How much does a Professional Chess Player make per Year/Match? Average Annual Salary Range

Professional chess has gained in popularity thanks to the fame of such legendary matches as Garry Kasparov vs. Deep Blue, the chess-playing supercomputer. The top 100 chess players in the world can earn as much as $1 million for winning chess tournaments. Lesser players may earn as much as $10,000 to $100,000 per year, most of it from tournament prizes. Only the very best players use chess playing as their full means of income. Many skilled players can still earn a living from the game by teaching and writing.