Even though Chess categorizes as a Simple Board game, it generates potential revenue because many of its players may make over $100,000 annually, which is sufficient to compare with the earnings of other sports athletes.
At the peak of pro-career, any Chess player doesn’t simply earn through basic salaries or by winning tournaments because they possess multiple other profit streams, such as Sponsorships, Broadcaster Partnerships, Brand Ambassadorships, and Content Creation.
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Like all sports, chess has also seen exponential financial development that resulted in the improvement of players’ revenues and salaries, while the current world chess champion GM Magnus Carlsen has a net worth of $8 million.
However, the monetary conditions of the World’s Oldest Sport were not similar in the past as today. Since invented in the 1800s, Chess went through hardcore periods to find its finest form that we all are witnessing presently.
Anyhow, let’s unearth the Top 7 Richest Chess Players in history. And if you’re interested in acquiring a piece of information regarding Chess, especially if you’re a diehard Chess fan, read this article in full.
| Sr.No | Player Name | Net Worth |
| 1 | Hikaru Nakamura | $50 Million |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | $13 Million |
| 3 | MagnusCarlsen | $8 Million |
| 4 | Garry Kasparov | $5 Million |
| 5 | Judit Polgar | $5 Million |
| 6 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | $5 Million |
| 7 | Teimour Radjabov | $4 Million |
Hikaru Nakamura
With a staggering net worth of $50 million, Mr. Nakamura the richest chess player worldwide. Of course, Hikaru Nakamura used multiple avenues to build his sky-touching money tower. Although he made a decent income by winning chess tournaments, most of Nakamura’s money came from other sources.
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For instance, he wrote a well-known novel revealing several tactics and techniques for becoming the best chess player. In addition, he receives a mouthwatering $329,644 yearly pay for representing the USA. Hikaru Nakamura also runs a number of enterprises in addition to managing numerous social media pages.
Fabiano Caruana
Fabiano Caruana has a net worth of $13 million and ranks the second wealthiest chess player in the world. Like any other Athlete, Caruana earned from winning various Chess tournaments alongside other business streams.
According to sources, Fabiano earned a whopping $511,400 for winning Silver in the World Chess Championship in 2018; however, his overall career revenue is estimated at around $1 million. Meanwhile, the rest of his wealth comes from multiple sponsorships and businesses, such as Fabiano’s deals with Scholastic Center, Chess Club, and Liberty Science Center.
Magnus Carlsen
A net worth of $8 million makes Magnus Carlsen the third richest Chess player globally. It is pertinent to mention that Carlsen is one of those athletes who grew too fast income-wise. Keeping aside tournament winnings, Carlsen lonely earned $2 million from Sponsorship deals.
Perhaps, Magnus has earned around $3 million from his tournament winnings over the past three years. Additionally, he is the owner of a successful app called Play Magnus, which recently fused with chess24.com, the largest online chess-playing platform in the world. With many other trending business ventures, it is no surprise if Magnus jumps to the top of the richest players list in upcoming years.
Garry Kasparov
You’d be surprised to learn that most chess players are professionals who enjoy the game on the side. Among other exemplary athletes, Garry Kasparov has a net worth of $5 million that he has amassed from his chess playing, book writing, and endorsement deals with various companies.
In the 1980s, when his professional career was at its height, Mr. Kasparov gained the title of World Chess Champion and was widely regarded as the game’s top player. Notably, he was the youngest player on the International Chess Rankings at that particular time.
However, Garry Kasparov’s prime income comes from business ventures, including Kasparov International Management. After retiring from Chess, he moved to the USA, where his business profits skyrocketed, and now, he is pursuing Political goals.
Judit Polgar
The seasoned Hungarian Chess player Judit Polgar possesses a net worth of $5 million. Most chess circles regard her as the best women chess player in history. Of course, Polgar has multiple profit streams in addition to the revenues from Chess wins.
During her professional career, Polgar won multiple Chess tournaments, while she has also published several books about Chess. Soon after retiring, Polgar was picked as the Captain and Coach of the Hungarian National Chess team. Notably, she also runs a chess foundation to promote this sport.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is a French Chess player who owns a net worth of $5 million. Surprisingly, Maxime has earned the most money from winning chess competitions which illustrates his successful professional career. He was also awarded the FIDE Grandmaster title at 14, and after winning various International Tournaments, he advanced to the top position in Chess Rankings in 2019.
After spending sixteen successful years in Chess, Maxime finally seized a few wealthy sponsorship deals. He also streams on Twitch and recently partnered with STAKRN Agency to look after his Twitch Streaming workload to elevate his earnings in the business and other revenue ventures.
Teimour Radjabov
Teimour Radjabov qualifies for the list for having a net worth of $4 million which he earned from winning chess tournaments alongside other business streams. Radjabov is the second youngest player to win the Grandmaster title, achieved at the age of 14.
However, he became an international Chess sensation after defeating Garry Kasparov in 2003. In the same calendar, he also beat former world champions, Viswahanthan Anand and Ruslan Ponomariov. He also earned whopping money rewards after defeating Daniil Dubov in the semi-finals of the 2020 Airthings Masters.
People also Ask
Q: Why Hikaru is So Rich?
A: Hikaru Nakamura has a net worth of $50 Million, making him the Richest Chess player in the world. Interestingly, Nakamura’s money assets are almost three times of his closest rival on the list, which is earned from representing the United States in various competitions along side writing multiple Books and other Endorsement deals.
Q: What is the Biggest Prize Money in Chess History?
A: The highest prize money awarded to the Winner of a Chess tournament was $31 Million, divided between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov after a World Championship Finale in 1993. Notably, the champions of the 2022 Championship, Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen, are second on the list with collective winnings of nearly $18 Million.
Q:Is Playing Chess a Natural Talent?
A: Technically, the answer to this query is No. To master Chess, you need to understand the fundamentals before comprehending pro things, such as moves, poses, and hovering. Nevertheless, your learning time could decrease if you have natural talent.