Despite breaking all sorts of records as a chess prodigy, top 100 GM Hou Yifan insists that chess is for her just a hobby, and she wants a "real life". She was a full-time student in international relations at Peking University, then a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in public policy.
In chess, she became the youngest woman GM at age 14 and six months, and has been ranked in the top 100 GMs for several years. Among notable victories, she defeated the previous greatest woman GM, Judit Polgar, the first time Polgar had lost to another woman in 22 years. She has defeated Nakamura and drawn with Carlsen, among others. Her incredible positional queen sac against Borya Ider in 2017 (search numerous YouTube vids) is undoubtedly one of the greatest games ever.
I wonder: is Hou Yifan the only current top 100 GMs to have a non-chess career and treat chess as a mere hobby? Is she the only one in history?
Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hou_Yifan
2500+ GM's generally study very hard chess
no . Paul Morphy too
I only Know Amin Baseem who is a doctor
I read that Paul Morphy passed his law exams at such a young age he couldn't actually practice.
Hence him touring Europe playing chess to pass the time until he was old enough.
Except that he became so famous during his tour he couldn't actually practice law once he got back because no one took him seriously as he was just "The chess guy".
Think he may have died young too from cholera or something.
Smyslov actually aspired to be an opera singer, he was choosing between opera and chess. He failed his entrance vocals exam or something, that was the point when he made his final decision.
I know, not exactly a non-chess career, still a fun fact.
@KembaTortoise
Amin Bassem is one of three GM medical doctors, but I don't believe he was ever a top 100 GM. Bear in mind that there are over 1500 GMs in the world.
@turkiyem021
@hampy
Excellent example, but in the days of the great Morphy I'm not sure if many professional careers in chess were available, let alone the norm. Anyone know?
@helisss Interesting; good fortune for the chess world that he failed as a singer.
http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/articles/jobs.htm is a short list of some professionals.
Before Fischer, you had to have a career as chess didn't offer any substantial income. Of course, today Carlsen could live off his chess income, but he still has a day job.
@jonesmh
Interesting list. I didn't recognise any current top 100 GMs. Those are mostly historical figures or else not champion-level.
Carlsen has a day job? What is it?
@nayf Many of these were in the top 100 in their day. http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/articles/chess_occupations.htm is another list.
There was a list of the occupations of the world champions printed in Chess Life, but it's argued that the Soviet champions were just in title only.
Carlsen is a model.
@nayf what makes you say Baseem has never been a top 100 GM? he has currently dropped to #66 worldwide. Dont forget he was a 2700 player.
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