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

UK chess statisticsDurham

Chess in Durham

288 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Durham club in August 2026 — the 33rd largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

288

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+53%

Constant definition

Before the boom

137

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

14

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Durham clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Durham clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.010020030040019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge288
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994171
July 1995163
July 1996213
July 1997167
July 1998154
July 1999154
July 2000185
July 2001191
July 2002183
July 2003173
July 2004160
July 2005142
July 2006119
July 2007114
July 2008126
July 2009120
July 2010121
July 2011126
January 2012132
July 2012122
January 2013132
July 2013125
January 2014133
July 2014124
January 2015144
July 2015152
January 2016150
July 2016140
January 2017141
July 2017141
January 2018141
July 2018137
January 2019143
July 2019137
January 2020145
July 2020212
August 2020212
September 2020212
October 2020212
November 2020212
December 2020212
January 2021212
February 2021212
March 2021212
April 2021212
May 2021211
June 2021211
July 2021214
August 2021216
September 2021221
October 2021228
November 2021231
December 2021248
January 2022251
February 2022256
March 2022257
April 2022258
May 2022258
June 2022188
July 2022191
August 2022191
September 2022190
October 2022190
November 2022191
December 2022198
January 2023197
February 2023202
March 2023199
April 2023191
May 2023192
June 2023196
July 2023197
August 2023199
September 2023200
October 2023204
November 2023216
December 2023248
January 2024251
February 2024253
March 2024255
April 2024258
May 2024260
June 2024264
July 2024264
August 2024266
September 2024266
October 2024267
November 2024279
December 2024296
January 2025297
February 2025298
March 2025295
April 2025286
May 2025285
June 2025284
July 2025282
August 2025284
September 2025285
October 2025287
November 2025294
December 2025313
January 2026313
February 2026310
March 2026308
April 2026301
May 2026295
June 2026290
July 2026288
August 2026288

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.

Durham clubs fielding rated players
Durham clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.01020301998200420102016202214
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199422
July 199516
July 199617
July 199715
July 199817
July 199916
July 200017
July 200118
July 200221
July 200324
July 200418
July 200517
July 200615
July 200714
July 200813
July 200913
July 201011
July 201111
January 201212
July 201212
January 201311
July 201312
January 201412
July 201411
January 201511
July 201511
January 201611
July 201611
January 201710
July 201710
January 201810
July 201810
January 201910
July 201910
January 202010
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 202210
July 202211
August 202211
September 202211
October 202211
November 202211
December 202211
January 202311
February 202311
March 202311
April 202311
May 202311
June 202311
July 202311
August 202311
September 202311
October 202311
November 202311
December 202314
January 202414
February 202414
March 202414
April 202414
May 202414
June 202414
July 202414
August 202414
September 202414
October 202414
November 202414
December 202414
January 202514
February 202514
March 202514
April 202514
May 202514
June 202515
July 202514
August 202514
September 202514
October 202514
November 202514
December 202514
January 202614
February 202614
March 202614
April 202614
May 202614
June 202614
July 202614
August 202614

Durham, club by club

Every Durham 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
Durham University134148
Durham City253041
South Shields293138
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College——37
Darlington242934
Leam Lane152023
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation——17
Bishop Auckland111616
Peterlee91115
Boldon Comp S227
Hetton Lyons875
Consett225
Park View School——1
S Tyneside College111

← All counties and the national picture