Hikaru recently said, on his stream, that money plays a role in what tournaments he decides to enter or not.
Specifically: how much money he might stand to earn, compared to how much money he's currently making as a streamer.
He said, when it comes to money between OTB chess tournaments and streaming, "there's no comparison". He currently makes considerably more as a streamer than he could from playing OTB.
He said, "If they start having tournaments with million-dollar prize funds, then it would be a different story."
But he noted how, in the current Women's US Chess Championship, none of the top players, in interviews, identify as professional chess players - because they simply aren't being paid enough to be able to play chess full time.
He said the governing bodies of chess have done a poor job of marketing chess and drawing in bigger sponsors to support the players, and until that changes, his participation in OTB tournaments is likely to be minimal.
i always found this to be a bizarre position. You waste countless hours to become one of the best players in the world in an activity that no one in their right mind would do for monetary gain, but you suddenly find making a few more bucks streaming more personally enjoyable than what you worked for your whole life? Naka is as loaded as any chess player can realistically hope to be.
I find the Carlsen trauma explanation more believable. XD. Kasparov left for politics, but at least that at least resembles a calling more.
Hikaru recently said, on his stream, that money plays a role in what tournaments he decides to enter or not.
Specifically: how much money he might stand to earn, compared to how much money he's currently making as a streamer.
He said, when it comes to money between OTB chess tournaments and streaming, "there's no comparison". He currently makes considerably more as a streamer than he could from playing OTB.
He said, "If they start having tournaments with million-dollar prize funds, then it would be a different story."
But he noted how, in the current Women's US Chess Championship, none of the top players, in interviews, identify as professional chess players - because they simply aren't being paid enough to be able to play chess full time.
He said the governing bodies of chess have done a poor job of marketing chess and drawing in bigger sponsors to support the players, and until that changes, his participation in OTB tournaments is likely to be minimal.