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

UK chess statisticsCleveland

Chess in Cleveland

315 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Cleveland club in August 2026 — the 31st largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

315

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+114%

Constant definition

Before the boom

124

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

11

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Cleveland clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Cleveland clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.010020030040019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge315
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994185
July 1995180
July 1996231
July 1997206
July 1998150
July 1999173
July 2000181
July 2001160
July 2002158
July 2003164
July 2004165
July 2005144
July 2006138
July 2007138
July 2008131
July 2009131
July 2010123
July 2011119
January 2012125
July 2012121
January 2013125
July 2013119
January 2014123
July 2014113
January 2015120
July 2015112
January 2016122
July 2016117
January 2017120
July 2017123
January 2018130
July 2018113
January 2019125
July 2019124
January 2020127
July 2020175
August 2020175
September 2020175
October 2020175
November 2020175
December 2020175
January 2021175
February 2021175
March 2021175
April 2021175
May 2021175
June 2021175
July 2021175
August 2021175
September 2021182
October 2021187
November 2021187
December 2021189
January 2022191
February 2022194
March 2022196
April 2022196
May 2022196
June 2022147
July 2022145
August 2022145
September 2022145
October 2022165
November 2022164
December 2022162
January 2023156
February 2023157
March 2023165
April 2023155
May 2023157
June 2023159
July 2023162
August 2023176
September 2023177
October 2023182
November 2023190
December 2023202
January 2024206
February 2024215
March 2024219
April 2024224
May 2024232
June 2024234
July 2024241
August 2024247
September 2024253
October 2024255
November 2024258
December 2024269
January 2025269
February 2025273
March 2025275
April 2025276
May 2025277
June 2025278
July 2025276
August 2025277
September 2025280
October 2025284
November 2025290
December 2025305
January 2026305
February 2026310
March 2026313
April 2026317
May 2026316
June 2026316
July 2026320
August 2026315

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.

Cleveland clubs fielding rated players
Cleveland clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.051015201998200420102016202211
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199416
July 199516
July 199619
July 199717
July 199815
July 199915
July 200014
July 200114
July 200214
July 200314
July 200416
July 200514
July 200614
July 200713
July 200813
July 200913
July 201013
July 201112
January 201212
July 201212
January 201311
July 201310
January 201410
July 201410
January 20159
July 20158
January 20169
July 20169
January 20179
July 20179
January 201811
July 201811
January 201911
July 201911
January 202011
July 202011
August 202011
September 202011
October 202011
November 202011
December 202011
January 202111
February 202111
March 202111
April 202111
May 202111
June 202111
July 202111
August 202111
September 202111
October 202111
November 202111
December 202111
January 202211
February 202211
March 202211
April 202211
May 202211
June 202211
July 202211
August 202211
September 202211
October 202211
November 20229
December 20229
January 20239
February 20239
March 20239
April 20238
May 20238
June 20238
July 20238
August 20239
September 20239
October 20239
November 20239
December 20239
January 20249
February 20249
March 20249
April 20249
May 20249
June 20249
July 20249
August 20249
September 20249
October 20249
November 20249
December 20249
January 20259
February 20259
March 20259
April 20259
May 20259
June 20259
July 20259
August 20259
September 202510
October 202510
November 202510
December 202511
January 202611
February 202611
March 202611
April 202611
May 202611
June 202611
July 202611
August 202611

Cleveland, club by club

Every Cleveland 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
Thornaby1726139
Hartlepool141537
Billingham Synthonia142232
Redcar141326
Great Ayton212624
Middlesbrough151821
Yarm School151314
Lift Unity City——12
The Buffs11118
Billingham111
Whitby551

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