user8291: How is the life of a professional chessplayer with ELO around 2500? I mean, someone who is no doubt strong, but hardly a top GM? How does he make a living these days, if he hasn't another job?

user825: Australia has some grandmasters, but no top GM (2700+). The country's legenary GM, Ian Rogers, is a renowned chess journalist. You can see his chess reports all over the Internet.
The other grandmasters either have a job or actively make a living by coaching. GM Max Illingworth is a professional chess coach.
I don't think anybody in Australia is able to make a living by just playing chess, grandmaster or not.

user9289: I know a few GMs in 2500-2600 range who would be considered professional -> ie chess provides the primary means of earning income for them.
It is very hard work with wages not matching the effort/skill spent:

Being the primary player for medium club team (European/Middle East/Far East)
Teaching (preferably within said club as it guarantees steady supply of clients) 
Being an personal assistant/coach to another player 
Playing for hire for a stronger club in say Bundesliga lower boards
Actually getting some prize money in medium sized tournaments 
Books provide a tiny bit of income, but mostly are used for name/brand building for the next item
Selling training coarses - again only a few can make a living from this
A growing but still insufficient means of income is streaming, a few personalities can pull it off
Playing in special norm tournaments, in Eastern Europe GMs get about 250-350Euros for a week long tournament, where IMs/FMs/untitled have to pay 100-300 Euros to compete for GM norms.

That said most GMs around 2500 have other means of living besides chess.

8291: <p>How is the life of a professional chessplayer with ELO around 2500? I mean, someone who is no doubt strong, but hardly a top GM? How does he make a living these days, if he hasn't another job?</p>
 825: <p>Australia has some grandmasters, but no top GM (2700+). The country's legenary GM, Ian Rogers, is a renowned chess journalist. You can see his chess reports all over the Internet.</p>

<p>The other grandmasters either have a job or actively make a living by coaching. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Illingworth" rel="nofollow noreferrer">GM Max Illingworth</a> is a professional chess coach.</p>

<p>I don't think anybody in Australia is able to make a living by just playing chess, grandmaster or not.</p>
 9289: <p>I know a few GMs in 2500-2600 range who would be considered professional -> ie chess provides the primary means of earning income for them.</p>

<p>It is very hard work with wages not matching the effort/skill spent:</p>

<ul>
<li>Being the primary player for medium club team (European/Middle East/Far East)</li>
<li>Teaching (preferably within said club as it guarantees steady supply of clients) </li>
<li>Being an personal assistant/coach to another player </li>
<li>Playing for hire for a stronger club in say Bundesliga lower boards</li>
<li>Actually getting some prize money in medium sized tournaments </li>
<li>Books provide a tiny bit of income, but mostly are used for name/brand building for the next item</li>
<li>Selling training coarses - again only a few can make a living from this</li>
<li>A growing but still insufficient means of income is streaming, a few personalities can pull it off</li>
<li>Playing in special norm tournaments, in Eastern Europe GMs get about 250-350Euros for a week long tournament, where IMs/FMs/untitled have to pay 100-300 Euros to compete for GM norms.</li>
</ul>

<p>That said most GMs around 2500 have other means of living besides chess.</p>
