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

UK chess statisticsEssex

Chess in Essex

1,262 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Essex club in August 2026 — the 6th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

1,262

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+39%

Constant definition

Before the boom

628

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

55

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Essex clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Essex clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.05001,0001,50019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge1,262
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994601
July 1995599
July 1996662
July 1997625
July 1998592
July 1999561
July 2000530
July 2001555
July 2002509
July 2003532
July 2004542
July 2005494
July 2006499
July 2007487
July 2008490
July 2009476
July 2010473
July 2011478
January 2012501
July 2012504
January 2013521
July 2013491
January 2014515
July 2014506
January 2015577
July 2015544
January 2016570
July 2016645
January 2017648
July 2017583
January 2018609
July 2018627
January 2019628
July 2019628
January 2020659
July 20201,139
August 20201,139
September 20201,139
October 20201,142
November 20201,146
December 20201,147
January 20211,147
February 20211,147
March 20211,147
April 20211,147
May 20211,158
June 20211,168
July 20211,171
August 20211,182
September 20211,202
October 20211,221
November 20211,239
December 20211,277
January 20221,289
February 20221,299
March 20221,348
April 20221,366
May 20221,378
June 2022911
July 2022907
August 2022909
September 2022915
October 2022921
November 2022938
December 2022941
January 2023927
February 2023931
March 2023870
April 2023831
May 2023841
June 2023870
July 2023907
August 2023917
September 2023928
October 2023948
November 20231,004
December 20231,032
January 20241,039
February 20241,068
March 20241,082
April 20241,114
May 20241,122
June 20241,155
July 20241,169
August 20241,174
September 20241,179
October 20241,180
November 20241,229
December 20241,218
January 20251,210
February 20251,249
March 20251,241
April 20251,246
May 20251,257
June 20251,247
July 20251,250
August 20251,244
September 20251,243
October 20251,254
November 20251,269
December 20251,271
January 20261,267
February 20261,284
March 20261,284
April 20261,268
May 20261,257
June 20261,265
July 20261,265
August 20261,262

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.

Essex clubs fielding rated players
Essex clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.0153045601998200420102016202255
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199448
July 199547
July 199649
July 199740
July 199840
July 199940
July 200042
July 200150
July 200247
July 200348
July 200453
July 200546
July 200646
July 200747
July 200843
July 200944
July 201044
July 201144
January 201244
July 201242
January 201343
July 201342
January 201444
July 201442
January 201544
July 201541
January 201638
July 201637
January 201739
July 201738
January 201841
July 201841
January 201939
July 201940
January 202041
July 202047
August 202047
September 202047
October 202047
November 202047
December 202047
January 202147
February 202147
March 202147
April 202147
May 202147
June 202147
July 202147
August 202147
September 202149
October 202149
November 202149
December 202149
January 202249
February 202249
March 202249
April 202249
May 202249
June 202245
July 202244
August 202245
September 202245
October 202245
November 202245
December 202245
January 202344
February 202344
March 202344
April 202343
May 202343
June 202344
July 202346
August 202346
September 202346
October 202346
November 202347
December 202347
January 202447
February 202449
March 202449
April 202449
May 202449
June 202449
July 202449
August 202450
September 202450
October 202450
November 202453
December 202453
January 202553
February 202553
March 202553
April 202552
May 202552
June 202553
July 202553
August 202552
September 202552
October 202552
November 202552
December 202552
January 202652
February 202654
March 202654
April 202654
May 202654
June 202654
July 202654
August 202655

Essex, club by club

Every Essex 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
Wanstead74142179
Essex Juniors90102152
Newham477995
Chelmsford Juniors72989
Thurrock263652
Brentwood283548
Southend334843
Basildon232236
Upminster243936
Chelmsford253335
Colchester Junior92535
e2-e4 Colchester CC3335
Ilford112232
Chingford152032
Cavendish272927
Bancrofts School1127
Barking202126
Loughton142023
Colchester203121
Braintree111620
Clacton192116
Witham111316
Brentwood School11116
King Edward VI School Chelmsford9914
East Ham71113
Colyton Grammar School11212
St Thomas More High School——11
Westcliff High School1710
Walthamstow——10
Chingford Junior——9
Writtle888
Brentwood Prep S328
Forest School Essex228
Southend HS328
Rayleigh117
Becket Keys School——7
Maldon9126
Elite Chess Academy Ltd——6
Colchester RGS234
Billericay893
Baddow9103
Hutton Community Centre Junior—13
Saffron Walden——3
Temple Sutton972
Westcliff112
St Aubyn's——2
St Cedd's——2
St Martins School——2
The Trinity School——2
Beckton Rooks221
Dunmow871
Wickford111
e4 Chingford——1
Leigh N.Street School221
St Teresas Essex111

← All counties and the national picture