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

UK chess statisticsDorset

Chess in Dorset

336 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Dorset club in August 2026 — the 30th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

336

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+32%

Constant definition

Before the boom

202

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

16

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Dorset clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Dorset clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.010020030040019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge336
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994220
July 1995237
July 1996268
July 1997266
July 1998268
July 1999243
July 2000246
July 2001246
July 2002224
July 2003219
July 2004215
July 2005227
July 2006226
July 2007220
July 2008208
July 2009197
July 2010202
July 2011195
January 2012186
July 2012200
January 2013200
July 2013187
January 2014191
July 2014191
January 2015216
July 2015223
January 2016226
July 2016212
January 2017204
July 2017190
January 2018190
July 2018187
January 2019189
July 2019202
January 2020218
July 2020310
August 2020310
September 2020310
October 2020310
November 2020310
December 2020310
January 2021310
February 2021310
March 2021310
April 2021310
May 2021310
June 2021310
July 2021310
August 2021310
September 2021311
October 2021324
November 2021324
December 2021335
January 2022335
February 2022337
March 2022340
April 2022342
May 2022347
June 2022254
July 2022255
August 2022255
September 2022257
October 2022259
November 2022268
December 2022280
January 2023278
February 2023280
March 2023258
April 2023235
May 2023243
June 2023244
July 2023246
August 2023248
September 2023251
October 2023254
November 2023276
December 2023280
January 2024287
February 2024288
March 2024288
April 2024294
May 2024302
June 2024302
July 2024307
August 2024308
September 2024308
October 2024308
November 2024324
December 2024326
January 2025324
February 2025327
March 2025328
April 2025327
May 2025324
June 2025324
July 2025326
August 2025326
September 2025326
October 2025327
November 2025344
December 2025349
January 2026349
February 2026348
March 2026355
April 2026354
May 2026343
June 2026340
July 2026336
August 2026336

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.

Dorset clubs fielding rated players
Dorset clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.051015201998200420102016202216
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199419
July 199519
July 199620
July 199719
July 199820
July 199919
July 200016
July 200117
July 200215
July 200313
July 200414
July 200514
July 200613
July 200714
July 200813
July 200913
July 201013
July 201112
January 201212
July 201212
January 201312
July 201313
January 201413
July 201414
January 201515
July 201514
January 201615
July 201614
January 201714
July 201713
January 201811
July 201812
January 201911
July 201911
January 202012
July 202016
August 202016
September 202016
October 202016
November 202016
December 202016
January 202116
February 202116
March 202116
April 202116
May 202116
June 202116
July 202116
August 202116
September 202116
October 202116
November 202116
December 202116
January 202216
February 202216
March 202216
April 202216
May 202216
June 202212
July 202212
August 202212
September 202212
October 202212
November 202212
December 202212
January 202311
February 202311
March 202312
April 202311
May 202311
June 202311
July 202311
August 202311
September 202311
October 202311
November 202313
December 202313
January 202413
February 202413
March 202413
April 202413
May 202414
June 202414
July 202415
August 202415
September 202415
October 202415
November 202415
December 202415
January 202515
February 202515
March 202515
April 202515
May 202515
June 202515
July 202515
August 202515
September 202515
October 202515
November 202515
December 202515
January 202615
February 202615
March 202615
April 202615
May 202615
June 202616
July 202616
August 202616

Dorset, club by club

Every Dorset 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
Southbourne252852
Poole404351
Bournemouth133145
Dorchester192034
Wimborne354131
Ringwood152129
Highcliffe202625
Weymouth111423
Purbeck101114
Avonbourne Academy——12
New Milton131412
Hamworthy114
Bridport111
Castle Court Dorset1151
Gillingham & Shaftesbury111
Parkstone111

← All counties and the national picture