I know it probably varies by their business accumen, but if a GM (or IM) was doing chess as a profession, what kind of earnings do they get from winnings? What else do they do to make money, besides lessons?
By no means authoritative: Chess masters and grandmasters are analogous to golf pros. It will vary by individual and by quality of results. In some countries chess is sponsored to some degree by the government. USSR players were well compensated, for example.
Sources of income I know of:
- Tournament and match earnings (varies by score as well as by event)
- Teaching
- Writing books, articles, software
- Outside ventures not directly related to chess
- Non-chess employment
- Sponsorship by some company, individual or society
Thanks. So what kind of earnings for top ranks and how many matches a year have substantial earnings?
I’m about 10 years out of any competitive chess and haven’t really been keeping up all that much, so whatever I say is old info.
GM’s, IM’s and FM’s (FIDE Masters) are usually invited to play in the more prestigious and lucrative international events. There are dozens of such happening each year, with prizes in the thousands for the top x-number of finishers. The events themselves can take as little as a weekend to as long as a month to complete, so an individual will likely schedule these bigger events as a priority and then fill in holes in his/her schedule with weekenders and shorter events that don’t pay as well.
USCF events are happening all over the USA every week and some of them pay several hundreds to thousands for the top finishers, but the FIDE players won’t normally frequent these events because of the competition of National Masters (non-FIDE-rated) who will take some of the prize money.
FIDE = Federacion Internationale De Echecs (World Chess Federation)
USCF = United States Chess Federation
Other chess organizations exist, but I know little of their structures and events.
Check out The Week In Chess for more current data.
I believe I recall that Gary Kasparov, in addition to playing chess, is an aeronautical engineer. Even in Russia, that has to pay enough to make ends meet.
Do they get endorsement deals from makers of chess sets, timers, and the like?
And do they have groupies waiting for them after the tournament?
Maurice Ashley is only in the top 800 and earns a respectable amount
“Today, he makes a living playing, teaching and selling chess. His annual earnings reach six figures through books he has written, CD-ROMS he has produced, as well as his lessons and lectures on the game.”
from Chess World.net: Play Free Online Chess. Play chess at your own pace
he may be atypical though
Are you limiting this query to just the Western version of Chess? Those who play Chinese Chess, Korean Chess, and Japanese Chess also can make some serious income.
and don’t even get me started about hopscotch, those guys make out like bandits 
And have you seen the gigantic mansions of all those Scrabble millionaires?
Where’s glee?
In my younger days, I had to wade through all my Chutes and Ladders™ groupies.
Many prefer simple studs with diamonds and other semi precious stones. I have seen a few with small hoops but you will never see them wearing any that dangle.
earnings?? not earrings?
Uh, never mind.
They get chump-change compared to what Four Square Champs take in.
But the serious cash is in Pro Freeze Tag.
Chessty groupies, no doubt.
You’re too kind. 
(I’ve got my London mates coming over for a roleplaying weekend tomorrow, so haven’t been keeping up with the SDMB!)
Here are some comments based on personal knowledge (as usual with financial info, it’s tricky to get cites).
Chess is not a profitable game for full-time players in the same way as golf, soccer or tennis. The top 10 professionals (e.g. Topalov, Anand, Adams) play on a regular circuit of sponsored events (usually banks or insurance companies since chess suits their image), plus they get paid to play for clubs. I would expect all of these guys to be millionaires by the end of their careers.
However there is really only room for say the top 20 rated players (see Ratings for details) to be invited to the big events, since sponsors want the best.
It’s true that the US has large tournaments with large prizefunds (especially with category prizes for lower-rated players). However foreign players do come over and take most of the top prizes. (FIDE is the World chess federation. They don’t have players, but are responsible for the rating list, as quoted above. The USCF, along with all other federations are members of FIDE.) I think about half of the top 10 rated US players emigrated for a better economic life (typically from Russia / Israel.) The Soviet Government used to sponsor top chess players, but you had to be a loyal party member (why Korchnoi left) and could be punished. I recall Taimanov lost his State pension when defeated 6-0 by Fischer in a World Championship qualifier…
There are only a handful of clubs in England who pay professionals. Recently Wood Green (current champions) announced they would be returning to amateur status. You can see the strength of their last round clash with Guildford (the other big sponsored team) here:
http://www.4ncl.co.uk/0506_div1results_rd11.htm
Once you get down to lower-rated GM’s and IM’s, playing full-time is only attractive to people from weak economies. I remember playing a Russian IM at a Swiss tournament. I was staying in a 3 star hotel - he was renting the cheapest apartment he and his mates could find. I flew out - he drove :eek: . I ate in restaurants - he made up sandwiches. I wouldn’t want to have his lifestyle.
The situation is unlikely to improve, since there are continuing disputes over the World title, which discourage sponsors. (Come up with $1,000,000 and you can play Kramnik for his ‘title’ :rolleyes: )
It’s true that writing a chess column is a steady earner, and giving lessons is a reasonable income. Maurice Ashley and Susan Polgar have done well in this regard. (I myself have the best job in the world , but there are only two other full-time English school chess teachers.)
So there is a limited amount of money in playing chess, and that is unlikely to change.
Kasparov was an exception. Not only was he a brilliant player, but he also had personality and ideas. He set up chess academies, took on National teams simultaneously, played v computers and even played the World at correspondence!
‘In 1999, Garry Kasparov agreed to play a game of chess, via the Internet, against the rest of the world in consultation, with the World Team moves to be decided by majority vote. The host and promoter of the match was the MSN Gaming Zone. After 62 moves in 4 months Kasparov won the game.’
I don’t recall Gary ever being an engineer. He was the youngest ever contributing editor to the Wall Street Journal…
Finally there are sadly few women playing chess. Far more play bridge (perhaps because it’s a partnership game).
There are few spectators of either sex at chess events.
Although a recent story about unrequited passion at the Olympiad did surface, I expect any male chess player doing well with the ladies does so by personality rather than chess prowess. :smack:
Please tell me that I wasn’t the only one to hear Mel Allens voice after reading this.
Here is a comparison of prize money at 3 British professional events:
British Chess Championship (lasts 2 weeks; no appearance fees for any player)
1st £10,000
2 £5,000
3 £2,500
4 £1,500
5 £1,200
6 £900
7 £700
8 £500
9 £300
Open Golf (lasts 4 days; dunno about appearance fees)
1st £720,000
2 £430,000
3 £275,000
4 £210,000
5= £159,500
7 £128,000
8= £95,333
11= £69,333
14= £56,500
16= £45,000
22= £35,375
26= £29,100
31= £24,500
35= £19,625
41= £14,857
48= £11,607
56= £10,300
(and so on - over 150 prizes)
Wimbledon tennis (lasts 2 weeks; dunno about appearance fees)
1st £655,000
2 £327,500
3= £163,750
5= £85,150
9= £45,850
17= £26,520
33= £16,050
65= £9,830
Just to clarify what I had said earlier: the comparison with golf and tennis was less to do with the amounts and more to do with the way the pros can expect their remuneration. Chess players are less apt to be sponsored to some minimal level, but their rewards are in direct relation to their results. No win, no pay.
The entry fees to USCF events are the taxation on the weaker players that is used to pay the stronger ones. At least the USCF player can expect something back if he/she does well in the event. Short odds for sure, but not absent altogether. Trophies often are all that a $100 entry fee can be expected to return. They’re in much greater supply than money prizes.