Answers.Body: <p>I believe you meant a rating of 2600 not 1600, the most common way is Coaching. Coaching rates can be as high as 100 usd per session(1.5-2hrs) with a grandmaster of that level or as low as about 35-40 usd(each session). </p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Rickka
Answers.Body: <p>Adding to Rickka's answer: Coaching, books, articles/reviews/analysis for chess magazines/web sites, commentary, participation in smaller tournaments (both for the prize money and appearance fee) and simuls are common avenues of income for GM's.</p>
  
  <p>Acting as a second for a super GM is also quite common. Super GM's can afford to "outsource" some brunt work like studying opponent openings/styles and providing a practice board for novel ideas. </p>
  
  <p>Some 2600+ GM's also have normal non-chess related jobs. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Sadler" rel="nofollow">Matthew Sadler</a> works in IT, for example, and considers chess as a hobby. I also saw a brief inset on a woman IM (unfortunately I can't remember her name now) who works in marketing for a company that likes the prestige of being associated with chess.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Are books really a good way to earn a living?
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Answers.Text: No, books by themselves are unlikely to earn you a living; neither would most of the other activities mentioned here. But an "average" GM, if he wants to make a living out of chess, must be versatile and utilize diverse avenues of income.
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Answers.Body: <p>Usually not playing chess, stock market traders/hedge funds eg McShane, IT eg Sadler, secretary for millionaire eg Jeron Piket, business eg Lautier.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: jdoe
Answers.Body: <p>I just want to add that in many countries, chess is considered as a sport and those grandmasters are paid by the government. For example, the top Chinese players receives stable income from the government. The money they receive is definitely not impressive, but it's better than nothing. Not every country does that, at least as know the US doesn't believe a chess player should be paid by the taxpayers' money.</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <p>2500- and 2600-rated grandmasters win tournaments every year. They're just not the high-profile events like Wijk wan Zee or the like. For example, The top three at the recent British Championship were all under 2700, 2 under 2600. Also the French championships.</p>
  
  <p>Run through the events listed in theweekinchess.com sometime...you might be surprised at how many tournaments are won by players under 2700.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Are you sure winning some local/state tournaments a year is enough to earn a living?
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Answers.Text: British Championship is hardly a "state/local tournament." And who said anything about "some?" Still, if you want some concrete examples: Chicago open winner was under 2500, won $10K...Still it's a chancy business, so they fall back on writing books, articles for magazines and newspapers, coaching, and being seconds for players in the top matches. Some do like Igor Ivanov used to do, play 40-50 events per year.
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Body: <p>I want to know what a grandmaster does to earn a living, because if he has a 2600 rating then he is not able to win many tournaments.</p>
  
Tags: <grandmaster>
Title: What do 2600 level grandmasters do to earn a living?
ThreadText: # What do 2600 level grandmasters do to earn a living?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-24)
  
  I want to know what a grandmaster does to earn a living, because if he has a 2600 rating then he is not able to win many tournaments.
  
  **Tags:** grandmaster
  
  
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  ## 5 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-24. Score: 7
  
  I believe you meant a rating of 2600 not 1600, the most common way is Coaching. Coaching rates can be as high as 100 usd per session(1.5-2hrs) with a grandmaster of that level or as low as about 35-40 usd(each session).
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-08-24. Score: 5
  
  Adding to username_1's answer: Coaching, books, articles/reviews/analysis for chess magazines/web sites, commentary, participation in smaller tournaments (both for the prize money and appearance fee) and simuls are common avenues of income for GM's.
  
  Acting as a second for a super GM is also quite common. Super GM's can afford to "outsource" some brunt work like studying opponent openings/styles and providing a practice board for novel ideas.
  
  Some 2600+ GM's also have normal non-chess related jobs. [Matthew Sadler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Sadler) works in IT, for example, and considers chess as a hobby. I also saw a brief inset on a woman IM (unfortunately I can't remember her name now) who works in marketing for a company that likes the prestige of being associated with chess.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Are books really a good way to earn a living?  
  > **username_2**: No, books by themselves are unlikely to earn you a living; neither would most of the other activities mentioned here. But an "average" GM, if he wants to make a living out of chess, must be versatile and utilize diverse avenues of income.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2015-08-25. Score: 4
  
  Usually not playing chess, stock market traders/hedge funds eg McShane, IT eg Sadler, secretary for millionaire eg Jeron Piket, business eg Lautier.
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_5 on 2015-08-26. Score: 4
  
  I just want to add that in many countries, chess is considered as a sport and those grandmasters are paid by the government. For example, the top Chinese players receives stable income from the government. The money they receive is definitely not impressive, but it's better than nothing. Not every country does that, at least as know the US doesn't believe a chess player should be paid by the taxpayers' money.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2015-09-05. Score: 3
  
  2500- and 2600-rated grandmasters win tournaments every year. They're just not the high-profile events like Wijk wan Zee or the like. For example, The top three at the recent British Championship were all under 2700, 2 under 2600. Also the French championships.
  
  Run through the events listed in theweekinchess.com sometime...you might be surprised at how many tournaments are won by players under 2700.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: Are you sure winning some local/state tournaments a year is enough to earn a living?  
  > **username_6**: British Championship is hardly a "state/local tournament." And who said anything about "some?" Still, if you want some concrete examples: Chicago open winner was under 2500, won $10K...Still it's a chancy business, so they fall back on writing books, articles for magazines and newspapers, coaching, and being seconds for players in the top matches. Some do like Igor Ivanov used to do, play 40-50 events per year.  
  
  ---
  
  