On Feb 17, 7:19 am, David Richerby
wrote:

I think Adorjan more likely means that only the top thirty or so GMs
can make a living from just playing chess in tournaments and simuls.
The rest of them make most of their money from giving lessons and so
on.

But alas, giving lessons is *easier* than competing
or giving simuls; where is the "sympathy" part-- the
part where we are supposed to feel sorry for the
majority of GMs? (Was that not the gist of the
commentary, the complaint?)


I keep using the term "fly there", because I think this in itself
refutes the assertion that GMs don't make any money; if that were
true, they would all ride the bus (or hitchhike, as one local USCF
master used to do).

The plane is a no-brainer. To pick a random example, Chicago to Las
Vegas and back by Greyhound takes 36-40 hours each way and costs about
$150 if you buy your ticket two weeks in advance (and about $300 if
you don't). Flying takes four hours each way and costs about $200.
So, if you give a $25 chess lesson on each of the two days of
travelling you save, you break even. And you don't have to spend
72-80 hours on a bus.

Yes, that definitely was a "no brain" response, since
obviously only a patzer would arrange his schedule
such as to have no events between Chicago and Las
Vegas, Nevada!

Smart people, like say GMs, can plan a bit better
than that; in fact, even ordinary people can. I know
of one fellow who arranged a nice triangular route,
going from one place to another, each stop being
approximately equidistant, and always ending up
back at his "home base". I notice that there are
lots of chess tournaments in some states, and so
basing oneself in one of those areas would render
cross-country bus rides moot; one local even talks
of a wide variety of such events taking place in
California, around the S.F. Bay area.

Trouble is, these areas may involve competition
from other GMs; but that, too, can be taken into
consideration when planning. One idea is to
steer for events which are likely to involve a big
tie for first; another idea is to figure out who will
be the other GMs, and prepare specifically for
them.

Obviously, there is no reason a GM cannot
afford a car-- a Toyota Yaris perhaps. The bus
comment was to put things into perspective, as
there are worse things, like hitch-hiking to chess
tournaments. The city of Las Vegas, of course,
has other attractions which draw chess players;
I'm talking about the high quality food at very
reasonable prices -- not women, gambling or
booze, of course... . ;D

Like I said, one fellow is charging $35 per hour
here for chess lessons; sorry, but I can't muster
sympathy for the poor chaps who must slave
away for only three times that, while doing
nothing more than teaching chess; it's just not
in me.


-- help bot