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

UK chess statisticsDevon

Chess in Devon

495 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Devon club in August 2026 — the 21st largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

495

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+64%

Constant definition

Before the boom

257

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

28

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Devon clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Devon clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.015030045060019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge495
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994261
July 1995278
July 1996338
July 1997311
July 1998313
July 1999314
July 2000276
July 2001248
July 2002246
July 2003252
July 2004240
July 2005236
July 2006223
July 2007226
July 2008228
July 2009239
July 2010245
July 2011240
January 2012228
July 2012252
January 2013250
July 2013237
January 2014243
July 2014232
January 2015246
July 2015240
January 2016260
July 2016251
January 2017249
July 2017244
January 2018264
July 2018255
January 2019268
July 2019257
January 2020269
July 2020413
August 2020413
September 2020413
October 2020413
November 2020413
December 2020413
January 2021413
February 2021413
March 2021413
April 2021413
May 2021414
June 2021414
July 2021415
August 2021415
September 2021417
October 2021424
November 2021426
December 2021452
January 2022454
February 2022464
March 2022470
April 2022471
May 2022474
June 2022301
July 2022306
August 2022306
September 2022310
October 2022319
November 2022333
December 2022333
January 2023336
February 2023343
March 2023330
April 2023296
May 2023302
June 2023304
July 2023306
August 2023306
September 2023306
October 2023308
November 2023345
December 2023372
January 2024391
February 2024397
March 2024406
April 2024418
May 2024424
June 2024426
July 2024426
August 2024426
September 2024426
October 2024431
November 2024444
December 2024448
January 2025460
February 2025467
March 2025476
April 2025475
May 2025478
June 2025478
July 2025476
August 2025477
September 2025470
October 2025477
November 2025506
December 2025530
January 2026529
February 2026524
March 2026506
April 2026507
May 2026501
June 2026498
July 2026495
August 2026495

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.

Devon clubs fielding rated players
Devon clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.01020301998200420102016202228
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199426
July 199526
July 199626
July 199725
July 199827
July 199927
July 200026
July 200125
July 200222
July 200323
July 200424
July 200521
July 200622
July 200721
July 200821
July 200921
July 201021
July 201121
January 201221
July 201218
January 201318
July 201319
January 201419
July 201417
January 201517
July 201518
January 201620
July 201619
January 201717
July 201719
January 201819
July 201817
January 201918
July 201920
January 202020
July 202024
August 202024
September 202024
October 202024
November 202024
December 202024
January 202124
February 202124
March 202124
April 202124
May 202124
June 202124
July 202124
August 202124
September 202124
October 202124
November 202124
December 202127
January 202227
February 202227
March 202227
April 202227
May 202227
June 202225
July 202225
August 202225
September 202225
October 202225
November 202225
December 202225
January 202324
February 202325
March 202326
April 202325
May 202326
June 202326
July 202326
August 202326
September 202326
October 202327
November 202328
December 202329
January 202429
February 202430
March 202430
April 202430
May 202430
June 202430
July 202430
August 202430
September 202430
October 202430
November 202430
December 202429
January 202529
February 202529
March 202529
April 202529
May 202529
June 202529
July 202529
August 202529
September 202529
October 202529
November 202529
December 202529
January 202629
February 202629
March 202629
April 202629
May 202629
June 202629
July 202628
August 202628

Devon, club by club

Every Devon 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
Devon Junior1387
Plymouth324468
Torquay Grammar School151445
Newton Abbot313242
Exeter314137
Sidmouth202127
Barnstaple151624
Totnes5723
Teignmouth192017
Exeter Maths School——16
South Hams201813
Seaton91112
Stover School4712
Devonport High School for Boys—311
Plymouth University——10
Exeter University20149
Exeter School358
Exeter Juniors116
Exmouth14136
Brixham444
Exeter En Peasants——4
Torquay114
West Buckland School——3
East Budleigh732
Tiverton762
Braunton Academy—121
St Marychurch111
Torrington111

← All counties and the national picture