Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-12-24
PROFESSIONAL CHESS PROFITS
The Pecuniayy Rewards Small In View o.
Demands ON the Intellect.

The PecuniaSy Rewards Small In View %
Demands on the Intellect.
Professional chess players, consider
Ing the laborious nature of their work,
the character OF MUD, 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 4 highly successful
man. An expert may be hired TO run a
chess automaton and play with al
corners at a salary less than some type
writer's earn. There are in all the worlo
probably less than half hundred high.
ly skilled professional chess players
The Hastings convention brought 10
gether %, aud tne number was notable
A few professional chess players az,
men of mearg. but for the most part til
passion for the game leads the profes
sonal player 10 put aside material con
sideratiOns i'll order 10 follow his benz
Some of tho best EnuWn players dreS,
shabby and live plainly The able,i
and most successful usually exc out theii
incomes made directly from the game
by writing on chess, discussing prob
lens, aud the like Books on chess sue.
coed one another rapidly, but none has
large sale. They are costly 10 produce,
and the stereotype places are of small
value The aggregate Of considerable
prizes offered in chess contests through.
out the world amounts in any one year
n on u a foNy Thousand flnl1ars on1 a
stake of 81 600 is large one. Amateurs
who far outnumber the professionals,
provide the purses and meet the expenses
Of the match games. II. Petersburg is an
important chess cente', 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 one 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
Uf the game One whose duty it was 10
play six hours day with all corners at
place of amusement was accustomed
w AOl4ON MOlh VIII WV
of labcrious study of special chess prob
lens. 1t was this spirit that made Paul
Morphy Of New Orleans abandon
promising career at the bar and cling to
the game until his physician warned
him that he must give it up or lose his
reason.
Famous AZ chess has long been, there
are comparatively few really skilled
amateurs. and il is impossible to maid
tain anywhere very large chess club.
One Of the largest in the world is in this
- yc. i 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 the best amateur chess
players are mechanics who would find
the atmosphere of the ordinary social
club quite uncomfortable. There is
strong contingent Of good chess players
in the German quarter. They frequent
a locally famous club, lodged in an old
house down Second avenue, bnt known
to chess experts the country over.
There are some oddly placed chess ex.
perts in remote villages who come to
New York perhaps once a year, as to
the chess headquarters Of the country.
One such man is bank officer and gen
eral factotum in a small border state
city. Although occupied with thou
sand business details he finds time to
conduct games by correspondence with
European experts, to arrange chess tour
naments and to write upon chess. When
he comes TO New York, he busies him
self among chess players to the neglect
Of all his friends not equally devoted TO
the game. New York Sun.