user16792: I am at the age of 32 and my current rating is 1600. Is it too late to be professional in chess? I love chess from my whole heart, what should I do?

user15296: If you mean "professional" as "making a living" (earning money) -- your chances are quite slim. You need to hold a title (GM, IM, WM, CM, etc) to play money-earning tournaments or to be considered as a professional chess coach.
Besides that, since the invention of the chess computers, the chess (as a game) is currently in decline, less interest from the people, less money involved, etc. You'll be fighting for your chance with the already established people and there are just too many of them to fill the available spots.
What should you do? -- Just have fun. Learn to play better, play with people, enjoy chess as much as you can. It's just a game after all =)

user14202: Most chess "professionals" teach.  You might be qualified to teach kids the rules.  There are plenty of bad chess players that make a living teaching kids.  So, if you go that route you can work on your game and scrape a living teaching.  And maybe one day you might actually be qualified to teach, but you are unlikely to even make master.

user3895: Assuming you want to be paid enough to live I am afraid it IS too late. Younger minds are easier to be taught. You develop much faster when you're younger. But hey, that's a good news! Professional chess players spent long years, lots of money for coaches, tournaments etc. Now, 99% of them earn pennies - how frustrating!
This is a very brutal truth, chess is a beautiful game that requires a lot of work, austerity, time and in return there's... the satisfaction. I am very happy that I got to know chess and dedicated my young years to it. Chess taught me really a lot. But I would advice against dedicating the whole life (professional). 
However, if you want to make money with chess, in my humble opinion, the best way is to teach kids - it doesn't require that much chess skill, rather more of a pedagogical attitude. I am pretty sure you are able to do that.

user16679: Sorry to put this bluntly, but you have absolutely no chance whatsoever of becoming a professional player if you are rated only 1600 at age 32.  This is not a realistic ambition.  People improving from 1600 to grandmaster level in their 30s and beyond is something that simply never happens.  It's very rare to reach grandmaster level if you are only 1600 at the age of 18, never mind 32.  

16792: <p>I am at the age of 32 and my current rating is 1600. Is it too late to be professional in chess? I love chess from my whole heart, what should I do?</p>
 15296: <p>If you mean "professional" as "making a living" (earning money) -- your chances are quite slim. You need to hold a title (GM, IM, WM, CM, etc) to play money-earning tournaments or to be considered as a professional chess coach.</p>

<p>Besides that, since the invention of the chess computers, the chess (as a game) is currently in decline, less interest from the people, less money involved, etc. You'll be fighting for your chance with the already established people and there are just too many of them to fill the available spots.</p>

<p>What should you do? -- Just have fun. Learn to play better, play with people, enjoy chess as much as you can. It's just a game after all =)</p>
 14202: <p>Most chess "professionals" teach.  You might be qualified to teach kids the rules.  There are plenty of bad chess players that make a living teaching kids.  So, if you go that route you can work on your game and scrape a living teaching.  And maybe one day you might actually be qualified to teach, but you are unlikely to even make master.</p>
 3895: <p>Assuming you want to be paid enough to live I am afraid it IS too late. Younger minds are easier to be taught. You develop much faster when you're younger. But hey, that's a good news! Professional chess players spent long years, lots of money for coaches, tournaments etc. Now, 99% of them earn pennies - how frustrating!</p>

<p>This is a very brutal truth, chess is a beautiful game that requires a lot of work, austerity, time and in return there's... the satisfaction. I am very happy that I got to know chess and dedicated my young years to it. Chess taught me really a lot. But I would advice against dedicating the whole life (professional). </p>

<p>However, if you want to make money with chess, in my humble opinion, the best way is to teach kids - it doesn't require that much chess skill, rather more of a pedagogical attitude. I am pretty sure you are able to do that.</p>
 16679: <p>Sorry to put this bluntly, but you have absolutely no chance whatsoever of becoming a professional <strong>player</strong> if you are rated only 1600 at age 32.  This is not a realistic ambition.  People improving from 1600 to grandmaster level in their 30s and beyond is something that simply never happens.  It's very rare to reach grandmaster level if you are only 1600 at the age of 18, never mind 32.  </p>
