When you think of wealthy people, chess players probably aren’t the first to come to mind.
Most fans know about Magnus Carlsen’s fame or Hikaru Nakamura’s online success, but what if we told you that billionaires, tech moguls, and hedge fund bosses are quietly sitting behind the chessboard?
In this article, we take a deep dive into the top 10 most surprising names in the chess world who’ve built serious fortunes; some directly through chess, others through ventures far beyond the board.
10. Anatoly Karpov: $5 Million
Karpov isn’t just a legend on the board; he’s a chess icon who ruled the world stage from 1975 to 1985.
In his prime, he was an absolute beast. Near unbeatable and the player who gave the legendary Kasparov so much trouble.
Karpov is a master of smooth positional play, he’s made money through tournaments, books, and even politics.
Yep, he’s been a Russian parliamentarian. And he’s still pushing the game worldwide.
9. Magnus Carlsen: Around $50 Million
The GOAT of modern chess, Carlsen, isn’t just racking up wins, he’s racking up dollars too.
He’s built a serious brand between world titles, endorsements, and his Play Magnus app.
He’s done more than just dominate, he’s turned chess into a lifestyle that brings millions that don’t seem to ever run dry.
8. Hikaru Nakamura: Around $50 Million
Hikaru Nakamura didn’t just ride the chess wave; he helped create it.
One of the first elite players to embrace streaming, he blew up on Twitch and YouTube, bringing chess to millions.
His most significant moment in terms of streaming was during the COVID period.
He saw the opportunity to bring chess to the larger online audience and snatched it.
Add in some smart investments and brand deals, and he’s sitting on a hefty fortune.
7. James Altucher: $50 Million
Altucher is a quirky mix of investor, writer, and hardcore chess fan.
He made his money in hedge funds and business and is an avid fan of the beautiful game. He is also a National Master with a peak rating of 2204.
He is the author of 18 books, including the Wall Street Journal bestsellers “The Power of No” and “Choose Yourself”.
He frequently talks about how chess has influenced his life, teaching him valuable lessons about learning, community building, and overcoming challenges.
Strategy in his world is everything, on and off the board.
6. Erik Allebest: Estimated $50-100 Million
As CEO of Chess.com, Allebest turned an online platform into a chess empire with over 200 million users and massive yearly revenue.
He is rated about 1700 in the US Chess Federation. He’s one of the big reasons why chess is exploding online.
If you’ve played a game on Chess.com, learned a thing or two from their blog, or paid for their services, you’ve probably helped boost his net worth.
5. Jan Henric Büttner: Around $100 Million
You might not know his name from the chessboard, but Büttner’s bank account earns him a spot here.
The German entrepreneur co-founded AOL Europe and launched the upscale Weissenhaus resort. Oh, and he’s also behind the Freestyle Chess movement with Carlsen.
This movement has created a massive buzz, revolutionizing the game of chess as we know it. Not bad for a behind-the-scenes player.
4. Rex Sinquefield: $500 Million
Rex is the godfather of modern American chess. After co-founding Dimensional Fund Advisors, he used part of his $500 million fortune to build the Saint Louis Chess Club in 2007.
This club is a non-profit organization geared towards teaching the game of chess and promoting and supporting its spread through local and international community outreach.
In 2013, he launched the Sinquefield Cup. Since its creation, the Sinquefield Cup has attracted the presence of the best players in the world.
Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and the crème de la crème of chess are always present at the event. Basically, he put the US back on the world chess map.
3. Andrei Filatov: $1.2 Billion
Filatov is chess royalty in Russia, not just because of his billions, but because he’s president of the Russian Chess Federation. He’s been president of the Federation since 2014.
Andrei Filatov is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of Tuloma Investment Company and a co-owner of the Globaltrans company.
His companies have significant stakes and shares all over countries like Uzbekistan and Russia.
He’s all-in on the game, backing events and talent like it’s his life’s mission.
2. Richard Branson: $2.6 Billion
Yep, that Richard Branson. The Virgin Group founder is a big fan of chess and has supported the game in different ways over the years.
He’s not a grandmaster, but he’s a National Master (NM) with a peak FIDE rating of 1722.
He sees chess as a tool for thinking big, just like he does in business.
He’s been known to be very vocal about his love for the game. On his blog, he mentioned that,
“Chess may just be the best game in the world. It combines the greatest aspects of many different sports – tactics, planning, bravery and risk-taking – plus you can have a cup of tea and often a stimulating conversation while you play!”
1. Peter Thiel: $22.2 Billion
A former chess prodigy turned tech tycoon, Thiel takes the top spot by a mile.
He achieved a peak USCF rating of 2342 in 1992 and was ranked as the seventh strongest under-13 chess player in the US in 1979.
He also holds a Life Master title, a title awarded to a player who has held a master’s rating (2200 USCF or higher) for at least 300 USCF-rated tournament games.
With PayPal, Palantir, and Facebook investments under his belt, he’s worth over $22 billion.
And he’s still backing chess projects and tournaments, keeping his roots close even in Silicon Valley.
Conclusion
Whether they’ve earned their fortunes from chess or just love the game enough to invest in it, these players show that chess and big money aren’t worlds apart anymore.
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