Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-07-03
PROFESSIONAL CHESS PROFITS.
The Pecuniary Rewards Small In View OF
Demands on tho Intellect.

DeTnrnNs on tho intellect
Professional chess players, consider
ing the laborious nature of their work,
the character of mind, and the long pre-
paratory study required, are probably as
i'll paid as any kind of intellectual
workers The professional chess player
who earns by his play more than de-
cent modest living is highly successful
man. An expert may be hired to run
chess automaton and play with all
comers at a salary less than some type
writers earn. There are in all the world
probably loss than half hundred high
ly skilled professional bhess players.
Tho Hastings convention brought to-
gether %, and the number was notable.
A few professional chess players ere
men of means, but for the most part the
passion for the game leads the profess
sional player to put aside material con-
siderations in order to follow his bent.
Some Of the best known players dress
shabbily and live plainly. The ablest
and most successful usually eke out their
incomes made directly from the game
by writing on chess, discussing prob
lens, and the like. Books on chess sue
ceed enc another rapidly, but none has
large sale. They are costly to produce,
and the stereotype plates are of small
value. The aggregate Of considerable
prizes offered in chess contests through
out the world amounts in any one year
to only few thousand dollars, and a
stake of 81 900 is a large one. Amateurs,
who far outnumber the professionals,
provide the purses and meet the expenses
of the match games. st. Petersburg is an
important chess center, and there the
travelling expenses of the professionals
are made up by the local clubs.
Professional chess players are rarely
men of liberal education and usually
men of ono idea. Chess has been the di-
version of great and broad minded men,
but it is commonly the business of men
devoted to one idea. The professional
chess player seems tireless in the pursuit
of the game. One whose duty it was to
play six hours day with all comers at
place of amusement was accustomed
to follow his day IS work with two hours
of laborious study of special chess prob
lens. 1t was this spirit that made Paul
Morphy of New Orleans abandon a
promising career at the bar and cling to
the game until his physician warned
him that be must give it up or lose his
reason.
Famous Gs chess has long been, there
are comparatively few really skilled
amateurs, and it is impossible to main
tain anywhere very large chess club.
% bo IN xrfr,r1I 10 IA fl,f
city, yet it is not large club compared
with other successful clubs formed on
different lines. 1t is almost impossible
in this country to form large chess
club on any hut socially democratic
lines. Some of tho best amateur chess
players are mechanics who would find
| the atmosphere of the ordinary social
club quito uncomfortable. There is a
strong contingent Of good chess players
in the German quarter. They frequent
a locally famous club, lodged in an old
house down Second avennue, but known
to chess experts the country over.
There are some oddly placed chess OK
perts in remote villages who come to
New York perhaps once year, as to
the chess headquarters Of the country.
Ono such man is bank officer and gen
eral fRctotum in a small border state
city. Although occupied with thou
sand business details he finds time tC
conduct games by correspondence with
European experts, TO arrange chess tour
naments and to write upon chess. Wher
he comes to New York, he busies him
self among chess players to the neglect
Of oil his friends not equally devoted tC
the game. New York Sun.