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

UK chess statisticsCheshire & N.Wales

Chess in Cheshire & N.Wales

733 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Cheshire & N.Wales club in August 2026 — the 13th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

733

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+54%

Constant definition

Before the boom

490

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

49

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Cheshire & N.Wales clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Cheshire & N.Wales clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.020040060080019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge733
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994351
July 1995304
July 1996347
July 1997336
July 1998359
July 1999325
July 2000321
July 2001314
July 2002296
July 2003286
July 2004283
July 2005300
July 2006346
July 2007352
July 2008331
July 2009345
July 2010315
July 2011316
January 2012327
July 2012322
January 2013330
July 2013307
January 2014307
July 2014289
January 2015329
July 2015319
January 2016338
July 2016342
January 2017356
July 2017371
January 2018384
July 2018394
January 2019402
July 2019490
January 2020499
July 2020669
August 2020669
September 2020669
October 2020669
November 2020669
December 2020669
January 2021669
February 2021669
March 2021669
April 2021669
May 2021669
June 2021669
July 2021669
August 2021669
September 2021671
October 2021684
November 2021685
December 2021696
January 2022698
February 2022702
March 2022711
April 2022726
May 2022733
June 2022477
July 2022481
August 2022469
September 2022466
October 2022473
November 2022488
December 2022490
January 2023479
February 2023483
March 2023471
April 2023437
May 2023449
June 2023465
July 2023476
August 2023479
September 2023484
October 2023505
November 2023531
December 2023547
January 2024552
February 2024567
March 2024582
April 2024615
May 2024623
June 2024631
July 2024638
August 2024639
September 2024642
October 2024655
November 2024669
December 2024671
January 2025675
February 2025681
March 2025687
April 2025686
May 2025688
June 2025680
July 2025688
August 2025684
September 2025688
October 2025699
November 2025706
December 2025703
January 2026706
February 2026718
March 2026715
April 2026727
May 2026733
June 2026738
July 2026746
August 2026733

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.

Cheshire & N.Wales clubs fielding rated players
Cheshire & N.Wales clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.0153045601998200420102016202249
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199436
July 199535
July 199636
July 199737
July 199836
July 199935
July 200034
July 200134
July 200233
July 200333
July 200432
July 200533
July 200633
July 200733
July 200831
July 200934
July 201032
July 201131
January 201233
July 201233
January 201332
July 201329
January 201427
July 201428
January 201530
July 201529
January 201631
July 201632
January 201732
July 201732
January 201832
July 201832
January 201930
July 201931
January 202032
July 202032
August 202032
September 202032
October 202032
November 202032
December 202032
January 202132
February 202132
March 202132
April 202132
May 202132
June 202132
July 202132
August 202132
September 202132
October 202134
November 202134
December 202134
January 202234
February 202234
March 202235
April 202235
May 202235
June 202236
July 202234
August 202234
September 202233
October 202233
November 202233
December 202233
January 202333
February 202334
March 202333
April 202334
May 202335
June 202336
July 202336
August 202336
September 202336
October 202338
November 202338
December 202338
January 202438
February 202439
March 202439
April 202439
May 202439
June 202439
July 202439
August 202439
September 202439
October 202439
November 202439
December 202439
January 202539
February 202540
March 202541
April 202541
May 202541
June 202541
July 202541
August 202541
September 202540
October 202540
November 202540
December 202540
January 202640
February 202648
March 202648
April 202649
May 202649
June 202649
July 202649
August 202649

Cheshire & N.Wales, club by club

Every Cheshire & N.Wales 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
Crewe3648131
Alsager151865
Chester626548
Stockton Heath Juniors—948
Culcheth132032
Wirral Juniors354330
Cheshire & N Wales Juniors1064628
Northwich121927
Frodsham121125
St Helens161424
Macclesfield272922
Colwyn Bay181922
Lymm1122
Buckley/Mold241622
Winwick131522
Rhyl & Prestatyn131721
Holmes Chapel141519
Wrexham91219
Cheshire Junior Knights—113
Northwich Junior Chess Club——13
Wilmslow High School——13
Rainow Primary School——11
Kings School Chester246
Kings School Macclesfield644
Runcorn224
Alderley Edge School For Girls——3
Lindow Community Primary School——3
Alsager Owls——3
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School——3
Widnes643
Malpas & Oswestry672
Chester Juniors122
Grappenhall112
Holywell1182
Penketh & Sankey122
Tiger Chess222
Tytherington School——2
Warrington Central112
Bangor221
Bangor University521
Brabyns Preparatory School——1
Caernarfon211
Penyffordd761
Forest Prep School——1
Gorsey Bank Primary School——1
Llangollen111
Pensby871
Corwen & Ruthin661
Tattenhall541

← All counties and the national picture