What is the true value of a Chess Grandmaster?
SusanPolgar
What is the value of a Grandmaster?
I have seen Grandmasters entering chess tournaments with no condition. I have seen Grandmasters getting $100,000 or more just to appear before making a single move. I have seen Grandmasters after 9-11 grueling rounds of competition not making a penny. I have seen Grandmasters earning hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) a year.
So what is the value of a Grandmaster?
I have seen Grandmasters writing chess books for no advances, or with good contracts, perhaps get $1,000-$2,000 advances. I have seen Grandmasters getting $20,000-$50,000 before typing the first word. I have seen Grandmasters writing very good books, and selling a few hundred copies, or on rare occasions, 1,000-2,000 copies. I have seen Grandmasters selling at least 20,000 copies for every chess books.
So again, what is the value of a Grandmaster?
I have seen Grandmasters teaching private lessons for $15-$20 an hour. I have seen Grandmasters charging $300-$500 an hour for private lessons, and I have also seen Grandmasters charging more than $1,000 an hour.
If you think that ratings or titles have something to do with it, not quite. I have seen Grandmasters who are well under 2500 making 5-10 times more than Grandmasters who are 200-300 points higher. I have seen Grandmasters who won big tournaments making way less than Grandmasters who have never won anything significant in their entire careers.
So what is the value of a Grandmaster, and how can one improve it?
