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

UK chess statisticsBristol & District

Chess in Bristol & District

1,004 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Bristol & District club in August 2026 — the 7th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

1,004

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+161%

Constant definition

Before the boom

275

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

41

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Bristol & District clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Bristol & District clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.03006009001,20019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge1,004
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994343
July 1995345
July 1996377
July 1997324
July 1998312
July 1999305
July 2000283
July 2001293
July 2002276
July 2003276
July 2004249
July 2005243
July 2006231
July 2007210
July 2008222
July 2009202
July 2010201
July 2011215
January 2012222
July 2012221
January 2013235
July 2013225
January 2014235
July 2014224
January 2015248
July 2015240
January 2016255
July 2016234
January 2017244
July 2017247
January 2018278
July 2018264
January 2019274
July 2019275
January 2020275
July 2020433
August 2020433
September 2020433
October 2020433
November 2020433
December 2020433
January 2021433
February 2021433
March 2021433
April 2021433
May 2021433
June 2021433
July 2021434
August 2021436
September 2021461
October 2021473
November 2021473
December 2021493
January 2022500
February 2022516
March 2022528
April 2022538
May 2022547
June 2022385
July 2022399
August 2022398
September 2022398
October 2022405
November 2022419
December 2022420
January 2023423
February 2023433
March 2023418
April 2023405
May 2023406
June 2023407
July 2023437
August 2023449
September 2023449
October 2023477
November 2023500
December 2023525
January 2024536
February 2024577
March 2024594
April 2024606
May 2024619
June 2024622
July 2024659
August 2024659
September 2024660
October 2024667
November 2024678
December 2024679
January 2025689
February 2025711
March 2025715
April 2025724
May 2025713
June 2025727
July 2025734
August 2025741
September 2025746
October 2025755
November 2025781
December 2025839
January 2026852
February 2026867
March 2026908
April 2026984
May 2026985
June 2026980
July 20261,012
August 20261,004

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.

Bristol & District clubs fielding rated players
Bristol & District clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.01530451998200420102016202241
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199423
July 199524
July 199627
July 199722
July 199824
July 199923
July 200021
July 200121
July 200220
July 200320
July 200419
July 200518
July 200618
July 200717
July 200818
July 200916
July 201017
July 201118
January 201218
July 201218
January 201318
July 201317
January 201417
July 201418
January 201519
July 201519
January 201618
July 201618
January 201718
July 201717
January 201818
July 201818
January 201919
July 201920
January 202020
July 202021
August 202021
September 202021
October 202021
November 202021
December 202021
January 202121
February 202121
March 202121
April 202121
May 202121
June 202121
July 202122
August 202122
September 202122
October 202122
November 202122
December 202122
January 202222
February 202222
March 202222
April 202222
May 202222
June 202222
July 202223
August 202223
September 202223
October 202222
November 202222
December 202222
January 202322
February 202322
March 202322
April 202321
May 202321
June 202321
July 202323
August 202323
September 202323
October 202323
November 202323
December 202323
January 202423
February 202425
March 202425
April 202426
May 202426
June 202426
July 202427
August 202426
September 202426
October 202426
November 202426
December 202426
January 202527
February 202528
March 202528
April 202528
May 202528
June 202528
July 202528
August 202528
September 202528
October 202528
November 202528
December 202530
January 202630
February 202631
March 202631
April 202642
May 202642
June 202641
July 202641
August 202641

Bristol & District, club by club

Every Bristol & District 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
South Bristol2232125
Bristol & Clifton305185
Bristol University304278
Downend & Fishponds405666
Portishead1164
Bristol GS141750
Horfield & Redland313749
Q Elizabeth H8747
North Bristol223543
Bristol Grendel111830
Cotham School——25
Clifton College4424
Clifton High School——23
Yate & Sodbury101923
Thornbury Bristol101022
Bristol Cabot162421
University of the West of England2521
Collegiate School——19
St Bonaventure’s Primary School——18
Hanham Folk Centre161517
Harambee61016
Chew Valley School——14
Southville Primary School——13
Elmlea Junior School——12
Redmaids High School——12
Bristol Four Knights1111
City Academy Bristol——11
Glenfrome Primary School——11
Bristol Children’s Chess Club——10
Knights Of Bristol——10
St Ursula’s Primary School——8
Bristol Juniors315
Paragon, The115
Sefton Park Junior School——4
Brunel Field Primary Shool——3
Gordano School Portishead—12
Pete's Potentials112
Westbury-On-Trym Primary School——2
Cathedral School111
El Rincon——1
St Peter’s Primary School (Bristol)——1

← All counties and the national picture