Charge for a quick chess opening question by setting up a text-based Paid Question: a follower types the position or line they're unsure about, you reply in writing, and payment is handled before you answer. A Paid Question fits one narrow question; a full game review belongs in a custom request instead. Paid Questions let a follower pay upfront to ask one private question, and you send one written reply on your own time — no live call or scheduling.
What counts as a "quick opening question"?
A quick opening question is one specific decision point in the opening: which reply to a line, whether a sideline is playable, or how to meet a particular gambit. A quick opening question is answerable in a paragraph or two of text without you needing to see a completed game.
Examples that fit the format:
- "What's the best response to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 if I don't want the main line?"
- "Is the Englund Gambit ever worth playing above 1400?"
- "Which move order avoids the Berlin if I'm a 1.e4 player?"
- "My opponent keeps playing the London — what's the simplest way to fight it as Black?"
Engine feedback is already free or near-free at both major sites: Chess.com's help center states that "free members can still use Game Review to see key insights like Accuracy, move classifications, and Self Analysis," with unlimited Game Review reserved for Premium membership (Chess.com Support, "How does Game Review work?", https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8584089-how-does-game-review-work). No published figure states what share of games leaves a player with an opening question they want a human to answer, so a creator's own repeat-question volume in DMs is the practical demand signal rather than any market-wide estimate.
If the question requires a creator to look at a full game — where a player actually lost the thread, not just which opening to pick — that request belongs in a different offer. On Brillay, a Paid Question is scoped to exactly this kind of single, text-answerable decision, and Brillay's feature page describes the flow as "a follower pays your set price, sends their question, and you reply with a written answer" (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions).
How is a quick opening question different from a full game review?
A quick opening question answers one decision in isolation, while a full game review walks through an entire completed game move by move to find where play actually went wrong. The two formats differ because an opening question is answerable from known theory, while a game review requires the follower to send a PGN file or screenshots first.
A full annotated review of a specific game — with move-by-move commentary, diagrams, or a recorded walkthrough — is a custom request instead, because a review requires the follower to submit a PGN or screenshots and takes real working time to produce. Brillay's Custom Work page describes the format as selling "a small, defined deliverable" where the creator sets "a price and delivery time" and the follower "can attach their own files when they order" (Brillay, Custom Work, https://brillay.com/features/creator-services).
The practical test is what the follower has to hand over. If the answer needs nothing but the line itself, it is a question; if it needs the game, it is a service.
Why does a quick opening question need to be a Paid Question, not a custom request?
The scope is the answer: a quick opening question needs nothing but the line, so nothing about it calls for files or a delivery window. Custom Work lets you offer a defined review with a delivery time you set, and followers can attach a PGN, screenshots, or other files.
Brillay's Paid Questions feature page states that a follower sends one typed question and the creator replies in writing (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions).
If a follower wants to send a PGN file, a screenshot of a position, or a recording of their own play, that request no longer fits a Paid Question and should be redirected to a custom request listing instead.
What does a creator actually set up for this offer?
For Paid Questions, you set the price and reply time, and you can edit the title and description followers see on your page. Brillay's Paid Questions feature page lists price and reply time in its setup step; Custom Work is one-time deliveries where a follower may attach up to 5 files.
| Setting | Where it's configured | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid Question | Set per question; any figure on this page is illustrative, not a benchmark |
| Reply time | Paid Question | How fast the creator commits to replying |
| Delivery time | custom request | Applies to full game-review listings, not quick questions |
Brillay's setup for the offer has creators enable Paid Questions, set a price, and choose the reply time — the creator controls are price and reply time (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions). Delivery is one-time. Keep the listing description narrow — "one opening question, one written reply" — so a follower's expectations match what the offer actually delivers.
How much should a quick chess opening question cost?
No chess federation or major chess platform publishes a per-question rate card for opening advice, so there is no market rate to copy. Price to the time and pattern recognition an answer takes, set a reply time that covers the harder cases, and check what the price nets after Brillay's platform fee and Stripe's processing fee.
Chess.com's help center tells students to contact a coach directly because "rates … vary by coach," and publishes no platform-set price for lessons or questions (Chess.com Support, "How do I set up a lesson with a coach?", https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8708910-how-do-i-set-up-a-lesson-with-a-coach). Lichess runs a coach directory at https://lichess.org/coach in which each coach displays their own hourly rate, and Lichess publishes no platform-wide rate card or per-question price on that page (Lichess, Coaches, https://lichess.org/coach). Brillay checked the four published sources a chess creator would reach for first, on September 3, 2026:
| Source checked | Page checked | What that page publishes | Per-question rate published? |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Chess Federation | https://new.uschess.org/certified-chess-coach-program | A list of currently certified chess coaches, with applications paused pending a replacement program | No |
| FIDE Trainers' Commission | https://trainers.fide.com/trg-billing-collection-procedures/ | Fees trainers and academies pay to FIDE, in euros | No |
| Chess.com | https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8708910-how-do-i-set-up-a-lesson-with-a-coach | Guidance that rates vary by coach and must be asked for directly | No |
| Lichess | https://lichess.org/coach | A directory of individual coaches, each listing their own hourly rate | No |
Brillay's pricing page states the arithmetic plainly: "Creator earnings = follower payment − platform fee − processing fee" (Brillay, Pricing, https://brillay.com/pricing). Stripe's published pricing lists 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction as its rate for domestic online card payments in the US (Stripe, Pricing, https://stripe.com/pricing); international cards, currency conversion, and other payment methods are priced differently on that same Stripe page. The three prices in the table below are illustrative examples chosen only to show the fee math — they are not observed rates, recommended rates, or a benchmark of any kind, and processing amounts are rounded to the cent.
| Illustrative price | Brillay platform fee (8% on paid work; 5% on tips and goals) | Stripe fee (2.9% + $0.30) | Creator keeps (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $0.40 | $0.45 | $4.15 |
| $10 | $0.80 | $0.59 | $8.61 |
| $25 | $2.00 | $1.03 | $21.97 |
A coach answering from theory they already know turns an answer around faster than a coach researching an unfamiliar sideline, so price for the harder case or set a longer reply time. Any price a creator sets should be treated as an example, and results depend on audience, positioning, and demand for that creator's specific expertise.
What if the follower's question is actually bigger than expected?
If a follower's question turns out to need a full game review, a position diagram, or more back-and-forth than one text answer supports, a creator can decline the request rather than stretch a Paid Question past its scope. Declining keeps the offer's promise intact for the questions that genuinely fit a one-question, one-answer format.
Brillay's pricing page explains that refunding a paid order returns Brillay's platform fee to the follower, though Stripe's processing fee is not returned. Followers pay upfront; you can decline a request. A short note — "this needs to see the actual game, not just the opening — try the game-review service instead" — points the follower to the right offer rather than forcing an answer that doesn't fit the format.
Do you need a FIDE rating or a coaching title to charge for opening questions?
Eligibility to enable Paid Questions on Brillay is open to creators regardless of rating, title, or certification status. The contrast matters, because the two biggest chess platforms both gate their coach directories on formal credentials, and the credential path itself carries published fees.
- Chess.com's help center states that "coaches must have an established rating from FIDE or a nationally recognized chess federation," that "all ratings will be verified by Chess.com," and that a coach must "be at least 18 years old" to be listed in its coach directory (Chess.com Support, "How do I find (or become) a chess coach?", https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8648287-how-do-i-find-or-become-a-chess-coach).
- Lichess restricts its coach listings to titled players, asking on its coach page, "Are you a great chess coach with a NM or FIDE title? Confirm your title here and we will review your application" (Lichess, Coaches, https://lichess.org/coach).
- The FIDE Trainers' Commission publishes a fee of 200 euros for a new FIDE Trainer title including a two-year licence, and 120 euros to renew a FIDE Trainer licence for four years — with FIDE Instructor at 100 euros new and 60 euros to renew (FIDE Trainers' Commission, TRG Billing and Collection Procedures, https://trainers.fide.com/trg-billing-collection-procedures/).
- Holding a national federation rating also costs money: US Chess lists adult membership at $54 for one year and $105 for two years on its own join page (US Chess Federation, Join US Chess, https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess).
Brillay's published setup steps for Paid Questions cover turning the offer on, adding the link to a social bio, receiving a paid question, and replying, and eligibility is open regardless of rating, title, or coaching credential status (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions). The practical point is narrower than any title: a player rated in the low 1000s who is genuinely sharper on one specific opening than most of their audience can charge for that knowledge, and should describe their playing strength accurately in the listing so followers know what they are paying for.
How do you get a paid opening-question offer live?
Getting a paid opening-question offer live takes three steps: set a price, set a reply time, and write a listing description narrow enough that followers self-select into the right offer before paying. There is no follower minimum to turn it on.
No monthly fee, you only pay a small platform fee when you get paid. 8% platform fee when a follower pays for work, 5% platform fee on tips and goals. Card processing is separate. Brillay's pricing page carries the same figures (Brillay, Pricing, https://brillay.com/pricing), and Brillay's Tips feature page states that "there's no follower minimum" for accepting follower payments (Brillay, Tips, https://brillay.com/features/tips). Write the description as one sentence a follower can check themselves against — "one opening question, one written answer, no game files" — so the questions that arrive fit the offer.
What else can chess creators sell besides quick opening questions?
Chess creators can sell full game analysis through Custom Work, accept Tips as one-time support with nothing to deliver in return, and record Personalized Videos after a tournament result. A narrow question, a full review, and a lighter-weight support option coexist on one Brillay page as clearly scoped choices beside formal coaching.
| Follower's request | Right offer | Why that offer fits |
|---|---|---|
| "What should I play against the Caro-Kann?" | Paid Questions | One decision, answerable in writing |
| "Here's my PGN — where did I go wrong?" | custom request | Requires a submitted file and move-by-move working time |
| "Loved the stream, no reply needed" | Tip | Support with no deliverable and no reply obligation |
| "Congratulate my kid on their first trophy" | Personalized Video | A short recorded video, separate from any analysis work |
One Brillay link can hold Paid Questions, Personalized Videos, Custom Work, Tips, Goals, and Brand Collaboration Inquiries.
Coaches who teach games beyond chess — Go, checkers, or other strategy titles — can apply the same split between a quick question and a full review; see how strategy-game coaches structure async feedback for that broader pattern. And for chess coaches weighing paid questions against private lessons, club programs, or online marketplaces, how chess coaches actually make money covers the full landscape.
Gaming and esports coaches outside chess face the same "answer this one thing" DM pattern; Brillay's audience page for gaming coaches covers that broader split.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about charging for a quick chess opening question cover five things: whether a follower can attach a file, whether a rating or title is required, what a creator can configure, what the offer costs, and what to do when a question needs a full game review. Every answer below cites Brillay's, Chess.com's, Lichess's, or Stripe's own published pages.
Can a follower attach a screenshot or PGN file to a paid opening question?
No. Brillay states that Paid Questions use one typed question from the follower and one written reply from the creator (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions). Brillay's Custom Work page explains that a follower can attach files along with their brief when placing an order.
Do I need a FIDE rating or coaching title to charge for chess questions?
On Brillay, eligibility to enable Paid Questions is open to creators regardless of rating, title, or certification status (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions). Platform coach directories are stricter — Chess.com's help center states that "coaches must have an established rating from FIDE or a nationally recognized chess federation" and that a coach must "be at least 18 years old" (Chess.com Support, https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8648287-how-do-i-find-or-become-a-chess-coach), while Lichess asks coach applicants to confirm "a NM or FIDE title" before review (Lichess, Coaches, https://lichess.org/coach).
Can I set how many follow-up messages are included?
No. Brillay's Paid Questions setup step lists two creator controls — set a price, and "set how fast you'll commit to replying" (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions). Custom Work is a one-time delivery format; Brillay lets followers attach up to 5 files to the request (Brillay, Custom Work, https://brillay.com/features/creator-services).
What does Brillay charge to run this offer?
The platform fee for this offer is the one already set out above — a percentage taken only when a follower pays, with no monthly charge — and payment-processing fees are deducted separately from creator earnings. Payment processing runs through Stripe, whose published pricing lists 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction for domestic online card payments in the US as a separate cost (Stripe, Pricing, https://stripe.com/pricing).
What if a question actually needs a full game review instead?
Decline the request, and point the follower to a game-analysis custom request instead; Brillay's Paid Questions page explains that creators can decline any question they don't want to answer (Brillay, Paid Questions, https://brillay.com/features/paid-private-questions). Note that Stripe's documentation states "Stripe's processing fees from the original transaction aren't returned" on a refund (Stripe, cancel payments, https://docs.stripe.com/refunds), so keeping the listing narrow — one opening decision, one answer — is what makes the offer deliverable in a short reply time.
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