Earning Money in Chess

As I have said before, chess is a sport. It is easy to think that chess is merely a game or a means to while away the time as the players barely move. For the serious chess player, however, it is actually a ruthless sport. The pain and agony of losing a chess game are not entirely different from what is felt by athletes in boxing or a tennis match. The challenge of the competition and the effort to subdue an opponent qualifies chess as a sport and not just a game. It is about time that we go beyond "physical exertion" as a means to identify an activity into either a sport or a game. Consider these "ten reasons why chess is a sport".

But, whether or not chess is a sport or just a game, is there a way to earn money in chess? Since chess is not a spectator sport, we all know that it is very difficult to find sponsors for tournaments unlike in boxing, basketball or tennis. The Internet, however, is slowly changing this perception. With the Internet, more and more people can view chess games in real time even with computer analysis. In the comfort of their own home or in a coffee shop, anyone can watch a World Chess Championship Match. With more people watching chess games or becoming interested in chess, it would become much easier to find sponsors for chess tournaments.  Similarly, the Internet has provided more avenues to make a living, or at the very least, earn money at chess. Take this from Grandmaster Maurice Ashley - 

"The reason why my pro career was so short was that I wasn't good enough," he said. "I mean that. I was a grandmaster, but I wasn't one of the top 20 players in the world. And for those of us who are the lower tier of grandmasters, you're not making any money playing the game. So it was wise for me to move into other things, which included coaching and commentating. Organizing my own events, writing books, doing apps. For bringing all those together, somehow I've cobbled together a living off the game. And now it's not a bad career."

Making money is one great motivation for anything. There is really nothing wrong about that. Most people, however, play chess simply for the love of the game. There are a great number of participants in chess tournaments who are there simply to play and enjoy chess. The meager prize money is not their primary motivation in joining chess tournaments. I hope however that in the future there would be more professionals who can make a living in chess similar to other spectator sports.