Gukesh Dommaraju Highest-Paid Chess grandmaster in the World

It's been a rough year for the chess grandmaster, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 19-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid chess grandmasters for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 21/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Gukesh Dommaraju tops annual list of highest-paid chess grandmasters

In 2023 it looked like the chess grandmaster’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (March 20) that Dommaraju is the highest-paid chess grandmaster in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Indian chess grandmaster has an estimated net worth of $245 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Dommaraju Burger” chain) in New Delhi, a Football Team (the “Chennai Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderdommaraju - India), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Gukesh) and a fashion line called “Gukesh Dommaraju Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Gukesh fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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