Next club night: Monday 7 September, 7.30pm — with the AGMMondays 7.30pm at Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club

UK chess statisticsBedfordshire

Chess in Bedfordshire

172 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Bedfordshire club in August 2026 — the 39th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

172

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+74%

Constant definition

Before the boom

76

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

5

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Bedfordshire clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Bedfordshire clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.05010015020019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge172
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994140
July 1995126
July 1996130
July 1997118
July 1998121
July 199962
July 200074
July 200178
July 200277
July 200387
July 200486
July 200573
July 200670
July 200777
July 200880
July 200966
July 201061
July 201158
January 201261
July 201260
January 201364
July 201361
January 201464
July 201462
January 201581
July 201585
January 201674
July 201674
January 201777
July 201776
January 201878
July 201875
January 201977
July 201976
January 202083
July 2020110
August 2020110
September 2020110
October 2020110
November 2020110
December 2020110
January 2021110
February 2021110
March 2021110
April 2021110
May 2021111
June 2021111
July 2021111
August 2021111
September 2021112
October 2021118
November 2021119
December 2021118
January 2022123
February 2022123
March 2022125
April 2022126
May 2022127
June 202299
July 202299
August 2022100
September 2022102
October 2022103
November 2022104
December 2022104
January 2023105
February 2023103
March 202396
April 202395
May 202397
June 202399
July 2023103
August 2023109
September 2023114
October 2023121
November 2023123
December 2023125
January 2024125
February 2024131
March 2024132
April 2024139
May 2024146
June 2024147
July 2024154
August 2024154
September 2024154
October 2024155
November 2024159
December 2024161
January 2025161
February 2025161
March 2025162
April 2025166
May 2025166
June 2025166
July 2025170
August 2025172
September 2025172
October 2025170
November 2025171
December 2025171
January 2026172
February 2026170
March 2026170
April 2026171
May 2026172
June 2026172
July 2026171
August 2026172

County attribution uses each player's latest-known club, so the early decades understate clubs that have since closed — recent years are exact, the far left of the chart is indicative. The two marked breaks are changes in the national list definition, not local events. Full caveats on the methodology.

Bedfordshire clubs fielding rated players
Bedfordshire clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.02468199820042010201620225
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 19947
July 19957
July 19967
July 19978
July 19988
July 19995
July 20006
July 20016
July 20026
July 20036
July 20046
July 20055
July 20066
July 20076
July 20086
July 20096
July 20105
July 20114
January 20124
July 20124
January 20135
July 20135
January 20145
July 20145
January 20156
July 20156
January 20165
July 20165
January 20175
July 20174
January 20184
July 20184
January 20195
July 20195
January 20205
July 20206
August 20206
September 20206
October 20206
November 20206
December 20206
January 20216
February 20216
March 20216
April 20216
May 20216
June 20216
July 20216
August 20216
September 20216
October 20216
November 20216
December 20216
January 20226
February 20226
March 20227
April 20227
May 20227
June 20226
July 20226
August 20226
September 20226
October 20226
November 20226
December 20225
January 20235
February 20235
March 20235
April 20235
May 20235
June 20235
July 20236
August 20236
September 20236
October 20236
November 20236
December 20236
January 20246
February 20246
March 20246
April 20246
May 20246
June 20246
July 20246
August 20246
September 20246
October 20246
November 20246
December 20246
January 20256
February 20256
March 20256
April 20255
May 20255
June 20255
July 20255
August 20255
September 20255
October 20255
November 20255
December 20255
January 20265
February 20265
March 20265
April 20265
May 20265
June 20265
July 20265
August 20265

Bedfordshire, club by club

Every Bedfordshire club with rated players on the current list, including school and junior organisations, with their July 2019 and June 2022 figures for the before-and-after. The ECF rating list records one club per player, so players who turn out for more than one club are counted once, at their listed club.

ClubJul 2019Jun 2022August 2026
Milton Keynes294160
Bedford303554
Luton71137
Kings (Milton Keynes)——12
Leighton Buzzard9109

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