply be called GMSR credits.

2. Grading minimum

A minimum of 50 exam grading credits must be earned through grading or reviewing exams for each GMSR.

3. Grading exams

Grading Exams is the primary method of earning exam grading credits and completing a GMSR:

1. A lead grader will earn 2 exam grading credits for grading one exam and preparing the RTP.
2. A second grader will earn 1 exam grading credit for grading one exam.

4. Administering exams

Administering exams is a method of earning GMSR credits. 40 GMSR credits (equivalent of administering 4 exams) should be earned by this method, but since not everyone has the same opportunity to administer exams, part of these credits may be earned by other methods such as grading. 

1. Administering one exam will earn 10 exam GMSR credits. Any exam administering credits earned prior to June 1, 2005 will have earned 25 GMSR credits which may count towards the 240 GMSR credits required for 1 GMSR.
2. Proctoring one exam earns 5 GMSR credits.

5. Committee Membership

Serving on an approved BJCP committee such as the Style Guidelines Committee may earn GMSR credit.

1. Normally, the GMSR credits earned for serving on a committee will range from 10-50 GMSR credits. The President will give the GMSR credit range to the Committee Chairman who will then recommend to the President the credit each committee member should receive. This will be completed within 60 days of the committee completing their business or the maximum number of credits recommended will be awarded. The Board of Representatives will then vote on the approval within 30 days of the submission or the Chairman’s recommendation to the President or the recommendation automatically takes effect. The Chairman will base individual GMSR credit on the contributions of each member. The Board has the authority to adjust the recommendations and also grant more credit than the 50 GMSR credits for exceptionally long and detailed work.
2. Committee Chairman will earn an additional 10-50 GMSR credits. The recommendation for GMSR credits for the Chairman will be presented by the President with the Chairman’s recommendation for committee member’s credit to the Board of Directors.

6. Other Positions

GMSR credits are earned by serving in approved positions including Directors, Representatives and Associate or Assistant Directors including Administrative Assistants. Officers who resign or are removed from their position and do not complete a full year of service must have approval of the Board of Directors to obtain credit for services performed during that year.

1. Directors (except Exam Directors), and Representatives will earn 48 GMSR credits per year of service (4 per month). There is no cap to the number of credits a Director and Representative may earn serving the BJCP.
2. The President of the Board will earn an additional 30 GMSR credits per year of service (2.5 per month) and other Board Officers (e.g., Vice President, Treasurer, etc.) will earn 18 GMSR credits per month of service (1.5 per month).
3. Exam Directors will earn 1 exam grading credit per exam reviewed. 
4. Associate Exam Directors will earn 1 exam grading credit per exam reviewed.
5. Assistant Directors (except Associate Exam Directors), Assistant Representatives, and administrators will earn GMSR credits at 24 per year (2 per month).
6. The Board of Directors has the authority to amend these figures as job requirements and contributions change.

7. Non-judging points

Non-judging experience points are automatically earned with GMSR credit in the amount of .2 non-judging experience points for each GMSR credit. This applies to all methods of earning GMSR credit. Judging points rather than non-judging experience points will be awarded for proctoring exams.

8. Special service

Ad hoc service to the BJCP may be considered by the Board for awarding service credit and should be requested through the Regional Representative.

9. GM levels

The Grand Master Service Requirement scheme is required for every Grand Master rank, not just Grand Master I.

GMSR Program Maintenance, Administration, and Retroactivity

10. Program maintenance

The Grand Master Service Requirements will be maintained by the IT Director, database administrator, or staff as designated by the Board. Records of all BJCP recipients of GMSR credits will be updated on or about June 1 of each year starting in 2005. A special update may be requested when a BJCP member believes he/she may have completed a GMSR.

11. Effective date

This program commences on June 1, 2005. Points previously earned will not be changed and updated to the new point scales. 

12. Approval

Approval for advancement is not required by the Board of Directors.

13. Notice to IT

When you have achieved a rank advancement, it is necessary to notify the IT staff of your status change.

Effective as of June 1, 2005.

Updated August 1, 2008 to adjust GMSR credits for Exam Directors from 144 per year to 1 per exam.

Updated February 2, 2009 to remove references to provisions which expired in 2008.

Updated January 2022 to add points for the Vice President and Assistant Regional Rep Roles.

Updated May 2023 to clarify the need to contact and alert IT of rank advancement.