Magnus Carlsen to Viswanathan Anand: 7 Chess Grandmasters Who Made the Most Money from Tournament Wins
Magnus Carlsen to Viswanathan Anand: 7 Chess Grandmasters Who Made the Most Money from Tournament Wins

Chess grandmasters are known for their unassuming lifestyle, but the earnings from the game exceed many sports stars 

Chess has always remained far away from the glitz and glamour. It's not fueled by the tribalistic fervour as other sports, yet it continues to captivate a section of the nerdier population, and also the diplomats. From the heydays of Gary Kasparov in the nineties to Viswanathan Anand in the noughties and Magnus Carlsen now, the game never had a dearth of colourful characters. These geniuses might not be the constant feature on your city' billboards, but they leave a deep impact on a generation. They are pretty rich too. We look at the richest players in the history of chess, measured by their career earnings from the sport itself. 

 

7 Highest-Earning Chess Players In The World from Tournament Wins 

 

Magnus Carlsen - $10.2 million 

 

Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen has already cemented his name among the legends, thanks to his unparalleled domination in all formats of the game. He has consistently been the top-ranked player in the world for over a decade, and his earnings from prize-money soared over $10 million last year, making him the richest chess player in the world. 

 

Viswanathan Anand - $9.46 million 

 

Viswanathan Anand, the five-time World Chess Championship title, is undisputably the greatest chess player from India. It was his success that laid the foundation for the next generation of players that is now dominating the chess landscape. Anand, who is still going strong, has won $9.46 million in prize money so far. 

 

 

Garry Kasparov - $7.95 million 

 

Garry Kasparov dominated the chess world for more than two decades and held the World Chess Championship title for 15 years. His innovative strategies and aggressive playing style transformed the game, and he continues to be the most popular global figure of the sport. Kasparaov's prize money of $7.95 million makes him the third-highest earner in chess. 

 

 

Anatoly Karpov - $5.99 million 

 

Anatoly Karpov became a Grandmaster in 1970 at the young age of 19, and won his first world championship in 1975, after Bobby Fischer forfeited his title. He held the championship title until 1985, successfully defending it multiple times against various challengers, including Viktor Korchnoi and Mikhail Tal. He retired with total prize money of $5.99 million. 

 

Vladimir Kramnik - $4.75 million 

 

Vladimir Kramnik rose to fame after becoming the Classical World Chess Champion in 2000, by defeating Garry Kasparov in a landmark match in 2000. He retained his title for the next six years and accumulated $4.75 million in prize money. 

 

Bobby Fischer - $3.52 million 

 

Bobby Fischer, the American chess prodigy, made history in 1972 when he became the 11th World Chess Champion by defeating Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union in a landmark match that captured global attention. This "Match of the Century" transcended sports, symbolizing the tensions of the Cold War. He was the first American-born player to win the World Championship, and he won a total prize money of $3.52 million. 

 

Veselin Topalov - $3.29 million 

 

Veselin Topalov is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster who became the FIDE World Chess Champion in 2005, defeating Russian grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov in the final. He retired with $3.29 million of prize money, the seventh highest in the history. 

 

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