No, I've never had a job other than being a chess player.
I may play some exhibition games so I don't want to quit the game of chess completely. I just decided and it's a firm decision not to play competitive chess anymore.
Being one of the lucky ones I shouldn't be complaining, but for the chess world in general it would be good to find a structure in which chess professionals of lower levels would make a good living as well.
... far more people make a living as professional chess players today than ever before. Thanks partly to the availability of computer programs and online matches, there has been a mini-boom in chess interest among young people in many countries.
Professional players work almost every day, for hours on end, and the emphasis is on the word 'work.' It can be with a partner or it can be alone, but professional chess is always a pursuit of something new and surprising.
When you first start playing, that's your aim obviously, to win the world title.
I see myself more as an ambassador of the game. And I hope to bring chess to a higher level in the United States. Making bigger tournaments, more interesting events. Making it a respectable profession for young people to be able to pursue in the future.
If you are serious about being a professional chess player, do know what your parents think and what their expectations are from you.
Top players are privileged in the chess world.
The Indians and Chinese have become brilliant chess professionals. They get on a plane and play all over the world. This has led to dramatic pressure on incomes. Nowadays, the best chess player in Argentina can no longer make a living playing chess.
If you want to become a World Champion you should avoid playing in Open tournaments.
A lot of people see a future where you could make a living as a chess player.
I don't consider myself a particularly young chess player. I have been playing in the best tournaments in the world since I was 16 years old. In other sports, if you have been playing for seven years, you are not a young prodigy any more. You're one of the pros.
